A Vatican Lifeline ’44: Allied Fugitives aided by the Italian Resistance foil the Gestapo in Nazi-occupied Rome

William Simpson's memoir recounts his experiences as an Allied soldier and escaped prisoner of war in Rome during World War II. After Italy's surrender and withdrawal from the war in September 1943, thousands of Allied PO Ws found themselves vulnerable to Nazi occupation forces. Simpson, having escaped captivity, made his way to Rome and witnessed firsthand the widespread Italian support for the Allies and their opposition to Nazi rule. During the months before the Allied liberation of Rome, Simpson participated in efforts to shelter and feed hundreds of fugitive Allied prisoners. His account documents the bravery of Italian civilians who aided these soldiers. Central to Simpson's survival was Monsignor O'Flaherty, a Vatican employee who leveraged the Vatican's neutrality to assist Simpson and other Allied fugitives in their efforts to evade capture.