Signs of the times

Sir,

Nigel Roebuck’s Legends article on Achille Varzi and his rivalry with Nuvolari stirred many memories.

In 1944, I was with 7th Armoured Brigade, pushing up the Adriatic coast of Italy and following the Mille Miglia but in reverse. Many walls were daubed with ‘Viva Mussolini’, now hastily deleted, but on a house on the outskirts of Ancona I was thrilled to see ‘Viva 1000 Miglia, Viva Varzi’ – but there was no mention of my hero Nuvolari.

Little did I know then, but five years later the programme for the Silverstone Production Car Race would include ‘T Nuvolari – Jaguar’ and, way below, `E Thompson – HRG’. I cannot claim to have raced against Nuvolari, but I remember him sitting in the red XK120 in the paddock, and we may have practiced together. Sadly, ill health prevented him from racing and Peter Walker took his place.

I am Yours etc, Eric Thompson, Guildford, Surrey