My name is Tony Battista, Canadian Armed Forces veteran. I wish to share with you the amazing true story of Gino Farnetti Bragaglia, a 6-year-old orphan of the Second World War. Gino was found starving by Canadian soldiers a few days before the Allies entered Rome in early June 1944. These soldiers would not abandon him; they nurtured, cared for him loved and treated him as their own child for the rest of the Italian Campaign. When they had to leave Italy. they raised enough money to have him adopted and enjoy a ‘normal’ education and upbringing. These soldiers reconnected with Gino later in life and stayed close to him until the last soldier died in 2012. Today, the families of these soldiers remain very close to Gino and his family!

I served in the Canadian military 40 years from the rank of Private soldier to Colonel. One of my last tour in uniform was as Canadian Defence Attaché to Italy, when I was called upon to represent Canada at an official ceremony in the town of Torrice, in the Lazio Region south of Rome, on 12 December 2012, to help Gino receive his actual birth certificate. Gino was 74!

A film production company, Combined Forces Production Collaborative, has produced a documentary-drama of this incredible story about Gino and his ‘Canadian Guardian Angels. titled: Gino: A Child of War. Karen Storwick is the producer, Robert Curtin is the director, and I am proud to be the executive producer of the film, which is based on the research of Mariangela Rondinelli and Wartime Friends, who also published a book in Italian, Gino: il Soldato in Divisa, as well as interviews by Marco Battista. Gianni Blasi and Paolo Sbarbada. The book is also available in English (Gino: A Child of War).

This incredible story bears witness to the resiliency of the human spirit. For Gino, remembering the care, kindness, and friendship he received as a young, homeless orphan from Canadian soldiers, has endured many decades after the war.

The film, Gino: A Child of War, was premiered in Torrice on 1 July 2023, and shown across Canada and Italy over 100 times since then, attracting large crowds everywhere. This documentary-drama will be released to the public on a streaming service (Combined Forces Plus) 1 July 2027.

Extraordinary acts of bravery, compassion, and kindness by this young boy’s ‘guardian angels’, born in the ashes of war, are captured in this film as poignant examples of humanity transcending war, violence, and propaganda. Our hope is to help future generations learn about the tragedy of war while showing the world how Canadian values from our greatest generation illuminate the best of the best!

Here is a short preview of Gino: A Child of War

https://vimeo.com/863331998

I am now working with Gino to establish an annual special student award - in Canada and Italy - as a legacy of his extraordinary story and that of his guardian angels. Gino is planning to come back to Canada in June 2027 - at the age of 89 - to make the very first student award presentation to a Canadian student. We are excited and working hard to make this happen.

I would be humbled if you also join me in supporting the Gino Farnetti Bragaglia Student Award Program and other educational events to support this amazing legacy. Please make a donation.

With a grateful heart,

Colonel Tony Battista (Retired)

Canada