Cassino mascot’s thank-you

Press, 3 November 1984, Page 1

Cassino mascot’s thank-you

By

LINDA HARRISON

An Anglo-Italian man has come all the way to Christchurch this week-end from his home in Suffolk to thank the war-time members of the 23rd Infantry Battalion gathered in the city for their thirteenth reunion. Before Italy entered the war in June, 1940, Tony Pittaccio was living in Southampton with his Italian parents. His mother decided to return to Italy to see her mother, and young Tony went too. They were living at Cassino when the New Zealand Army’s 23rd Battalion set up its Bren gun carriers outside the ruins of Tony’s former home, about January, 1944. The boy, aged 13, at the time, made himself useful to the soldiers and finally asked if he could join them as they moved up with the front.

“They said I could join them as a mascot,” Mr Pittaccio said in Christchurch yesterday. “I simply went to my mother and said, ‘l’m not coming home this evening, I’m joining the Kiwis? She laughed it off, but soon realised I was serious.”

Mr Pittaccio followed the battalion round and was taken under the wing of Captain Dick Harvey, who even wrote a letter home to

the boy’s father in England saying that he was in good hands, that he was growing into a fine lad and, above all, not to worry. Young Tony’s duties were varied: he did some interpreting, made himself useful round the cookhouse, and helped with taking meals to the men in the front line, although this was a task that Captain Harvey tried to stop. After Mr. Pittaccio’s almost two years with the battalion, it left for Japan and its three-stripe recruit transferred first to the Royal Army Service Corps, to the Ist New Zealand Petrol Company and then the War Graves Commission. He was with the last seven New Zealanders left in Italy. Finally Mr Pittaccio’s service was over and he returned to his family at Cassino and in 1948 to England.

His photographs and mementoes of his wartime experiences were kept in a suitcase which was stolen many years ago but about 18 months ago Mr Pittaccio decided to try to replace some of his memories.

He approached the New Zealand High Commission in London and asked to be put in touch with someone in New Zealand who had been in the 23rd Battalion and might remember nim. He was hoping to find someone who might be able to send him replacement photographs. After a notice was put in the returned servicemen’s newsletter several people got in touch with Mr Pittaccio and said they remembered him. They also told him that the battalion reunion was being held in Christchurch this week-end. From that, Mr Pittaccio’s plan hatched to visit New Zealand with his wife for the reunion.

“I regard myself not so much as one who served the battalion as one who was served.

“I am here to say thank' you once again for what the New Zealanders have done for my two countries (Italy and Britain), which I love, but above all what they did for me personally at an age which was most crucial. “I was only a young lad

and I have always tried to live up to the ideals which those lads taught me,” Mr Pittaccio said. "Of all the armies that have crossed Italy, the New Zealanders were regarded with the greatest respect and are still today regarded

with the greatest affection throughout Italy.” About 480 former members of the battalion are attending the reunion this week-end. Activities planned include social functions and a parade and church service tomorrow.