Born in England to an Italian Fascist father, Peter Ghiringhelli's turbulent childhood saw him deported ot Italy when Mussolini fatefully entered the Second World War. There Peter witnessed the totalitarian regime at first hand and recalls his experiences of cold and hunger, his own role in Fascist rallies as a member of the black-shirted Balilla and the fall of Mussolini, providing a captivating living link to the past. Published for the first time, his childhood memories of this part of war torn Europe are a fascinating insight to life under terrible oppression by the Republican Fascist Party and the invading German army, who selected at random Italian civilians for execution as retribution for every German soldier killed during the violent partisan fighting. Although his experiences were typical of many children living in Mussolini's Italy, Peter Ghiringhelli's remarkable recall and vivid memories serve as a unique testament to an extraordinary period in history, placing the reader in his place in a tug of war between life and death, desolation and victory.