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The Full Day: Servigliano to Curetta, Santa Vittoria in Matenano, Montefalcone, Smerillo and back to Contrada Durano (26 km)
The day began again at 08:30 (8:30 am) with a visit to the Servigliano cemetery to leave flowers on the grave of a British soldier, Frank Hilton, a Servigliano POW who started the Baglioni Trust and actually took Baglioni as his surname to honour the local family who aided him.
The weather was hot, at least 30C, and humid reminding us of Toronto’s frequently insufferable summertime heat. We were grateful that we had trained there under the same conditions this summer because this was our full day, and we were determined to stay the course and nurse our injuries the following day. We trekked up the road past the camp on a “white road” (unpaved), most likely used by the escapees, to Curetta led again by Ian McCarthy. He stopped to read a very sobering story of Cesare Viozzi who made the difficult decision to harbour two soldiers only to be betrayed by fascists in the village. One of the soldiers with the surname of Newton was an American training to be a doctor and very popular with many of the locals.
http://camp59survivors.wordpress.com/2010/12/30/cesare-viozzi-on-sheltering-robert-a-newton/
He was shot along with his companion, and the Italian family who sheltered them suffered immeasurably – underlining the risks taken by the locals.
Rundown House in Countryside
Along our way we were welcomed to Luigi and Angela’s modern home, Angela’s Garden B and B, where Des, one of the ELMS walkers was staying. They provided delicious snacks of Italian crostada, soft drinks and fruit so we left amply fortified only to be met by the wife of Paolo Ginnete Le Spade who served us pieces of fresh juicy cantaloupe. She assured us we had only one-half hour further to march up the road to Santa Vittoria in Matenano. Paolo told us he would be opening a B and B soon and that we and all our friends should stay with them should we ever return. He offered to post the enlarge photos on the Casa della Memoria website to see if anyone recognized either of the Italian women.
Today we were joined by a couple of younger teachers and three or four of their teenaged students, most of whom were wearing totally inappropriate footwear. I was certain they wouldn’t stay the course, but I was proven very wrong because they did. One, who had originally come from Albania, spoke very good English and was fascinated when I related my dad’s story. We took their photo in the next town. You will note that one is wearing skimpy cutoff jeans and that the pockets hanging down feature the stars and stripes. I was also amused to see a young fellow roaring into town on his motorcycle with goggles in the same motif, though I didn’t stop to take his picture. I guess the American flag is still a popular fashion item for the youth in these parts! My great nieces and nephews will be happy to hear this news.
Italian Students (Stars and Stripes in Centre)
We continued on to Santa
Vittoria in Matenano for another wreath-laying and lunch, arriving tired and
very sweaty. We waited at the war memorial for the mayor or even the deputy
mayor, but as they were otherwise engaged, a flustered councilman hurried to replace
them for the ceremony. Duncan and I sat on a bench eating our bread and cheese
in a small park as locals walked by staring at us, wondering I am sure, why we
were there. Ian told us that Santa Vittoria ... managed quite well during the
war with sufficient food and wine until the Germans decided to make it their
headquarters for 7-10 days. There were 5000 soldiers to 1000 villagers who were
ordered to cook for them. Ironically there were American soldiers hidden in the
attics of the town while the Germans enjoyed the “hospitality” down below.
Representatives from ELMS and MSMT Lay Wreaths
Ian made the mistake of encouraging some of us to go for coffee while we awaited the arrival of his wife, Gabriella, who would lead the second part of this walk. Several of us headed for the nearest cafe to enjoy coffee and beer much to the chagrin of some of the organizers who wished to get on the road. We sat and chatted with Laura and her friend and Anna Maria certain that this was an equally important part of our Freedom Trail experience.
We straggled out of the bar onto the main road and then onto a stony slippery path to Montefalcone for another wreath-laying ceremony. Des Mahon from ELMS stopped again to photograph the magnificent view. I wish I had done the same.
We met the mayor, a handsome chap, and jokingly told him we thought he would be scooping out the gelato to welcome us. He took us seriously and apologized for rushing away to a previous engagement, but he graciously advised us to stop at the bar down the hill for refreshments on him which could include gelato! Several of the men were most grateful for the cold beers purchased by Anne Copley. We were so sweaty and tired that we actually began to feel a bit chilled in the afternoon sun. We marched back up the hill from the bar led by Ian’s wife who was wearing only fashionable sandals on her feet to enter the nature trail through the forest on the way to Smerillo. Ironically this was the most difficult and authentic trail in our day. We were shown a place where Allied soldiers were sure to have hidden from the enemy during daylight hours. We marched along the edge of a cliff with stunning views and some of the ELMS people approvingly commented that this was truly a Freedom Trail. I had difficulty getting down a steep bit and had to resort to crouching down and sliding. However Ian’s wife charged on ahead in her sandals. She explained that she didn’t like to have hot feet in boots! I could never have managed in those fashionable sandals and was grateful for the Vibram soles on my sturdy boots. Finally at about 19:00 hours (7 p.m.) we made it to our destination admonished by Roger Stanton, ELMS honourable secretary from Harrogate, Yorkshire, to wait for the last hikers to arrive before entering Smerillo. We explained however, that unlike the rest of the group, we had to continue on for an additional 3km. to Contrada Durano for aperitifs at 19:30 hours (7:30 p.m.) and we didn’t want to be late. So he waved us on ahead.
We marched past the rescue vehicle and Steve Sims (ELMS) joked that we were showing off. However he had stayed with Concetta and Jimmy on a previous visit so understood the reason for our haste. This was the longest most difficult part of our day since we expected to see our hotel around every bend. The road seemed to continue forever and I had neglected to use “the facilities” in Montefalcone or Smerillo so was a bit distressed. Finally we trudged up the hill to our hotel at 19:45 hours (7:45 p.m.) after hiking 26 km, the longest march we’ve ever had in our lives. This includes my Outward Bound course in Northern Ontario when I was 37 years old rather than my current advanced 66 years! Concetta greeted us laughingly asking if we had arrived without the car. She gave us 10 minutes to shower and dress before dinner. I rushed because I was sorely in need of the pink champagne all the guests were merrily imbibing in the courtyard. Duncan appeared a few minutes later looking refreshed in his new Tilley shirt. We met Dr. Anita Krol and her husband from Rome. Anita was one of the organizers of the Award Ceremony for Antonio Milozzi to be held in San Martino the next day. She has worked at the British Embassy in Rome for more than 25 years and makes life easier for the British Ambassador, Christopher Prentice CMG, who has held the post for about four years. We asked her how many ceremonies this man must attend on average each week and she responded “three or four”. This couple was very friendly and wanted to hear all about our day as did the three British women at the next table from Penna San Giovanni, a neighbouring village. One has a holiday home there and another currently lives on a small island across from Auckland, NZ. The third lives near Guildford in Surrey and enjoys doing house exchanges as do we.
That evening at dinner, we enjoyed ravioli appetizers stuffed with cheese and herbs from Concetta’s garden, delicious pasta with a green sauce festooned with roasted pine nuts, pork filet mignon and baked plums with sauce for dessert and naturally wines with each course. How did we ever find this little bit of heaven?
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