In love and war : Kiwi soldiers' romantic encounters in wartime Italy / Susan Jacobs.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 248-256).

Introduction -- Part one (1. War on foreign soil: Kiwi soldiers in Italy ; 2. Boredom, bordellos and breaking free: The story of VD [venereal disease] and prostitution ; 3. Saving soldiers from themselves: Marriage and the New Zealand military ; 4. Stuart Hayton's signorinas: The story of a New Zealand wedding officer ; 5. Trysts in Trieste: Love among the factions) -- Part two (Love on the front line: Arthur Gladstone and Antionetta Delmonte ; 7. An enduring love story: Eric Bullen and Elda Calici ; 8. The Kiwi hard case and his feisty Florentina: Allan Brown and Mary Sogner ; 9. Two brides from Senigallia: David McCombe and Rosa Piangerelli, Keith Kelly and Alba Casagrande ; 10. A beautiful flower is plucked: Allen Cassin and Dina Pepe ; 11. A meeting of minds: Pat Lister and Elda Checchi ; 12. A baptism of fire: Trevor Fox and Alba Bertoli ; 13. The Wednesday girls' stories: Mick Sexton and Piera Zigliani, Athol Hall and Mirella Forti ; 14. A love that ran deep: Walter Willis and Maria Pianina ; 15. Triestine war brides and their Kiwi grooms; Jack Hall and Anna Marchio, Lloyd (Jack) Davis and Laura Tutta, Gordon Johnston and Luciana Giarri ; 16. A search for family and meaning: Pierina Leder).

"When New Zealand forces arrived in Italy following the 1943 Armistice with the Allied forces, it was inevitable they would mingle with the local population. The Italians opened their homes and hearts to the New Zealand soldiers who delighted in finding young Italian signorinas everywhere. 'In Love and war' tells of the liaisons and love affairs of New Zealand soldiers and their Italian sweethearts during World War Two. For some the result was marriage, leading to a new and often strained life for the Italian war brides on the other side of the world. For others, their wartime romance ended in heartbreaking separation when the Kiwi soldiers were posted elsewhere or returned home. Unknowingly, some left behind children who would grow up without ever meeting their natural fathers. While the New Zealand commanding officers did their very best to curtail fraternisation between Kiwi soldiers and the civilian population, for servicemen starved of female company relationships were easy to fall into. These touching stories of their romantic wartime encounters reveal the human side of war"--Publisher's website.