Baroness Amelia Del Giudice

Band of San Gregorio Matese in 1927

Corpses of soldiers during II World War.

In the old Congrega church Marcellino De Lellis played the organ. But in the night of November 2 all the people stay in house, because the deceased people of the village went in a procession from the Church to the new cemetery that had just been constructed, the present one.

Theatre shows were held in the public square, where the Baroness Amelia Del Giudice laughed heartily at sketches of Vincenzo Cordi, Ugo Caso, Giovangiuseppe Bojano, Giacomo Fattore and of the others that recited the texts of Luigi Ciccarelli, nicknamed Bandone, a poet of the Matese. Some villagers stay together to form the band. The teacher came once a week with any weather. Bernabei played the cymbals and indeed cursed, while the tuba of Vecchione was resounding until not long ago.

Then the war burst forth, the men left and many were dispersed to Russia or to the Mediterranean. In 1943 the Germans arrived and they camped in the garden of the present Hotel Mount Miletto. The fear cut through the air. The house of Beniamino Gianfrancesco on Elci street was set afire because he had protected the English.
When a German airplane fell on Raspato, the Nazis carried the corpses of the seven soldiers to Villa Ginevra and they put up a stake of honor. The people of San Gregorio, with a mixture of fear and admiration, watched those blond and haughty young men. Sparalampi, an original type, is the only one that is not found nowhere. It is said that he has killed the airplane with an old shot-gun (ribotto).

But the true fear arrived with the Americans, who from Alife came raining down with cannon shots at Santa Croce. The young boys of San Gregorio called to them, saying that the road was free, in as much as the Germans had already withdrawn. The soldiers ceased firing. They then went in the village and put the tents in the beautiful Park Luisa. They seek the young ladies for an hour of love, and when they get drunk during the night, the villagers plunder tinned food and cigarettes.