#OTD in 1944, 59 Italian prisoners were killed by Nazi troops in retaliation for a partisan attack days earlier. S. Engel, the Nazi commander, never paid for the Turchino Massacre, as all extradition attempts were blocked. #WarInItaly #Partigiani
#OTD in 1944, partisan and medical student Giovanni Palmieri was executed by SS troops. After 3 days of combats, instead of retreating, he stayed behind to look after the wounded partisans. He was captured and kept alive so he could treat the wounded SS, and then they killed him. #WarInItaly
#OTD in 1944 Italian partisans (GAP) planted a bomb and killed 32 SS soldiers and wounded 110 of them in Via Rasella, Rome.
The next day the Germans executed 335 civilians in the Fosse Ardeatine as a reprisal 🌹.
#WarInItaly
#OTD in 1944 the "Free Republic of Corniolo" was proclaimed by the Brigata Garibaldi partisans in a territory that ironically included Mussolini's birth place. It was one of the many independent republics created in the territories liberated by partisans.
#WarInItaly
#OTD in 1943 the Battle of Montelungo was over. The rebon Italian Army paid dearly for the sins of the policians with the blood of 150 young officers and soldiers so that Italy could be saved. #WarInItaly
#OTD in 1943: "Two Royal Tank Regiment soldiers sit on the side of a well with Italian children, 13 December 1943". Note that the Italian kids are dressed as Alpini with their characteristic feathered hat (cappello alpino).
#WarInItaly
© IWM NA 9804
#OTD in 1943: several pictures of the "D-Day Dodgers" enjoying the sunny and placid Italy, notice the large amounts of chianti and prosciutto stored for the daily parties.
📷 IWM
#WarInItaly
#OTD in 1943 "General Montgomery, GOC Eighth Army talks to War Correspondents at Vasto, prior to the crossing of the Sangro river."- IWM
#WarInItaly
#OTD in 1944, 18-year-old Antonio Danieli was killed by the X-MAS men. He had been tortured with red-hot irons and had his eyes carved out with bayonets. He was posthumously awarded the Gold Medal of Military Valour.
#WarInITaly #Partigiani
#MuleMonday Imperia Angioletta, a partisan dispatch rider and her mule. Imperial was only 15yo.
#WarInItaly
#OTD in 1943, Aldo di Loreto, Medical Captain was executed by the Germans. Aldo was on leave when the Armistice was declared and immediately founded a partisan band. Before being shot he ordered the squad to aim for his heart. #WarInItaly
#OTD in 1944, Forli, "The City of the Duce" was liberated by the partisans and Allies. 9th of November was as well the anniversary of the foundation of the Fascist Party... I bet it stung.
The Germans left Forli causing as much destruction as they could. #WarInItaly
Interesting and a tad niche: a 10% increase in BBC's signal strength increased the number of violent Nazi-fascist responses to civilian and partisan resistance by more than 2.5 times compared to the monthly average. The BBC provided tactical info that was vital for coordination
#WarInItaly
A Canadian sniper, Jack Bailey, during the battle of Ortona in January '44. The bizarre fact is that the marksman is using his P14 Enfield instead of the more accurate Bren (single shot, of course!) [If you know, you know]. #WW2 #WarInItaly
#OTD in 1944 an Allied bomb hit a school in Gorla (Milan) killing 184 kids, 19 teachers and 5 workers. This tragedy was profusely used by the Fascist propaganda until the end of the war. #WarInItaly #WW2
"Two Horses dragging a German artillery piece, break into a full run during a MG attack by P-47s. As the Huns retreat northwest of Bologna, Italy. Later reports indicated that the animals were killed and the gun damaged" 20.04.45 #WarHorseWednesday #WarInItaly
NAID: 204912440
#OTD in 1943, somewhere in Italy. A Sherman crew preparing and enjoying their lunch.
IWM NA 7779 and 82.
#WarInItaly #WW2
PS: I hope they paid the Italian farmer.
