Books on Tuscany

I will be interested to read your book `SAS in Tuscany`. I have a first edition of your father's book `Rossano`, published in 1955 and its' sub-title is `An Adventure of the Italian Resistance`. Is this the same book, which subsequently had a slight change of title or are there two books by your father? I have a holiday home that is not far from the Rossano Valley and I have seen the monument that your father had erected on a nearby hill. It is difficult today to recognise many of the features referred to in the book, which I found most informative.

Paolo, Nice to hear from you. Yes, "Rossano, Valley in Flames" is the same book as my father wrote many years ago. The original version was in Italian, and was called: "Vallata in Fiamme", which he wrote under the pseudonym of Lewis Ross. The publishers wanted to "update" the title, so we included both names in the title. There are some extra bits in it, but essentially the story is the same. My book deals with three SAS operations in the area, and the involvement in them of the Italian partisans and the contadini. It is written with the benefit of the passage of time, i.e. many previously secret files are now open, including my father's reports to No 1 Special Force in Florence. You are right that the country has changed - particularly on the Borgo Taro side of the mountains. However, I am lucky to have my father's old wartime maps, and many of the original paths can still be used. I am back in Rossano next week. If you are about, do let me know. Brian

Brian, I would like to be in Lunigiana next week, but I won't be able to get out for at least a month and after that my house gets very cold, as it has no central heating. I would otherwise have been delighted to have the opportunity to meet you. Paolo

Paolo, I too have only wood stoves in the winter, and it gets very cold sometimes! But then, perhaps we are all too used to central heating these days. Keep in touch, and no doubt one day we will meet. Auguri Brian

I will certainly get your book Brian - and add it to my collection of Italy at War books I'm sending you a pm Anne

Anne, Thank you. It is a story that, I believe, should always be remembered. Hope that you find it interesting. Regards Brian

I've just finished Brian's book SAS in Tuscany and recommend it to you all. Although the title makes it sound a bit too much "Who Dares Wins" it is mostly a very human account. In particular it illustrates well the strange alliances that are part of War. So the fighting bands are made up of regular British soliders;German deserters; Italian partisans; Russians and Polish escapees from work camps. And of course those who suffer worst (as always) are the civilian contadini.

Would be interested if anybody knows whether there are still remnants of the Gothic Line in Tuscany, fortifications, bunkers, anti tank ditches, or indeed any of the other defensive lines and or existing records/archives of Todt constructions?

I know a bit late to reply but ..... there are perhaps 100s of remains of German positions in the area of Alpe della Luna, that is to say just north of Sansepolcro. There are walks specifically made to visit many of them. The tourist office in Badia Tedalda has a room dedicated to the Gothic Line. But be aware - the Gothic Line in this mountainous area does not comprise concrete pill boxes; the defensive (and anti-aircraft) positions were primarily holes in the ground, built up with local stone and timber.

Pianopiano, the line is still remaing on the south side of Borgo a Mozzano on the Sercio river where it crosses.

There is a tour trip cabin at Ponte della Maddalena, at Borgo a Mozzano that does sells trips. Nice restaurant and bar across the road from the bridge. Nearby towards the Campo sportivo an actual wall that was an anti tank barrier. Easily missed and it would have once straddled the road. There are odd fortifications but mainly trenches overlooking roads. There are various bunkers on the road that climbs up to Lucca from Pisa.