Gilbert Broadbent

60th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery

Gilbert Broadbent was a radio operator of the 60^th Field Regiment of the Royal Artillery, a unit specialised in anti-tank operations. In North Africa, on the border between Egypt and Libya, his regiment was assigned to the 7^th Armoured Division, the so-called ‘Desert Rats’. On 22 November 1941, while they were assaulting a German position in Sidi Rezegh, trying to relieve the siege of Tobruk, Gilbert was captured by the enemy. The next morning, he and other fellow soldiers were loaded onto Italian trucks and brought to the Benghazi prison camp, where they arrived on 30 November. In December, he was transferred to a prison camp in Gharian and later crossed Libya to reach Tripoli, where he was loaded onto a ship to Naples. On 31 December 1941, Gilian was in the Capua PG. He was then transferred to PG 59, Servigliano, and eventually to his final destination: PG 53, Sforzacosta. It was here that, at the beginning of September 1943, he received news of the Armistice between Italy and the Allies. The news radically changed the situation in the camp, as the guards abandoned their posts. On 15 September, Gilbert decided to leave with another prisoner, Ken Pickering, heading for the surrounding countryside.

After walking for about half a mile, we spoke to a farmer who took us to his home. They gave us food, and a family of some fourteen people watched with great curiosity as we ate some bread and enjoyed scrambled eggs. As we left, we were given more bread and warned where we might encounter Germans.

Gilbert and Ken had several lucky encounters on their journey as they headed south towards Penna San Giovanni. They crossed steep hills and arduous paths along the way. One day, near a dry river, they encountered a farmer named Marino, who invited them to his home and provided them with milk, eggs, and water. Meanwhile, two more men arrived and joined the conversation, promising the two escapees new civilian clothes and a job in their vineyard as harvesters.

He (the farmer) said we could return to sleep there each night if we wished. The two young Italians turned up with clothes for us at about 3 pm after they had been to mass. We arranged to start grape-picking at 7 am.

One day, returning from Macerata, Marino warned Gilbert and Ken that Fascists were nearby, and they had better go to work in his friend’s vineyard, which was some two kilometres away. Thus, Gilbert moved to Urbisaglia, housed by the Staffolani family on 24 September 1943.

Marino’s friend was called Umberto Staffolani and he had at that time a family of seven: five sons and two daughters. All the family were engaged in grape-picking, except Umberto’s wife, who prepared the meals. We worked very hard all day until dusk but fed well. Most of these farms were self-contained and in times like these they were certainly the best places to eat.

In Urbisaglia, Gilbert met and befriended other escaped PoWs hiding in the village. All of them, in some ways or another, received help from the local population. Due to the danger of Nazi-fascist raids, Gilbert was once again moved to Umberto’s cousin, Domenico, who lived in a different house with his wife and three sons and who enjoyed much better living conditions than the rest of the villagers.

The whole week we were there we did little work, occasionally picking leaves for the cows and acorns for the pigs. We fed like lords and were treated marvelously well […] Domenico was a man who loved to talk with us, but his accent must have been difficult for a well-spoken Italian to understand, let alone Englishmen.

During the following weeks, Gilbert went back and forth between Umberto and Domenico’s houses. In both, he observed the rural lives of the families, marked by the daily routines that revolved around farming work. These included the slaughtering of cattle for food and the daily recitation of the rosary, which took place each evening. He also paid particular attention to the preparation of food and the wine they had with every meal:

We always looked forward to Sunday lunch, where we were usually served with pasta asciutta or macaroni. This was home-made from flour dough put through a sort of mincer and cut off at required length. Mixed with the dough were several eggs, which turned it yellow. Again, it was cooked in the Calderone and served on a large dish with layers of grated cheese, tomato paste and minced meat.

In November, Gilbert and the other escapees all went to Domenico Staffolani’s farm to slaughter the calves and sell the meat in the nearby villages. However, their condition worsened as rumours of Nazi-fascist raids grew in intensity and the Germans searched Domenico’s house. While this event was alarming, it did not cause any significant shift in Giblert’s routine, and Domenico too reassured him he could stay and spend Christmas and New Year with him. The beginning of 1944 was marked by the news about the Allied landings at Anzio and, at the same time, the increased risk of sudden enemy searches in the Urbisaglia area.

On 20th January we were told to stay all day at the house of the carabiniere because a fascist was expected to visit Domenico’s house. On Sunday evening we made our way to Domenico’s contadino taking with us food for a week. It was a big change for us because the family was poor and instead of a nice bed we slept on straw in the stable. Nevertheless, they did what they could to help us, and we were adequately provided for although we lived more frugally.

Fearing another Nazi-fascist search, the farmer’s family asked Gilbert to find a new accommodation. Meanwhile, thanks to Umberto, he learned about a possible transfer of escaped PoWs fifteen kilometres away from Urbisaglia. However, the first attempt to cross the Apennines failed, and Gilbert and Ken were forced to head back and stop at a local farmer near San Ginesio without reaching the area of Monastero and Cessapalombo.

Whilst staying at this farmhouse I developed a severe toothache and was in such pain that I had to take the risk of seeing a dentist. I made my way alone and on entering surgery was met by the dentist’s wife who questioned me and said I should return to the POW camp, as the Germans were too strong, and the Allies would not break their resistance. As they both had fascist sympathies, I beat a hasty retreat and was welcomed back by my farmer friends. During our short stay we helped to distill wine to make a very potent spirit named mistrà.

With Ken and another escapee named Stan, Gilbert debated the necessity of devising a new plan to cross the mountains without following the coastline. Leaving the village of Cingoli, the group headed through Umbria, crossing the towns of Leonessa and Terni, where they learned of the Allied conquest of Rome. On 21 June, in Terni, Gilbert and his companions reported to the Allied Military Government’s office, where they were greeted by a British officer and an American Colonel, who arranged their transfer to Rome. In the capital, they were interrogated by the American MP before being repatriated. In the meantime, they managed to enjoy a party organised for former PoWs.

The moment for which we had waited had arrived at last. We slept peacefully after thanking God that our prayers had been answered.