Desertkiwi
1st Lieutenant
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2009
- Messages
- 4,636
Have just finished 'To The Gateways Of Florence' which is about the NZ forces fighting in Tuscany during 1944 and partially written by the mayor of Tavarnelle Stefano Fusi and his NZ wife Jill Gabriel. First published in Italy 2009 as 'I Giorni Della Liberazione' and now translated.
It's a wonderful read, accompanied with a rich selection of photographs and memorabilia from archives in NZ and Italy and balances expert accounts from Italian and NZ historians. Some of the particularly moving parts of the book come from personal testimonies of NZ soldiers and Italian civilians who lived (and died) during this time.
You wouldn't have to have an interest in the Italian campaign to enjoy this book, the photographs alone are worth it, in particular those of knocked out Tiger tanks and other AV's which I have never seen before.
The last chapter also has several rare colour photographs of the time, including an array of snaps taken during the commemorative ceremony service held in 2009 at the Allied Soldiers Cemetery in Girone (Florence) involving several NZ veterans and the author and his wife.
Cheers Toddy
It's a wonderful read, accompanied with a rich selection of photographs and memorabilia from archives in NZ and Italy and balances expert accounts from Italian and NZ historians. Some of the particularly moving parts of the book come from personal testimonies of NZ soldiers and Italian civilians who lived (and died) during this time.
You wouldn't have to have an interest in the Italian campaign to enjoy this book, the photographs alone are worth it, in particular those of knocked out Tiger tanks and other AV's which I have never seen before.
The last chapter also has several rare colour photographs of the time, including an array of snaps taken during the commemorative ceremony service held in 2009 at the Allied Soldiers Cemetery in Girone (Florence) involving several NZ veterans and the author and his wife.
Cheers Toddy