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Harry Shindler, British veteran of Anzio landings, dies in Italy at 101

Shindler was a tireless campaigner for British voting rights.

Harry Shindler OBE, a British veteran of the Battle of Anzio and the Liberation of Rome in 1944, has died aged 101 at his home in Italy's Marche region.

Born in 1921, Shindler lived in Italy for the last four decades and was a longstanding campaigner for rights of Britons abroad. He would have been 102 in July.

Shindler led a 20-year crusade to secure the rights of foreign-based British citizens and help them from losing their right to vote in UK elections after living abroad for more than 15 years.

In March last year Shindler celebrated when the British government's Elections Bill passed a critical stage in the House of Lords, to allow Britons residing overseas to vote in UK general elections regardless of how long they have lived abroad.

Another mission dear to Shindler's heart was tracing the graves of British servicemen killed or listed as missing in action during world war two, including the father of Pink Floyd founding member Roger Waters

Shindler was rewarded for his efforts in 2021 with an OBE in recognition of his services to British nationals overseas, seven years after being awarded an MBE at the British embassy in Rome.

A revered figure among the British community in Italy, Shindler founded the Association of British Ex-Pats in Italy and worked for the Italy Star Association which organises and participates in the annual Anzio landing commemorations.

Shindler wrote the book My War is not Over, along with Marco Patucchi, and in 2012 he was awarded honorary citizenship of his adopted home in San Benedetto del Tronto.

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