European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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We were receiving reports of troops coming back from the front, from Garfagnana,
We were receiving reports of troops coming back from the front, from Garfagnana,
Arrivavano delle segnalazioni che c’erano delle truppe che tornavano dal fronte, dalla Garfagnana -
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on the road going through Fivizzano and the Cerreto pass and towards Castelnovo Monti.
on the road going through Fivizzano and the Cerreto pass and towards Castelnovo Monti.
e facevano la strada di Fivizzano e il valico del Cerreto e venivano verso Castelnovo Monti, verso la pianura -
They were sending new troops to the front, by that time they had been there two or three months.
They were sending new troops to the front, by that time they had been there two or three months.
Mettevano truppe fresche al fronte insomma, ormai erano 2 o 3 mesi che erano lì. -
So we received this order to lay mines, but there weren’t any bridges left!
So we received this order to lay mines, but there weren’t any bridges left!
Allora arriva quest'ordine di minare, minare... che cosa vuoi minare, ormai dei ponti non ce n'erano più. -
There was only this small thing we used to call the “fognone” (big sewer).
There was only this small thing we used to call the “fognone” (big sewer).
C’era rimasta un affarino lì, che lo chiamavamo “il fognone” noi. -
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By that time we had a lot of TNT since they dropped it from the airplanes.
By that time we had a lot of TNT since they dropped it from the airplanes.
Allora avevamo tanto tritolo perché lo buttavano giù via aereo, e allora veniva giù molta roba. -
We walked up there. There was a wonderful moon this night, a very calm night, like in springtime.
We walked up there. There was a wonderful moon this night, a very calm night, like in springtime.
Andammo su. I tedeschi erano già un po' stanchi anche loro di guerra. Perché c'era una luna bellissima, una bella serata tranquilla quasi da primavera. -
They had a machine gun nest not too far away,
They had a machine gun nest not too far away,
Loro avevano una postazione di mitraglia non molto lontana, -
we put two groups there, one on each side of the bridge, in order to work untroubled.
we put two groups there, one on each side of the bridge, in order to work untroubled.
noi avevamo preso le misure e abbiamo messo due distaccamenti, uno di qua e uno di là, due squadre in maniera da potere lavorare tranquilli, -
And we did work untroubled, placing 45 kg of TNT, sort of like chewing gum you know?
And we did work untroubled, placing 45 kg of TNT, sort of like chewing gum you know?
e infatti abbiamo lavorato tranquilli, abbiamo messo 45 kg di tritolo plastico... era un po’ come la chewing-gum, no. -
After that we set the fuse and set it on fire.
After that we set the fuse and set it on fire.
Poi abbiamo messo tutta la miccia, e poi abbiam dato fuoco. -
We walked down a bit because rocks would be falling down
We walked down a bit because rocks would be falling down
Siamo andati un po’ giù perché piovevano le pietre... -
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and well I went back to see after the war was over,
and well I went back to see after the war was over,
e in sostanza, che sono tornato a vedere a guerra finita, -
and not only did we blow up the arch, but also 2-3 meters of road on both sides, because 45 kg are a lot.
and not only did we blow up the arch, but also 2-3 meters of road on both sides, because 45 kg are a lot.
non solo aveva portato via quell’affare lì, l’arco, ma aveva preso anche 2-3 metri di strada a destra e a sinistra perché 45 kg sono tanti, insomma ecco. -
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When they arrived they had to do a horse-shoe, that’s why it was important to stop them.
When they arrived they had to do a horse-shoe, that’s why it was important to stop them.
E quando sono arrivati loro hanno dovuto fare un ferro di cavallo, ecco l’importanza del fermarli. -
Stopping them from getting to the front 24 hours earlier during the attack,
Stopping them from getting to the front 24 hours earlier during the attack,
Perché poi impedire alle truppe di arrivare 24 ore prima al fronte quando c’è l’offensiva