Widower's hopes for WWII reunion

By Julian Sturdy
BBC East

Advertisement

Geoffrey Wilkinson fears his old friend may have died in the Italian earthquake.

A World War II veteran from Norfolk who saved the life of an Italian woman left for dead after a massacre 65 years ago, has been tracked down by her family.

Geoffrey Wilkinson was a Royal Engineer who fought at Monte Cassino and was one of the first Allied soldiers to reach Rome.

In the summer of 1944 the sapper had been bomb sweeping with the 23rd field company when he heard the sound of gun fire.

"We found there were women and children who had been shot. We don't know why.

"Maybe it was vengeance because the Italians had stopped being with the Germans and come over to our side.

"I suddenly saw this girl's hand move so I got a mirror from the jeep and put it out and listened and said 'I think she's still alive'."

L'Aquila earthquake

Despite her injuries, the teenager, who was called Maria, survived and for a few short weeks the pair became friends until the army and Geoffrey moved on.

"She came around the corner in her wheelchair with her sister pushing. They held her up and I put my arms around her.

"She kissed me and said: "dopo la guerra ritorna a Roma e mi sposa?" It means 'after the war will you return to Rome and marry me?'

"I said "si si" and off I went."

Maria lived just outside L'Aquila but her village was hit by the earthquake

Now a widower, Geoffrey who is 86, always remembered saving Maria's life and even kept her photograph in his wallet.

Last summer he lost his partner of 20 years and was alone for the second time.

A few weeks ago there was a knock on his door and a woman appeared bearing the same photograph.

"She asked if I remembered her mum. 'That is the woman you saved,' she said.

"When I found out I could even smell the past."

This summer, the pair were to be reunited, but then came a terrible twist.

Maria lived just outside L'Aquila. Her village was one of those flattened. Geoffrey has heard nothing, and hasn't got a contact number or surname of the family.

He's praying that she survived. "Fingers crossed. I hope so 'cos it's so lonely here."