Veteran, 97, Donates Christmas Money To Family Who Hid Him In WW2

A 97-year-old British Army veteran Eric Batteson who was hidden by an Italian family during World War II is helping their village recover after an earthquake struck. 

Lance Bombadier Eric Batteson fought as a young soldier with the 68th Medium Regiment Royal Artillery in North Africa during the Second World War.

In 1942 Eric became a prisoner of war in Tobruk and was transferred to Sforzacosta camp in Macerata Italy.

Now aged 97 Eric recalls how in 1943 they found out allied forces had invaded Italy.

On his escape Eric told Forces TV:

“That sounded very good for us in a prison camp... somebody noticed that as the guard left the camp one evening the gate had not been locked, so I and three friends decided that it would be rather a good idea to see if we could get out of there.”

Eric and his friends escaped from the camp and eventually found shelter with the villagers of Collerinyone.

"The people from the village decided that it would be quite safe if four families each took one of us and looked after us. So that's when I ended up with the Buratti's and we stayed there quite safe for a long time. Pompilio was the man, Rosa was the woman, his wife and Francesca was the daughter. And that was the whole family. It is almost as though we are as one family.”

The Buratti family sheltered, clothed and fed Eric for 5 months.

The kindness showed to him ensured the families became lifelong friends.

When an earthquake struck central Italy in October the Buratti's village was badly damaged.

“You cannot describe how you feel about this but I am so so sorry for these people. When you think of what they did for me, what could I do for them? This year I decided I would not give anyone a Christmas present. And all the money that I might have spent on those Christmas presents plus a bit extra I have donated to the fund for the relief of suffering caused by that earthquake.”

Eric's donation will help to repair buildings, as well as cementing the friendship between the two families for many years to come.

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