Introduction

The first hand stories of those who took part, many of them fresh faced twentysomethings straight out of training. This book tells the story of one man’s capture, imprisonment and escape in wartime Italy.

Review

This hard back book published by Pen and Sword Military, was first published in 1997 under the title From Liguria with Love - Capture, Imprisonment and Europe in Wartime Italy, is written by Michael Ross, priced at £19.99 and tells his own remarkable World War II experiences. This book contains 220 pages on good quality paper, with scattered drawings and a glossy section in the middle containing black and white photographs (many of these from the Ross family archive).

When war was declared Michael Ross was an undergraduate, he was commissioned into the Welch Regiment. This book follows his baptism by fire in the Western Desert, where he and others fought against Rommel’s armour, and how he was helped by the nomads when he was on the run for ten days behind enemy lines. This memoir also follows his capture and his time as a prisoner of war in Italy, his escape and recapture on the Swiss border. His second escape saw him after nearly being executed by the Italian partisans, fight with them against the occupying forces of the Germans. During this time he met and fell in love with the daughter of a man who helped him while he was on the run, after the was Michael went back to Italy and they married.

The list of contents are as follows:
List of Maps and Illustrations
Preface
Introduction

Part 1 - A Soldier
Chapter 1 Despatch to a Desert Fort
Chapter 2 Enemy Threats
Chapter 3 The Storm Breaks
Chapter 4 Survivors Escape
Chapter 5 Forced Night March
Chapter 6 All Contact Lost
Chapter 7 Life (and near death) with the Arabs
Chapter 8 In Enemy Hands
This part of the book covers Michael’s experiences as a soldier during the fighting against Rommel’s armour.

Part 2 - A Prisoner
Chapter 9 Doom and Gloom
Chapter 10 Inmates of a Monastery in Southern Italy
Chapter 11 Human Relations Under Strain
Chapter 12 Escapes and the Aftermath
Chapter 13 A Taste of Freedom in Northern Italy
Chapter 14 Enemies Become Friends
The section of the book covers Michael’s prisoner of war experiences,

Part 3 - A Lame Dog
Chapter 15 On the Run to the Southern Front
Chapter 16 Change of Plan - Westwards through France
Chapter 17 Chance Meeting with the ‘Resistance’
Chapter 18 Refuge in ’Llo Di Mare’ - a Riviera Villa
Chapter 19 At Large with Partisans
Chapter 20 Flight to Freedom
Part Three gives you an insight into how Michael and his friend’s felt on the run.

Postscript
The postscript is written by David Ross (Brigadier, CBE) the son of Michael.
Index

This book is an inspiring and powerful memoir, and is a tribute to the courage and sacrifice of the local Italians who helped and hid Allied soldiers.

Conclusion

I found this book to be very insightful; a unique story with a poignant conclusion as after the war Michael went back to Italy and married the daughter of the family that had hidden him for many months. The photographs included in this publication make it all the more interesting because they were taken from the Ross family archive, and this somehow makes them all the more interesting.
A truly remarkable publication covering capture, imprisonment, escape and finding love in wartime Italy.