Madam, - I was interested to read Joe Carroll's review of The Vatican Pimpernelby Brian Fleming (Weekend Review, April 4th). Mgr O' Flaherty was one of several priests and clerical students who, having found themselves stranded in Rome by the second World War, helped Jews, refugees and allied service people during the Nazi occupation of Italy.
Among them were several priests (mostly of Irish descent), some from New Zealand. each of whom was known by his code name. Thus Fr Snedden was "Horace", Fr Lenan was "Uncle Tom", Fr Buckley was "Spike", while Fr Flanagan was "Fanny". In addition to these there was a Maltese, Brother Robert Pace, who for some reason was known as "White Brows".
Like Mgr O'Flaherty, Fr Snedden and and his fellow New Zealander Fr Flanagan were given royal awards after the war. Fr Snedden was a member of a well known Auckland family of lawyers and dedicated cricketers. He later became auxiliary Bishop of Wellington. - Yours, etc,
FRANCIS BAILEY, Killiney, Co Dublin.