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A copy of the late Bernard Elliott’s book ‘Wigston in 1891’ sits on a bookshelf in a villa situated on the North East coast of Italy, some 50 miles from Venice. It belongs to 78 year old Giovanni Bredariol whose interest in it stems from the fact that one of the illustrations shows his old home, 46 Gladstone Street, Wigston!

Giovanni served in the Italian Navy during World War II and in 1940, following one of the fierce engagements in Tobruk, was captured and brought to England. He was sent firstly to POW Camp 28 in Loughborough and later moved to a castle like building near Queniborough. When camp tasks were being allocated he volunteered, though not a trained chef, to be the Officers’ cook. These Officers very likely came to enjoy pasta and pizzas long before they became such a popular part of the English diet! It is interesting to learn that the Italians were treated well by the British, their supposed enemies, but not so well by the Germans, their allies.

After the war Giovanni returned to Italy to marry Iole the girlfriend he had left behind. He returned with her to England to settle in 1948 and they lived on a farm in South Croxton. It was compulsory at the time for all immigrants to work two years on the land. The couple had a daughter, Dorina, before moving to North Street, Wigston where Giovanni took up employment with Mr. Thorpe a Wigston Fields farmer. Mr. Thorpe’s Wigston ‘Fields’ have long since disappeared but his house survives surrounded by more modern ones at the junction of Grange and Grangeway Roads.

The Bredariols had a son Frank and then moved to 46, Gladstone Street, where another son, Giannino, was later born. This house was one of a pair owned by Mr Thorpe at the time. Iole’s brother Mario Trevisanutto and his wife also decided to come to England and they moved into the other house, No: 44, Mario also worked on Mr Thorpe’s farm.

In later years Giovanni worked for Wheatcrofts the builders and then for BSS Group on Lee Circle. It was while there that a lasting friendship developed with his supervisor Mr. H.A. Wells. Iole worked for Mrs. Wheatcroft as a mother’s help and also for a time at Cherubs.

Mario and his wife and son returned to Italy in the 1960’s and in 1970 Giovanni and Iole decided they would return too, after 22 years in England. Dorina and Frank chose to remain in England but Giannino aged 16 went with his parents. Dorina took over the family home where she lives to this day, while Frank went to live in Kibworth.

As well as visits from his son and daughter Giovanni welcomes friends he made in Leicestershire who sometimes spend holidays in Italy. It was on one of these visits that Mr. Wells of Broughton Astley took over a copy of the book.

This story was submitted to the People’s War website by Sarah Tack of the CSV Action Desk on behalf of Dorina Voyle for her father Giovanni Bredariol and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

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