Villanova and the Journey to Remembrance

I am incredibly thankful to have this particular story shared with me. It is meaningful to me as an artist learning the personal narratives of the people The Journey to Remembrance prints are being received by and how the imagery has spoken to them.

Villanova Canadian War Cemetery, Remembrance Day 2018

Villanova is a Italian Village with a population of approximately 360 people.

“As you yourself have seen, ceremonies and memorial services such as these, honouring all of the Allied troops, exist all over Europe, yet most Canadians have no idea how treasured the memory of our soldiers, and how valued their achievements, is. ”

— Bill Leach writes to me in regards to his own journey to remembrance

The Journey to Remembrance imagery has touched many people deeply since its completion in 2016.  I continue to appreciate the dialogue it has created as connected viewers share how the image relates to their own meaningful story.  Gratitude is a strong theme we share in our remembrance. Respect and thankfulness is woven into the fiber of people throughout Europe who continue to keep the memory of these soldiers’ service and sacrifice remembered. These acknowledgements by our overseas friends are so important and I would encourage everyone to include this connection in your own journey to remembrance.

I am incredibly thankful to have this particular story shared with me. It is rewarding to me as an artist learning the personal narratives of the people and places The Journey to Remembrance prints are being received by. As well, I continue to appreciate how people are relating to the three soldiers walking towards the hopeful sky surrounded by poppies. I’m not just learning about someone’s interpretation, but the history itself becomes real and tangible. In turn I would like to this share this personal story with you.

The two Leach brothers came upon The Journey to Remembrance painting at the Military Museums in Calgary in the summer of 2017. It was an inspiration to them before leaving on their own journey to remembrance to attempt to learn and understand their grandfathers’ experiences and what they had endured throughout the war. When Tanner and Bill reached out to me, it was a pleasure to hear about their upcoming trip and how the painting had spoken to them. During their thirty-five day and ten country pilgrimage through Europe, they retraced the footsteps of their grandfather in WWII, their great-grandfather in WWI, as well as other Canadian service people.

The Journey to Remembrance on display at The Military Museums in Calgary, AB.

During this trip of a life time while visiting the Italian Gradara War Cemetery, the two brothers came across an Italian doctor passionate about military history. The doctor told them about “an incredible lady [Rosalia Fantoni] who looks after “her boys” at the Villanova Canadian War Cemetery. Villanova Canadian War Cemetery has 212 commonwealth soldiers buried there – 202 of these soldiers are Canadian. 

During those terrible frightening months in 1944-1945, the Village of Villanova was ravaged by war. Rosalia was only four years old when she saw both her uncle and father hung from the village’s bridge just two weeks before the Canadians liberated Villanova on Dec. 11, 1944. Rosalia is the author of a book titled Casa lontano da casa (Home Away From Home). This book is a collection of stories, poems as well as a little military history. At the back of the book she lists all the Canadian War dead resting in Villanova. She continues to be very active in ensuring these men will not be forgotten.

Bill had already decided he would travel again to Italy to spend more time learning about his Grandfather’s experiences in WWII.  He realized there was much more to the initial pilgrimage he and his brother could have explored, specifically the Gothic Line. (Bill shared with me “The Gothic Line was the final and longest stretch of the Italian campaign, and saw the deadliest fighting in the most miserable of conditions.”) 

After returning home, doing some research and the chance meeting with Danny, the Italian doctor, fresh in his mind, he reached out to both Danny and Rosalia as he planned to visit the Village of Villanova for Remembrance Day 2018.

A great deal of gratitude was expressed by Bill for both Danny and Rosalia. He contacted them both hoping to possibly meet for little visit while in the area and Danny “rolled out the red carpet” for him spending his weekend touring Bill around the area visiting battlefields, cemeteries as well as introducing him to Italian culture and wine. To thank Rosalia and all she has done to preserve and honour the memories of the Canadian soldiers from WWII who now rest in Villanova Canadian War Cemetery, Bill purchased and took The Journey to Remembrance limited edition print with him to Villanova with the intention to gift the artwork to her.

Bill shared with me these thoughts:

“I had met people all over Europe who appreciated the sacrifices that Allied soldiers had made to bring freedom and peace back to their communities - people who would never let those sacrifices be forgotten. The highlight came on Remembrance Day at Villanova (I had planned my entire vacation itinerary around being here on this day).  It moved my soul to see the people of the village - the young and old - come out to pay their respects to the soldiers who drove the German occupiers from their village all those years ago.  Many of those same soldiers were resting below our feet.  What an incredible story.  And to have been a part of it was a true honour.”

The small ceremony was conducted in Italian and English. In attendance were approximately fifty villagers and Italian veterans, four Canadian servicemen from a NATO communications base about 60 kilometers away, as well as a few British expats. 

Bill’s friend, Danny speaks at Remembrance Day 2018 Villanova, Italy. The Deputy Mayor of Villanova stands behind.

During the Remembrance Day ceremony Bill was invited to speak to the crowd as well as read two poems, one of which was “In Flanders Fields”. As requested by the organizers and near the end of the gathering, he also presented Rosalia with the framed print, The Journey to Remembrance, in front of the assembled audience.  

Bill relayed to me. ”Your print caught Rosalia by surprise, as she hadn't expected a gift.  She was surprised and touched when I presented it, and was moved to tears when I explained the symbolism.  For her it related directly to "miei ragazzi" - my boys:  the boys who liberated Villanova and other villages, but whose final resting place was the cemetery in which we stood.  She was deeply moved by your art.”

Having met Rosalia in person, Bill describes her as, “a little firecracker who looks and acts twenty years younger than her 84 years.  Though retired from teaching, she still provides assistance to area teachers and schools; she's very active working with seniors in retirement homes; she is very influential with the mayor and council; and it is she who steers community remembrance activities.  Pretty remarkable!  She's a very special lady!” 

I am grateful The Journey To Remembrance touched Rosalia’s heart. I can only attempt to imagine the four year old child inside her and the feeling towards "miei ragazzi" - her boys that made her feel safe and secure again not long after witnessing the atrocities in her small village. She is an amazing giving soul to dedicate much of her life to her gratitude for these soldiers as she looks after their tributes and educates those around her. I am absolutely honoured Bill chose my art to gift to this incredible lady.

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Rosalia and Bill in front of the Cross of Sacrifice, Villanova Canadian War Cemetery. Bill gifted The Journey of Remembrance print to Rosalia in gratitude.

Villanova photos courtesy of Bill Leach.

I’ve included links to both Tanner Leach’s blog (Bill’s brother who shared the initial journey), as well as a write up about Rosalia by Donna Maxwell.

Tanner Leach’s blog is an inspiration for those considering their own journey to remembrance

http://inourgrandfathersfootsteps.blogspot.com/

Donna Maxwell, The Battlefords News Optimist

https://www.newsoptimist.ca/community/local-culture/canadians-remembered-in-villanova-1.1566922

Donna writes about Rosalia Fantoni:

She has written a book called Casa lontano da casa (Home Away From Home). It is a collection of stories, poems, some military history and all the Canadian War dead resting in Villanova are listed in the back of the book. She feels strongly that these men should not be forgotten.

An excerpt from Rosalia's book is as follows:

"For many soldiers, time stopped on the soil of Romagna, in the town of Villanova, on the river Senio. Their homes were far away in Canada, where the rays of the moon lay gently on the faces of children falling asleep in a young and healthy fatigue.

"Their 'home away from home' was the war-torn country of Italy, the towns of Villanova and Bagnacavallo.

"Here, a place where fear kept people indoors, holding their breath while the distant noise of bombs loomed everywhere. By night, only the voice of the fountains sounded through the streets of towns frightened into submission by the spectre of death, where only the innocent victims of unannounced aerial bombardments remained, their bodies strewn amid shards of glass and rubble.

"The liberators, caked in mud and dust, made their way through villages of destroyed houses, schools full of evacuees and refugees, unusable railways; and in the background, the constant rumble of bombs, the grenades that wrought havoc on so much human life, artillery fire that made the walls shake and the air tremble.

"The memory of these days survives in its telling; and suffering, in its telling is like a great thaw - the thaw that turned the snow of Auschwitz to tears.

"It is vitally important that we keep these memories alive!"

Every Dec.11, a ceremony is held at the cemetery in the Village of Villanova and each grave glows with a small candle.