Z966/1/1

"The Story of my Greatest Romance" by Barbara Moulster, parts 1 and 2. Hand-written record of the relationship between the author and Gennaro Capozzoli, from their first meeting in Dunstable in October 1944, through Gennaro's proposal of marriage late in 1944 to June 1945. The story seems to have been written a little time after the events took place but, from the detail, the author may have been referring back to a diary or some notes written at the time. The record describes her difficulties in persuading her parents to accept Gennaro; details of all the walks the couple and their friends took in the Dunstable area, including Whipsnade Heath, the Downs, Leighton Gap, California Hill, Well-head in foggy weather, and the ATS huts in Friar's Walk; romantic advances by Albino Volpe, another Italian prisoner of war; VE Day [1945]; and the limitations imposed on the couple by Gennaro's prisoner-of-war status: "I went along the lane by the camp and when I had got nearly to the end I heard Gennaro's whistle and I saw him behind the wire netting". Other friends mentioned in particular are Marjorie Fowler, Joan Reid of Mead Way, and Linda Thompson who worked in the Co-op store. The record ends in mid-sentence, as if continued elsewhere. The story is written in a high school exercise book which contains, at the back and in pencil, a short story about a girl's first day at work, lists of imaginary families and their ages, and a draft letter to "Peg", possibly one of the imaginary characters, dated 1947

1944-1947

From: 1944 To: 1947

item

2027

Moulster, Barbara,
Hurst, Barbara,
Capozzoli, Gennaro,
Volpe, Albino,
Fowler, Marjorie,
Reid, Joan,
Thompson, Linda

diaries, World War Two, prisoners of war, DUNSTABLE, WHIPSNADE, Dunstable Mead Way