Ron Dix and Robert Dickinson were prisoners of war together in Italy. After their escape from PG 112/4 Turin they were sheltered by the Bauducco family in Gassino for 13 months.
They left the Bauducco home to fight with the Italian Aldo Brosio partisan brigade. Ron was killed while fighting with the brigade in December 1944; Robert lost his life in a fight in March 1945.
Last week, Robert’s nephew Steve sent me pictures of Ron he received from Ron’s niece, Gina Siddons, who lives in Ellesmere Port, UK.
Until now the sole photograph I had seen of Ron was a headshot accompanying a 1999 article in the Newport News (Essex, England). In the article, written by Ron’s sister Dorothy (see “News of Ron Dix Comes to Light”), we have an intimate glimpse into Ron’s early years—the life of a boy and young man who was joyful, active, and popular in his school and community.
Gina’s five snapshots are a perfect complement to Dorothy’s story.
As Steve writes, they show us “Ron Dix in civvy life before the war … probably taken in the Safron Waldon area,” where the Dix family lived.
Carola Bauducco and her husband Giovanni and their daughter Maria, whom they called Ginetta
In a claim received by the Allied Screen Commission, Italy, on 1 October 1945, Maria Bauducco Di Giovanni (Giovanni’s daughter) of A. Diaz 29, Gassino (Torino) requested compensation for the sheltering of Corporal Ronald Leonard Dix (service number 6022221) and Gunner Robert Dickinson (service number 896957).
The applicant was Maria Concetta Bauducco, who was called Ginetta, or Gina. Ginetta/Maria was one of the daughters living at home when the Bauducco family sheltered Ron and Robert.
The value of the assistance was determined by the commision to be:
Value of food and lodging supplied: 54,270 lire Value of clothing supplied: 6,000 lire Money advanced: — General unspecified assistance (GSA): 730 lire Total: 61,000 lire
As evidence two postcards are included in the claim. Both are addressed to Gent. Signora Bauducco of Via A. Diaz, Gassino, Torino, and they express holidays wishes. The cards are signed Ron and Robert. As the cards are postmarked with the same date and location, we can assume Ron and Robert were together at the time they were sent.
In her claim, Maria noted, in Italian:
“I have received a card dated December 18–19, 1944; the prisoners were led away by my father and entrusted to the partisan Carlo, who to the present day resides in Castelnuovo Don Bosco; I also am acquainted with him. The two English prisoners were brought away owing to the threats of the Germans. Germans occupied my courtyard.”
According to Maria’s claim, food and lodging were provided to Robert and Ron from 10 September 1943 until 18 October 1944. According to the application “complete clothes” were also provided for both Robert and Ron.
An appendix in the claim mentions that both Ron Dix and Robert Dickinson were killed while fighting with the partisans.
Appendix A of the application reads: “Cpr. Dix & Gnr. Dickinson were killed by the Fascists while fighting with the Partisans. They had been staying at a house in GASSINO for 13 months. This is evidently claimant’s house, as no one else has claimed for these two P/W. These details have been given by T/18033 Drv. BROWN E. The postcard Robert sent to Maria reads: “Touti saluti e Buone Feste—Robert” [Best regards and Happy Holidays].The postcard Ron sent reads: “Ricorrendo te feste di invio i miei saluti fini sinceri—Ron” [With the arrival of these holidays I send you my sincere greetings].Tranquil landscapes are featured on the fronts of Robert and Ron’s postcards.
A full index of Italian claimants requesting compensation for assisting escaped Allied POWS or evaders during World War II is available on the U.S. National Archives (NARA) website.
Steve Dickinson (left) and his sister Jane visit in Italy with Saverio Rodi, son of Ginetta Bauducco. The Bauducco family sheltered their uncle Robert for 13 months during the war.
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.
Camp 59 Survivors 