N o .124
T he T rusty S ervant
the cliff face with a view across to Capri;
the undersea port of Baiae, submerged
by seismic activity, at which we peered
through a glass-bottomed boat; and,
for most the highlight, Hadrian’s villa
at Tivoli, a sprawling complex which
helped fashion the ideas of some of
the greatest architects and landscape
designers since its rediscovery in the 15 th
century. Towards the end of the tour, we
paid visits to the linked ports of Ostia
and Portus. Few of those present will
forget Shaun’s lurid commentary on the
cartoons adorning the walls of a foricas,
normally closed to public view, and into
which holy of holies we had been let by
a thankfully non-English-speaking lady
guide!
38 Wykehamists were killed during
the 22-month Italian Campaign, nine
during the four battles at Cassino. After
a Herculean and truly international
effort over four months, a breakthrough
was finally achieved, thanks in no small
part to the Polish Carpathian Rifle
Division; and most military analysts also
consider that the Moroccan Goumiers’
manoeuvre on the mountainous left
flank was the critical victory that finally
opened the way to Rome.
Having spent an all-too-brief private
visit to the Monastery, including St
Benedict’s Cell – it would have been
easy to have idled away a day there - we
strapped on our walking shoes and made
a left-flanking uphill assault on point
593, high above the Monastery and the
Polish Cemetery. There, in the shadow
of the war memorial, we lunched while
Shaun gave a dramatic description of the
Cassino battles: his insisting on standing
on the side of a precipice, arms sweeping
from horizon to horizon, mountains to
left and right and valleys below, added
a frisson of apprehension to what was a
true tour de force, pun excused.
For our freedom and yours
We soldiers of Poland
Gave
Our soul to God
Our life to the soil of Italy
Our hearts to Poland
The formal proceedings at the CWGC
War Cemetery that followed introduced
a suitable degree of seriousness which
brought us up sharp: beautifully
manicured as is always the case, this final
resting place for 4,271 Commonwealth
servicemen lies on the southern edge
of the town below a Monastery that to
many became a symbol of fear and hatred
rather than pious respect. Wreaths
were laid at the five Wykehamist
graves, including that of Lt Colonel
John Loveday (H, 24-29), where his
nephews Peter (H, 50-55) and Mark (H,
57-62) and daughter Tessa paid their
respects. The Headmaster then read out
the Monty Rendall inscription in War
Cloister.
As ever, there are memories of this
Patrons’ trip that were not necessarily
part of the intended script. A number
of companions insisted on crawling into
sulphorous caves in the Campo Flegri,
which left them smelling of bad eggs
for the rest of the day. We always knew
that Italian coach-drivers and traffic
would prove to be a challenge, and so
they were, although Maurizio our local
guide preserved his sense of humour
through thick and thin. The vast
quantity of food, particularly shell fish,
on occasions defeated nearly all but this
author. However, if you are ever stuck at
Fiumicino by an Alitalia strike (as was
nearly the case for some of us who were
planning to move on to Sicily) I can
thoroughly recommend the Ristorante Il
Tino five minutes away. British Airways,
not to be outdone by their Italian
cousins, announced that their computer
had blown up and none of their London-
bound planes were moving anywhere.
By a miracle, and helped by the waving
of an impressive number of platinum
frequent-flier cards, we were all loaded
aboard what seemed to be the only plane
flying in Italy that Sunday afternoon.
This account does not really start to give
sufficient praise to David and Shaun,
who over many seasons have led Patrons
almost to the ends of the earth: I know
all who have taken part are most grateful
for their historical expertise, pedagogic
skills, smooth administration and
charm. David’s mantle now falls onto
my unworthy shoulders. Enough of hot
Mediterranean climes: next year it’s the
Hebrides and bon voyage!
Shaun Hullis above Cassino Monastery
11