|
Dalmahoy 123 German Camp Prisoner of War Camp |
|
Recollection 1. Livia Fascia Naples, Italy |
|
|
Thank you to Livia Fascia who wrote: |
|
|
Private Mario Tozzi "I recently came into these old documents belonging to my grandfather, Private Mario Tozzi. - He was born in 1922 in Lucera (Foggia), Southern Italy. - He served in the Italian Army. - He was held prisoner at Dalmahoy 123 German Camp. - He was sent back home after being diagnosed with TB, and died in 1946. We don't know very much about him, since he was very young and was already at the front when my mother was born in 1942. My mother never met him. All we have is the documents below. As a family, we'd like, very much, to learn more about him. Here are the documents: 1. My grandfather's Identity Document. Perhaps somebody will recognise him from his photo and will get in touch. Identity Document
© Reproduced with acknowledgement to Mario Torri's granddaughter
© Reproduced with acknowledgement to Mario Torri's granddaughter
2. A letter from his close friend, Private P D Norton, sent to my grandfather soon after he was sent home from the Dalmahoy Camp. We'd like to make contact with P D Norton (if he is still living!) or any of his his family. They may be able to help us in shaping the memory of our grandfather." Livia Fascia, Naples, Italy, August 30, 2014
P D Norton's Letter
© Letter (4 pages): Reproduced with acknowledgement to Mario Torri's granddaughter Transcription NATIONAL PATRIOTIC ON ACTIVE SERVICE FUND BOARD DATE: 4/5/46 NEW ZEALAND Pte. P D Norton, 97002092 123 German P W W Camp Dalmahoy Camp Kirknewton Midlothian Carissimo (Dearest) Tozzi. You may be thinking I am a long time writing to you. I was waiting to see if we might have a card from you telling us of your arrival in Italy. But I expect that you have much to do and think about with your wife in hospital and little daughter to look after at home. A card arrived the other day from Sangiorgi at Faenza addressed to Sgt. Baldwin so that the last lot of our Italians is [page 2] now in its native country. All civilians now, and here am I at Dalmahoy, still not liberated. However, July will soon be here and I expect to go out of the Army early in that month. Sgt. Lowry going out the same time. S/Sgt. Motici goes out soon and goes to Sicily for some time. I don't know just when he goes or for how long. You know of course that we have all Germans here but this has not made much difference apart from missing you very much. We have two German clerks in the office but they don't do much and spend most of the day learning English. But they do not know enough to speak on the telephone [page 3] , so they do no "Duty clerk" at all. - You know much too much English to be excused that. The Germans do not know so much English as I thought they would - on the whole. I don't think they know as much as you Italians did. I wonder if you have met Cafiero at all. If you meet or write to him, please give him please give him my best wishes. I have not asked you how your wife and little girl are, but I do hope they are going on well. I wonder if you passed through the Customs with that smart suit which you were wearing ! and were not mistaken for a British soldier [page 4] and refused a passage! It is lovely weather here now .... lambs are skipping around the golf course & everything looks so fresh and green, a big difference from the weather when you left us. The ginger cat can no longer be used to put the Commandant in a good mood. The poor sleepy thing put its foot into a rat. trap and after limping about for a few more days, mysteriously disappeared so can no more be seen sitting in the Commandant's in-tray. We have no animals here at all now. I hope you have enough "mangare". - our rations are "semper diminuendo" but are sufficient. This letter brings all the Best Wishes from Monsieur Morton |
|
|
Acknowledgements Thank you to: - Carol Stubbs, Edinburgh, for assisting with my original transcription of the letter above.
-
Laurie
Thompson, Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire, England, for
deciphering 5 words. Laurie added
"This is an interesting thread. I
hope it generates responses". - Gordon Davie, Abbeyhill, for deciphering 5 words: 3 agree with Laurie above + 2 others.
That leaves just 1 word in the letter, still to be identified. Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: September 6 + 7, 2014 |
|
|
Reply to Livia? If you'd like to respond to the documents that Livia has provided, or to any of her comments above, please email me to let me know, then I'll pass on her email address to you. Thank you. Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh: September 6, 2014 |
