Herod
I think it was 42 Italian paratroopers plus 6 crew, including the 'jumping bean'. You are right, it wasn't wise to go downtown for a few days because the Italian press were trying to suggest the RAF crews were a load of drunkards. They had not taken into account that there were 25 crews on the detachment and that only 9 crews were on that first sortie - we were in bed about 9 o'clock for an 0300 wake-up call. The other 16 crews of course were downtown enjoying themselves!
A very very sad time, made more difficult for the crews because those were the days of limited phone communications, no mobiles and just a one pay phone in our hotel. I managed to speak to my wife later that evening but fortunately she had been able to contact Lyneham ops' in the afternoon to confirm that I was alive!
I knew the unfortunate captain of the Andover as he had been in Changi on Far East Comm' when I was there on 48 - I met him a few times later at a mutual friend's house, a broken man and now RIP I believe.
Last edited by Brian 48nav; 17th Sep 2015 at 19:47.
Reason: addition