On the 4th of June 1944, the First Special Service Force entered the suburbs of Rome in order to secure the crossings of the River Tiber. Meeting some resistance, the Forcemen the Germans called "the Black Devils", managed to secure a total of 8 bridges by 2300 hrs. Two days later this historic event was overshadowed when it was announced that the long awaited invasion of Northern Europe had begun with Operation Overlord, the beach landings in Normandy. The "D-day dodgers" as they had been called, some of whom had been fighting bitterly for nearly three years, had been forgotten.

On the 60th anniversary of the events leading up to this historic day, some of the FSSF Veterans where there in rememberance of their comrades, possibly for the last time. Paul Dray traveled there to meet them, this is his story:-

Due to work commitments I arrived on the Wednesday, half way through the Veterans week long visit, I was however, not to be disapointed. As luck would have it, I found a room in a hostel at the bottom of Via Cavour, the same street as the Veterans hotel. I dumped my rucksack and strolled up to the hotel, the day was hot, I rolled up my sleeves and broke sweat.

I arrived at the hotel as they where being interviewed. As they appeared, I introduced myself and sat down for some talk. Ken Jones, who had been a member of Darby's Rangers, had fought all the way up from Africa, transfered to the Force and had been wounded, he lay there, and some German came along and shot him again three times, left him for dead, he's got one lung now.

Sam Finn, a Veteran of Darbys Rangers, transfered to the Force had also been a Re-Enactor in the 80s, mentioned that some group had brought to the US a Tiger tank for battling, and "last time I had seen one of them, I was shooting at it".

As promised by General Ed Thomas, I got a seat on the coach to spend an evening at the Canadian Embassy for refreshments and dinner, offcourse, the Canadian Ambassador was there, as well as the US Ambassador. It was amazing, and although I shouldn't have been, I was surprised that I had been taken along and accepted as part of the family.

The next day, I was to get a hitch on the coach to Artena for ceremonies and wreath laying, my watch was still set at UK time, so naturally I didn't have plenty of time to sit in a cafe and sip hot coffee and munch on a ciabata, I was in fact an our behind the rest of Rome! Missing the coach, I made my own way to Artena, train to Colle Ferro, walk, wait for bus, try to hitchhike, eventually got a bus to Artena and having no idea where to go, followed my nose up to the main Plaza just in time for the wreath laying ceremony next to the FSSF Memorial Plaque (on the left, Ed Thomas 2nd from standard) . I got a lift in a Police car to the Restaraunt where the Veterans where treated to lunch on the town. Sitting next to Loydd Dunlop, though he never talked about it, I know he was mentioned in despatches. At Anzio Sgt Dunlop, was senior NCO in charge of communications and always excelled in his duties. Sam Magee, with medals as long as your arm, amongst them the Silver Star, and the Bronze Star, the only Canadian twice decorated by President Roosevelt got us a lift by Michael McGuire of the Chicago Tribune to the Mussolini Canal and off we went.

After a few mix ups (so I gave up navigating - Italy), we where on our way, more than likely along the same route that the FSSF had approached from the Anzio Beachead back in '44. At the canal, Sam wanted to find the stretch of canal where he was stationed, a part that had the bed concreted over, the rest being stone bedded. After stopping at a few bridges, there it was! The part which is still concreted! Sam was so excited, it was great to see. I could spend a whole page on this part of the trip to Rome, but suffice to say, whilst we where looking, a farmer stopped by and asked if Sam was FSSF? Can you beleive it! He had seen some Airborne Veterans some years before, and knew so much! We found at least two original houses that where there, one was completely abandoned and we had a look around. One memory Sam shared, back in '44, he had opened a door to one of these houses, and found someone stairing back at him, he doesn't know why he didn't pull the trigger, but it was in fact himself stairing in a mirror. One can imagine a highly charged encounter like that in the pitch black! Another memory he shared, and this I found brilliant, was that there was one guy who had rigged up some kind of propellar in the canal to a generator with a line all the way back to his bivouac for a light!

The next day was the biggest on the itinery, the 4th of June. With the Rome Police escorting our coach, there was a morning of wreath laying at the FSSF Memorial Tablet (commemorating the fact that they where first into Rome) at the Ancient Roman Wall near St Paul's Gate, another at the Vittorio Emanuele 11 Monument, a visit to the Quirinal Palace for an address from the Italian President to the FSSF Association (there, security was stringent, the guards where HUGE, over 6ft 6" I have never seen guys so tall)!

The last official stop was to be the best and most bizzare, the coach with our police escort, drew up to a road block, whereupon we had to wait for 15 or so minutes, till a cavalcade of black serious looking vehicles passed us by and we where allowed to procceed to follow on our way to a high security visit to the Villa Taverna for a private speach by President Bush flanked by the US Ambassador and Colin Powell. There I was, surrounded by dignataries, military personnell, WW2 FSSF and 3rd Infantry Veterans, as well as various other hobnobs and hangers on, including myself a guy from Leith, Edinburgh, 20 feet or so from who must be the most important man in the world at the moment. I can only say that his speech was inspiring, enlightening, and generally very good, well presented and the there was some real serious guys around!

The evening was finished off with a dinner to the Rex Regina (?) restaraunt for wine and song (literary). One thing that will stay in my memory for the rest of my life is this. We walked in unannounced, there where some local people dining away, but they stopped and gave the guys a standing ovation! Completely spontainious and with real feeling, I am sure there where lumps in some peoples throats. I sat next to Emil Brodofski and across from Ken Jones and had a great time which went far too quick. The next morning I was at the hotel for my goodbuys.

Whilst there are most re-enactors celebrating the D-Day landings in Normandy, we should not forget that there was a war going on way before, and should not be forgotten. The members of the First Special Service Force where, (and are) real special (no pun intended), I found their undying bond they have for each other inspiring, and believe me, we should never forget the sacrifices that these, and other WW2 Vererans of the Allied and other Forces made in order for Ours and other generations to have the right to free speech, and the freedoms that we all now enjoy, I know that some Italians remember this.