Gap in the Wire: Tales of Escape and Survival in Italy During World War II

“Many of the unsung heroes of World War II were escaped Allied prisoners of war. After the Italians capitulated in Italy and before the Germans came, the prisoner of war camps were in a state of confusion. A large number of prisoners left the camps and went into hiding in the mountains trying to find an escape route, either to the advancing allied forces which were coming up from southern Italy or to neutral Switzerland.
This book, edited by John Brent Mills (who later became an ambassador in the South African Diplomatic Service), contains accounts of the experiences of five of these prisoners after the Italian capitulation. One of these contributions, written by Mills himself, is a superb tale of hardship, adventure and survival, that is difficult to parallel.
Jewish readers will be interested to read how one of Mills’ companions, Barney Singer, became the leader of the group of prisoners with whom Mills escaped. It is clear from this account that Singer was a reliable and courageous soldier, to whom other members of the group owed their survival. At one stage, two German deserters handed themselves over to his group of escaped prisoners of war. The rest of the group were in favour of handing them over to the Italians, who would undoubtedly have tortured and killed them, but Singer refused to allow this. In his account of this incident Mill remarks “…and he, Singer, was a Jew”, implying that because Singer was a Jew, he could have expected to take revenge on all Germans. Singer subsequently handed the deserters over to the British authorities unharmed.
I can certainly recommend this book to readers of all kinds; it is a tale of high adventure, quiet bravery and the will to survive despite tremendous hardships. Much credit is given – and justly so – to the Italian peasants who helped these prisoners, often at peril to their own lives.” SIGNED by the Author / Editor. (Inscription) #0521 (light soiling to very edge of prelim page). illusts. First Edition. SCARCE