大象传媒

Lately there have been reports in the press of brutality on the part of British Army prisoners in Iraq.

Before I became a British subject as a war bride in 1947, I was Italian by birth, and up-bringing and propaganda by Mussolini had lead me to believe all sorts of things.

However, I was lucky enough, due to the fact that I had been studing several foreign languages, to obtain employment, first with the German Command (The Deutche Berater) and, when the Germans left, with the English, in the HQ of the Allied Military Government- Udine Province.

It was strange, the Germans left on the 3rd May 1945. Their columns of soldiers and officers passed through Viale Venezia, so I could not go to the office. They were wounded, bleeding and in a poor state, you could not help feeling sorry for them. The harrowing thing was seeing the Ukrainian troops who had, in some cases. brought their families in the belief the Germans would give them the land of my region. So there they were. They had no cars, but wagons, very much like in the wild American West, and they were stranded as the horse had been killed.

But let us forget that and let me make my way, on 4th May 1945, to my ex office and the new masters!

In my work I had the opportunity to come accross the 'monsters' the papers have recently talked about, the British soldier.

The Provincial Commissioner, Col Bright, a Yorkshire man, was the kindest and most patient of men. The Deputy Provincial Commissioner was a Major F, Marshall, (I hope I have the right initial) whom I believe came from Bedford. I regret my shyness which prevented me, on my arrival at Bedford many years later, from contacting him.

Soon after starting work at the A.M.G. Offices I went to Major Marshall's office with some typing. He took one look at me, called an orderly and said 'Look at that girl, she is starving! Go down to the NAFFI, get her some food and take it to her home'.

If this gentleman has a family in this area I hope they are proud of him. Likewise most of the boys in the office, were very kind. Major Marshall, on leaving Udine, became Provincial Commissioner of the region of Venice.

In Bedford I saw him once , briefly, near the Marshall's Garage in Goldington Road.

Unfortunately I was in a car with an estate agent and could not stop. I was told he became a lay preacher. Maybe his war experiences had something to do with it.

Lets see if I can remember some other names, some local, some not: I will start with Major Russell, a Scot, and my first encounter with the kilt.
Major Fletcher, an elderly officer, but a lovely chap, Lt Young, he was involved with UNRA and was kind to the people of the Carnia region, who had their houses burned by the Germans.

Capt Hall in charge of food supplies etc.

Capt Archer, Administration.

Then we had the office heads, firstly Sergeant John Robinson from Yorkshire and Warrant Officer C. Arnold, RASC, a Londoner.

Peter Sparrow, a Bedfordshire man, and a soldier named Winterton from Cambridgeshire.

There were others, but my memory cannot recall their names, but they were kind and they never made us feel we were the conquered enemy. I am 84 years old now (2004), and some of them were my age, except for the higher ranking officers.

There were Americans as well in our offices and only once we had maltreatment by one of their officers, who was punished and transfered.

Wednesday 26 May 2004, Teresa Thomason (Gallussi): Dictated to Ian Nutley

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.