Last year I described in a post titled “Robert Dickinson—A Banner Year for Discovery” how Steve Dickinson was gratified to receive fresh information about the circumstances of his uncle Robert’s death. Robert died fighting with the Italian partisans in March 1945.

However, Steve still longed to meet descendants of the Italians who were protective of Robert in his final months of his life.

In 2009—not long after I met Steve—he told me that he had tried to find descendants of Ginetta “Gina” Bauducco, a woman whose family he believed had sheltered Robert in her home on Via Armando Diaz in Gassino, Italy.

Steve created flyers with information about Robert and a picture. “Spent some time in the village where Robert was hidden and left some of the fliers in various places,” Steve wrote to me. “Several shops, including the pharmacy, said they would put them in their windows. Also, left many in post boxes on Via Armando Diaz.”

Steve’s email address was on the flyer; disappointingly, he received no responses. In 2023 he once more attempted a search, this time with the assistance of a local journalist and a piece in the local newspaper; again there were no responses.

The last camp where Robert was interned was PG 112/4 Turin, where 126 English soldiers were tasked with construction of the Cimena Canal.

Shortly after the Italian armistice was signed Robert and his friend Ronald Dix escaped the camp. The next day they encountered the Bauducco family, who took them into their home.

Robert and Ron lived with the Bauduccos from 11 September 1943 until mid-October 1944. (Letters written by both Robert Dickinson and Ron Dix that recently surfaced in the Istoreto Archive confirm that the Bauduccos had sheltered the POWs for a total of 13 months.) After that time, Robert and Ron were cared for and sheltered by local partisans. Ultimately, both were killed while fighting with the Aldo Brosio partisan brigade—Ron in December 1944 and Robert in March 1945.

Robert only referred to his protector as “our dear lady” in his diary, Servigliano Calling. Earlier this year Steve finally learned that “our dear lady” was Carola Bauducco, married to Giovanni.

The teenage daughter of the house, who was called Ginetta all her life, was christened Maria Concetta Bauducco. In his diary Robert writes of two young girls living in the home: Gina (Ginetta) and Tina. A lodger was also living in the Bauducco farmhouse when Robert and Ron arrived. The escaped POWs’ presence was kept a secret from the lodger and most of the neighbors. A “Mr. & Mrs. Ribet,” mentioned in Ron’s Istoreto Archive letter, also provided assistance to Robert and Ron; they were contactable at the same address.

Steve told me, “Maybe Tina was an elder sister, Gina’s other sisters now being known as Antonietta and Amalia—both were +20 years older than Gina.”

Steve formally gifted Robert’s diary, Servigliano Calling, to Casa Della Memoria in September 2023 at the commemorative “Paths to Freedom” (Sentieri di Libertà) event.

Afterward Steve said, “I had hoped a member of the Bauducco family could be present.”

On returning from the event in Servigliano, Steve had a thought: “I was aware Ron Dix never returned from the war, but did he have any family? Through a genealogy website I traced a sister, and in 1950 she had a daughter. This daughter was called Ginetta. This could not be a coincidence—I knew I was on the right trail.

“Some weeks later I managed to get in contact with Ginetta Siddons, and she confirmed that her mother had called her after the teenage Ginetta Bauducco. Gina wrote back, “You are quite right about my name, my parents already had one daughter and my mother said she decided to name her next daughter after Ginetta. You can imagine that has linked Ron and me as people always ask me how I got such an unusual (for UK) name.”

She also wrote, “Your contact has come as a huge surprise. I don’t think we knew what happened to your uncle Robert, so that information completes the jigsaw. What a shame he didn’t make it home either.

“Several family members have visited Ron’s grave—my grandfather, my older sister, and my daughter. I know my daughter wrote in the Book of Remembrance.”

The two Ginettas met several times. Gina Siddons said her aunt, Val Mitchell (Ron’s half sister), kept in regular contact with Ginetta Bauducco, and at age 95 Ginetta Bauducco was living in a care home and in poor health. She passed away in late 2023—only months before Steve contacted Gina Siddons.

Soon, through the Dix family, Steve was in touch with Ginetta Bauducco’s son Severio Rodi. Severio immediately responded to Steve’s email:

“Yesterday I wrote Val Mitchell I’d be overjoyed to get in touch with you and I was planning to write you, then this morning I received your email which took away my mind for I had no idea of the search you’ve been carrying on for so long a time.

“I’m the only son of Ginetta, the young Italian girl whose family gave shelter to your uncle and to Ron Dix in Gassino. My mother used to talk to me about the two English aviators my grandfather and the Bauducco family hid from the fascists in 1944.

“I’ve become aware of most things you’ve written only from your present email. My mother Ginetta passed on just one year ago (age 95) and I’m sure she’d have been overjoyed to meet you and tell you of the days with your uncle Robert in Gassino.

“Believe me, when I read you’ve been looking for the Bauducco family from 20 years on I just thought ‘if only we had known‘—how happy my mother would have been to meet and talk to you … this drove me to tears knowing how much those war days were in her heart.

“The Bauducco family [has not lived in] Gassino since the early sixties. That’s why you found nobody there that could give you news about my mom and me. Moreover, since my grandfather had three daughters (of whom only one—my mother—had a son, me) the Bauducco last name is lost and thereby [it would be] very hard to link to me.

“A long time ago, at the end of the eighties, when she was still [in good health], my mother took me to the Robert’s and Ron’s graves in Trenno, Milan. Surely she was aware your uncle Robert and Ron joined the partisans and met their fate [fighting], but I don’t know if she knew all the facts (from the Fulvio Borghetti letters and diary) mentioned in your email, otherwise I think she would have told me.

“At this time, between my mother’s papers I’m finding letters and photos dating back to those years. If I find something related to Robert’s days in Gassino I’ll let you know.

“Since you and your sister will be in Viale and Gassino, very close to Torino, I’d be so glad to meet you and let you know my family, have some time together and let you have a memory of Ginetta.”

Suddenly, after years of searching, Steve has connections to both the families of Ron Dix and Ginetta Bauducco. Of course he’s thrilled.

A Reunion in Italy

In June Steve and his sister Jane made the trip to northern Italy to meet Saverio and his family.

Tubino Libero was 18 years old when he was killed near Gassino while fighting with the partisans. Robert recorded the death in his diary:

Sep 23rd—Fascist shot and killed a civilian near by, can only talk in whispers because of lodger and of neighbours don’t know we are here. 

“Saverio told me his mother mentioned the killing of Tubino many times,” Steve said. “It shocked the village as he was one of the first Italians killed by Italian fascists after the armistice. He said it was really the start of the civil war in Italy.”

Steve explains, “We now know it was Gina, at the time a teenager, who put in the Allied Screening Commission inquiry. All the pieces have come together as it was Gina who met with [Captain Jack] Saggers and [Fulvio] Borghetti [as detailed in Borghetti’s diary, Istoreto Archive]. Nelly was potentially Gina’s battle name and thus was the reason Borghetti [referred to her in this way]. Saverio said that she was a gun runner for the partisans. It was unlikely that young girls would be stopped and searched.”

Partisans operating behind enemy lines often adopted battle names to hide their true identities. Anonymity was a protection; reprisal against a family was common when a partisan was identified or captured.

Robert’s Time with the Bauducco Family

On 10 September 1943, one week after the signing of the Armistice, Robert wrote that the Italians guards in PG 112/IV had packed up their belongings, discarded their rifles, and opened the gates to the camp.

Robert and Ron left the camp and walked in a party of nine prisoners for five miles, then slept in a wooded area. It was raining. 

The next morning, the two met the Bauduccos.

Here, for quick reference, are the diary entries starting from the date Robert and Romn met the Bauduccos until Robert’s last diary entry on 3 September 1944. (You can read Robert’s full diary at “‘Servigliano Calling’ Calendar of Events.”)

1943 / Sep 11^th—6 O’clock in the morning; hearing shots Ron and I went to look where and what; joke only 200yds from the camp; crept up to 2 women and a girl and they brought us civvy clothes and took us home. Hell of a job passing fascists; my trousers being a foot short. In a big room and the people will feed us till the English arrive, a week like this and the boys will be here. Food: roast chicken, eggs, rice and grapes. 

Sep 13th—People scared stiff of Jerry, all ready to bolt if he comes to stay in village. 10pm, 50 yds. up the street to listen to the English news, deadly just taken Brindisi; American news announcer kept repeating “The axis is dead”. I hope so; came back 1am carrying our boots. 

Sep 15th—Jerry passing through this village in convoy all night. 3 English books from Torino; Bill the Conqueror the best by P.G Woodhouse. 

Sep 16th—5 POW’s caught in the church! Creeping out for a walk when dark for a few minutes. 

Sep 23rd—Fascist shot and killed a civilian near by, can only talk in whispers because of lodger and of neighbours don’t know we are here. 

Sep 29th—Watching (through a crack in the door) Jerry take a search light away 50 yds. from this room. 

Oct 11th—After having numerous bunches of grapes a day in place of cigs, grapes now finished!

Oct 16th—Getting fed up of this life; no room to turn round and no walk when the moon shines or it rains; sleeping on a feather bed on the floor (tiled); my bones ache. 

Nov 1st—Feast of ‘Amici Morti”, ½ bottle of wine and 3 cigs!!! 

Nov 9th—Heard big daylight raid on Torino, a leaflet dropped in the garden; at last lodger leaving, slept in room above us for 2 months but doesn’t know we are here; very cold! 

Nov 17th—Snowing hard for 8 hrs. roll on the boy’s; no walking deadly, sleeping rotton. 

Nov 18th—Moved into next room, half size 18ft by 9ft. now have a bed; sheets! And a wood stove. Can only have a fire for an hour or so a day because of the scarcity and dearness of wood; looking deadly. 

Nov 24th—Big night raid; 11 bombs dropped here (Gassino) 7 dead. Roll on the boy’s, have gone back to what I was soon after first captured, thin in face. 

Nov 29th—My 3rd Birthday as a prisoner, 10am bread and milk, dinner Tagliattelli; chicken and fried onions. Supper; Tagliattelli, fried cabbage, nuts, 8:30 special Custard Cream and biscuits, nuggat, bottle of wine, 3 cigs!!! Very cold staying in bed until 2pm, back again between 8 and 9, have got a rotten cold. 

Dec 1st—Biggest raid yet; 300 planes!!! Fiat works hit, also a school and hospital, local people took it bad. Gina at school not returning until 7:30pm. 

Dec 3rd—Snow for the 2nd time; no walk deadly! Have nothing to pass the time and always cold, still getting 2 reading books a week, they last 1½ days, 5½ of hell. 

Dec 5th—My first hair cut for 15 weeks; cut by Gina

Dec 10th—This seasons wine ready, have it with meals daily. 

Dec 17th—Have worn a track in the garden, it starts suddenly and finishes suddenly 75 paces long. Have now to wander about in the fruit trees, have no coat, very cold, my trousers behind out and one knee; have asked for a patch. 

Dec 24th—Bath and clean clothes; second shirt washed. 

Dec 25th—Christmas here once more, Ravioli (some meat balls) white bread!!! Broth; and fried cabbage; wine; sweets and smoked 5 cigs, having 25!!! Walnuts and Chestnuts for the past 4 months but not today. 

1944 / Jan 5th—Must never forget; how good this dear lady is; still feeling rotten; pills and honey! 

Jan 10th—4 months of this life; have never been out in the daylight. The Boys not at Rome yet, still hellish cold, freezing every night when we are out. 

Jan 12th—Shop apparently thinks they are eating too much bread, now having white bread, home made. 

Feb 1st—Fascists searching for conscripts, Gina’s cousin ran away. 

Feb 2nd—Up at 8am all ready to bolt if the Fascists come searching here; roll on the Boys. 

Feb 16th—Killed the pig; liver for supper!! 

Feb 23rd—Snowed for 2 days, 6 ins. deep; no going out grim; all one has to look forward to although it is freezing cold. 

Feb 28th—Ida’s Birthday; Oh for a letter. 

Mar 2nd—In bed with Influenza; temperature. Brandy and pills; the lady worried, fire lit at night! 

Mar 10th—6 months here; feeling much better; looking like ‘death warmed up’ a little warmer inside, much warmer outside than in. Getting up at 9am P.T. for ½ hr. Can not get out in the sun; naturally can’t get well, would like to push off anywhere. 

Mar 23rd—Walking for an hour at night, weather and moon permitting; tired out after 1hr. Sleeping a little better. No appetite. 

Apr 3rd—Alter the clock. Now getting up at 10am and going to bed 10:30pm to midnight. P.T. twice a day 10am and 1pm. Walking after dark if weather permits. 

Apr 20th—Deadly! Grass too long for walking, leaving tracks. P.T. twice a day and running on the spot twice; bare feet on sacks; Our lady creeps in with the food bare footed. Neighbours still do not know we are here, although we see them daily, shutters only open about 6 inches, always half dark. Standing outside at midnight heard the ‘Nightingale’ singing. 

Apr 21st—Just received an Italian – English grammar book and 1 Italian grammar book; pretty hopeless trying to learn the language properly without an English – Italian book; but anything to pass the time. 

May 15th—Absolutely fed up with this life; packing up to clear off when Tina and Gina begged us to stop 2 more months; papers full of ‘second front’, but when will it start. 

May 18th—Hair cut! Our third in this house, started hay making; able to walk at night; had to stop running on the spot because of strain inside my knee. 

May 20th—Strawberries home grown delicious; served in wine not too keen! Also green peas fried in the pods! 5 months without fags. 

May 23rd—First Cherries also home grown. 

May 28th—People came and took away the furniture from the room next door, held the door in case anybody tried to get in. 

Jun 1st—Asked permission to use an old jacket to mend my trousers, have now got 3 large blue patches; one on the seat covering the lot. Have already had to pull a pair of socks down, using the lot in darns. 

Jun 4th—Out in daytime for first time in 9 months; Iti’s searching houses for deserters, hid in the corn from 9am to 2pm with a blazing sun above, scorched. 2pm the lady brought us food and water and took us to a large cherry tree, had to jump into the corn twice because of people passing; back in the house at 11pm. Saw a big daylight raid. Good news! The English in Rome! Roll on the Boys. 

Jun 6th—The invasion is on; news of big landings in France!! 

Jun 14th—First pudding; made by Gina a red current pie. 

Jun 17th—The lady out, the first time since we came here; no walking at all the lady is scared somebody is watching. Lots of notices in papers about keeping POW’s or helping them, the penalty is death. News of new invention ‘Meteor of ??????’ 

Jun 18th—Sunday once more, the lady thought someone would come and search the house, up at 4:30, crept out to the wheat patch. At 6.00am 2 men and 1 women start to cut the wheat. 9am rain, the lady got us back into the house, first creeping through oats and under grapes. Am now walking barefooted in the house to save noise and creeping on my toes. 

Jun 19th—Strike on at bif factory in Torino; have no kit, nothing to help pass the time away. 

Jun 24th—Jerry plane over the village distributing leaflets telling the people to go to work. 

Jul 2nd—Toothache for the past week, still nothing to do.10 cigs just in time. 

Jul 9th—Searching all trains here, hear the young chaps running away; all ready to run. 

Jul 15th—Dominoes and Draughts, something to do at last. Diary and clothes wet through, been hid in the rain. 

Jul 21st—News of attempt on ‘Hitlers’ life, failed!!! 

Jul 27th—Group of Jerrys stationed near this village, 2 shot! big panic, everyone afraid. Left the house at 10:30pm with 6 eggs and a bottle of ‘vermouth’. Walked nearly a mile with the ‘boss’ and arranged to see him the following night same time. Till then not to sleep but get ready to run if we hear Jerry searching ; hid in the maize, couldn’t possibly sleep if wanted to do; bitter cold no overcoat. 

Jul 28th—8 O’clock still in the maize and a storm commencing, people hurrying home from work had to keep our heads down. One of the persons happened to be our good lady looking for us; 10 O’clock crept out soaked, just as if I had fallen into a river. Saw the ‘boss’ looking for us, still raining. Went back to the house, fresh slacks and vest and reay to run if necessary. 

Jul 29th—Out again, this time in a hide-out in an open fronted barn; a den made from bundles of wood, crept in 10:30pm; pitch black the hole covered with wood trapped, what a deadly feeling. 3 days and 4 nigts, not being big enough to stand, no opening, hell we can’t stand it no longer. Naturally no wash or even clothes off. 

Aug 2nd—5am crept back to the house deadbeat. 9an civvys running through this yard, a search, we are running with them under the potatoes, this time back in the house at 1pm. 

Aug 3rd—A curfew on at 9pm for the village. Grapes now ready. Our dear lady worn out with fear; we are off anywhere. 

Aug 6th—News of chance to join the rebels. Volunteered on the spot, car to pick us up. 

Aug 10th—Rebel ‘do’ washed-out, guarding too many roads to use a car. 

Aug 15th—Out in the maize to meet a ‘modern scarlet pimpernel’; spoke a little English, all fixed for the 17th. To meet us 5km from here with a car; then to Torino to change completely our clothes, after that who knows. To take no kit of any sort, having to leave this diary and photo’s, going to be buried in a tin box. 

Aug 16th—All ready for tomorrow; news of an invasion in the south of France. Will it spoil our show? My last entry no doubt. 

Aug 20th—Still waiting to go but the chance is poor, the foothills full of G.N.R & Jerry’s. News very good! 

Aug 31st—Ron’s Birthday

Sep 1st—Made a pair of slippers out of cardboard and a pair of pants, the floor is too cold now for bare feet. Hurry up you English! 

Sep 3rd—Electric Radio heard a news summary, very good, well into Belgium. ¾ hr later 9pm valve blew out, just our luck; now walking from 7am to 10 daily around the room.

Aside from the Bauduccos, Steve was aware of another person who was close to Robert in this final months. After Robert died, a woman named Vincenza Varesio wrote to Robert’s family to inform them of his death. (Read “News of Robert Dickinson’s Death.”)

Vincenza explains “To be able to write all about Robert it would take me a book. Many, many times he came to our house ….”

In the letter she shared the details of Robert’s tragic death:

“When he died [Robert] was abandoned and he was eventually found by our partisans during the night when together with his friend, who was also killed, they were brought to a house and after a few days they were given a most honourable burial.”

Vincenza washed Robert’s body and prepared it for burial. She continued, ”We cannot pray for him because we belong to a different religion, but this notwithstanding, I never miss to go to his grave every Sunday and place flowers on his grave.”

There are more posts by far about Robert Dickinson on the Camp 59 Survivors site than any other prisoner of war.

Every time I’m sure Steve and I have exhausted material for me to share about Robert, we are newly surprised by something new.

One thing is for sure. Steve’s new family connections with the family of Ron Dix in the UK and Ginetta Bauducco Italy are sure to be the start of warm, ongoing friendships.

In his last email to me, Steve wrote: “I’m planning another trip to Italy next spring with [my wife] Marylene. Saverio wishes we meet again soon.”