Newsletter January 2026
Welcome to our New Year newsletter, which reports on the Trust’s achievements over the past six months and looks ahead to a busy programme of events in 2026.
We thank all our readers for their enthusiastic support and shall be delighted to have your comments and ideas. Our next newsletter will be in July 2026.
Give your feedback here
John Simkins and David Kettle
News
Annual lunch
The MSMT annual lunch in November 2025 was attended by many new supporters among the 118 members present. The Lunch Team report on an occasion of warmth and conviviality.
Return to Fontanellato
John Simkins reports on a conference at Fontanellato to launch the Parri institute’s Allies in Italy website, during which he met descendants of families who had hidden his fugitive father.
Student adventures
Student Co-ordinator David Kettle looks back on the challenges and the enjoyment in welcoming 40 young Italians to England on student bursaries in 2025.
Accessing the NARA archives
Anne Copley reports on progress in accessing the invaluable files of the Allied Screening Commission in Washington DC.
Contadini photos in Edinburgh
The Italian Institute in Edinburgh is to exhibit a fascinating collection of contadini photos next summer, writes Anne Copley.
Features
Crossing the line
Nicholas Mather, his family and friends conclude a monumental achievement of trekking and research by locating the point at which Carol Mather reached safety among the Allies.
Les Hutty's diary
John Simkins explains why the town of Montechiaro d’Acqui in Piedmont was so keen to translate the diary of Les Hutty into Italian.
A trail continued
Myf Adams and family members have now covered half of the route that her father Anthony Gregson took to reach safety. She reports on their most recent stretch and on a budding new friendship.
Tribute to Verino and Maria
In September, Gerald Hough and his family attended a ceremony to honour the villagers of Pretoro, in Abruzzo, who protected Allied fugitives including Gerald’s father Anthony.
The Glass Mountain - Escape and Discovery in Wartime Italy
Julia MacKenzie reviews The Glass Mountain, in which the author Malcolm Gaskill researches the story of a PoW relative, pulling him out of the shadows of memory.
Obituary - Chris Robillard
Anne Copley remembers fellow Trust supporter Chris Robillard, a fervent champion of Italians who gave refuge to escapees such as his father David.
Please tell the Editors, John Simkins and David Kettle, and Design Consultant George Mitchell, what you think about this newsletter.
Give your feedback here
Newsletter January 2026
Subscribe | View In Browser | www.msmtrust.org.uk
© 2024 Monte San Martino Trust | 26 Mapeshill place London NW2 5LA | UK
Built with Shorthand