ITALIANS MURDERED.

Kaikoura Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 60, 3 August 1944, Page 3

ITALIANS MURDERED.

OUTRAGES BY GERMANS. (Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.) NEAR FLORENCE, July 29. The New Zealanders have encountered, in their present sector, several more instances of the degeneration of the opposing troops. Although the Arezzo area provided the worst example to date, this area south of Florence abounds with instances of savagery on the part of the retreating German troops. Two of these occurred as our advance neared the little villages of Faborica and Tavarnell, which are still within the sound of shell fire. Early on the afternoon of July 23, three families of peasants working on the farm of an Italian nobleman in the Tavarnelle district were told by the Germans to stay indoors. They did this unquestioningly, and were there when at 7 o’clock two Germans returned. The enemy soldiers segregated the men from the women, informed the men that they were wanted at headquarters, and marched them away.

When a little distance down the road, the Germans suddenly turned and sprayed the marching line with submachine gun fire, killing all 12 of the Italians. The bodies were left lying in the roadway, and the Germans were not seen again.

The episode at Faborica was similar. After leaving the village, two Germans returned and shot four villagers, one of whom survives though wounded in the neck. This occurred on July 25. The curious thing about these outrages is that in both cases the villagers emphasise that they were not partisans. Normally peasants are quick to claim some vicarious glory in identifying themselves with local movements.

The sole partisan activity in the neighbourhood occurred in another village, where a German captain, returning to his billet late on night, was accosted, stripped of his clothing, and left to make his way naked but unharmed. For this humorous prank the enemy exacted full reprisals—looting and despoilation were authorised throughout the district. Until their precipate retreat, the conduct of the Germans was not bad, although they lived on the country. In the closing stages of their stay, however, the peasants were mostly in hiding, as two types of search were being made —one for working men, and the for young women.