2003 - Tenna Valley Trail - S Sims
San Martino Freedom Trail - September 2003
The 60th Anniversary Trail
On the evening of the 10th of September 1943, the word finally got through to the occupants of PG 59 Servigliano in the Marche area of Italy. After various discussions a group made a hole in the perimeter brick wall and so the walk to freedom began.
On the evening of the 10th of September 2003, in the comfort of a nearby restaurant, the participants of the San Martino Freedom Trail - veterans, families of veterans, walkers and an Italian film crew gathered with local residents and a convivial evening of recollections began. Personal stories were related to the audience and the film crew, working with Denys Symmonds, a former Chieti camp resident, quietly recorded interviews with the veterans present. Keith Killby, Bernard Collier, Jim Bourn, Mick Wagner and Lawrence Bains, all made significant contributions for an Italian documentary.
On the 11th a bright sunny and warm morning everyone gathered at the entrance to the ‘Parco della Pace’ in Servigliano - a sports complex and public park set within the walls of the former POW camp, and now also home to the Cassa della Memoria Project. Keith Killby, attired in his original sand coloured beret, began to relate how the exodus from the camp was achieved to an enthralled audience. The Mayor made a speech and a poppy wreath was laid at the gates to the park near two memorial tablets.
The assembled company, including the British Consul from Florence, Moira McFarlane, local dignitaries and members of the veterans association, processed into the main square of Servigliano, where a formal wreath laying took place followed by a blessing by a priest and the walk began. It was led out via the main road, to a railway bridge that afforded access to the ‘white road’ that led west towards the Sibillini Mountains.
The veterans, non-walkers, had an hour or two to stroll around the medieval heart of Servigliano and the back-up team moved on, collecting meals. Then everyone met at the house of the Barchetta family where Keith Killby first received assistance.
After a ‘sack lunch’ - the local name for a pre-packed meal - and some home grown ‘vino cotta’ (cooked wine) everyone gathered at the old farmhouse and Keith continued with his narrative. The walkers then got under way and, after a morning of relatively level ground, the first steep incline was on them. They all made it up to Monte San Martino (from where the Trust derives it name) where a private viewing of the Crivelli altar pieces had been arranged. This was followed by a fabulous tea organised by the Nuns of the convent and a talk on the history of the Order.
We then all paraded in the main square of the town for the formal speeches of the Mayor, Provincial Representative and others. Next, everyone headed for dinner at the Lago san Ruffino, which with the aquatic display accompanied by thunder & lightening was quite spectacular - al fresco dining with running water across the patio. Then it was back to the Hotel Montanaria (4 star) for a well-earned rest.
Friday morning saw the walkers on an early start and a return to Monte San Martino, for a route that would take them back down the hill to the Lago San Ruffino, a rest stop with the rest of the travelling party, and around the lake via more white roads (good Landrover driving) to Amandola and a short ceremony at the local War Memorial and lunch. Under the watchful eye of local guide, and one of the planning group, Guiseppe Millozzi and walk leader Brian Lett, the happy wanderers headed for Sarnano. They arrived to a well organised civic memorial celebration and refreshments stacked in the back of the Landrover. The walkers and all were shipped back to the hotel, for another marathon of good food and other regional produce.
Saturday morning started overcast with rain about, but with the assistance of a local Club Alpino Italia guide they all decided that it was walking weather, so the intrepid group were conveyed up to a higher start point and left in the care of the guide for the day. The veterans began a tour of local places of interest with personal recollections from those who had travelled these hills 60 years before.
Saturday evening saw the whole party gathering for a formal dinner. We were privileged to be addressed by Carlo Orlandini - a past President of the British chamber of Commerce for Italy - on his own experiences in the locality during the War, as a guide to the SAS. Many personal discussions took place in the relaxed atmosphere. Not a very early night!
Sunday dawned and saw a walking group set off again for another challenging day, with a rendezvous with the rest of the group just after midday, at a memorial to 13 partisans at Cessapalombo. The support team then travelled on to Sulmona.
There we met up with James Williams and his sons Ed and Henry who were following up leads on James’ father, Brig. Stephen Williams RA, who had been a resident of Villa Orsini in Sulmona. Bernard Collier was able to provide a lot of history of the area for the family. Assistance was also at hand from Ann and Nino Fontecchio who had helped in the tracing of Williams’ ‘helper’ family. A reunion was planned for the Monday afternoon, as the rest of us departed. Tony and Louise Woods were also in the area, having travelled down from the celebration at Fontanellato.
We returned north and had a very enjoyable dinner with the remaining veterans, who had managed to re-establish contact with their helper families and visit various places of significance to their own stories.
The event marked the date of the 60th Anniversary of the Italian Armistice, the start of a huge humanitarian episode where so many were helped by a lot of very ordinary people who themselves had very little - nationality, creed or colour was no bar - pure Christian charity was given to those who needed it. This help allowed many to return to Allied lines and then their families. In my case it allowed my father to return to New Zealand and eventually meet my mother. The whole event was the culmination of an idea expressed several years previously and the plan was put in place with the assistance of the Millozzi family and Luigi Pighetti who acted as local co-ordinator (and demonstrated to all that wished to see at first hand, Italian driving techniques!) and proved yet again that friendships forged in times of adversity prevail.