FAENZA TWINS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 304, 23 December 1944, Page 6

FAENZA TWINS

BATTLE-FRONT BIRTH

AT N.Z.E.F. HEADQUARTERS

N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent FAENZA, Dec. 22. Two young Italians now almost three days old have had to thank a group of New Zealanders, members of the 25th Battalion, for being born in a comfortably furnished house instead of a dugout. The night before the latest big attack northwest of Faenza men of a battalion mortar platoon in position in a forward area found a woman sheltering in a dugout from intermittent German shelling. How long she had been there they did not know, but the place was filthy. It was obvious the blessed event might be expected any time, and they decided it should at least take place in more favourable circumstances.

The woman was helped into a truck and driven to battalion headquarters situated in a substantial country house some distance away. Here she was installed in a comfortable room, and the battalion medical officer stood by for developments. His services were not required, however, as an Italian doctor hastily summoned arrived in time to greet not one but two babies when they made their appearance about two hours after the mother reached the house. Both were boys, described bv an officer as of the bouncing type, and later a communique indicated that all concerned were doing fine.