Clara and Enrico moved to Genoa and on 2 August 1941 their first son Pierluigi was born. In April the following year, Enrico was called to war and joined a section of photographers and cameramen. He went to the Russian front, filming the entire journey from Bologna to Donez. In November 1942, the house in Genoa was bombed: Clara and Pierluigi survived and along with them the film and photographic equipment promptly rescued by Paolo Chierici.