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mosquitoes in the desert

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Exatem

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mosquitoes in the desert
first of all why this title? simply because it struck me the combination between a friendly, colorful, fragrant landscape and, a hostile, arid, far away, environments so exceptionally different from each other.
the following is an exceptional story and at the same time, it is a common story. exceptional because it is a story of heroes; common because it is the story of many of the 500,000 Italian prisoners of war. exceptional stories of ordinary people, people who find themselves by choice or necessity, to perform exceptional acts.
Have you ever wondered what it means to be a hero? What drives man to sacrifice himself for another?
history tells us about the feats of famous heroes almost unreal whose enterprises have engraved decisively on the course of events, but next to them there are "minor heroes", normal people with more humble objectives but that they have not stopped in front of a courageous choice.
a story from which it could be the script of a film but at the same time, a story common to many.
war is battle and battle, it represents the essence itself. many participate, too many die, some cry, others remember. war is not made of trumpet squirrels and flags to the wind. war is dead or, struggle for survival and too often, are fortuitous elements to decide the fates.
what I'm about to tell is the story of an Italian who wasn't even twenty years old, was torn to his family, to his land, and sent to a distant and unknown country, wearing a bigger uniform than him. It is the story of those who children, teenagers, young people, were in spite of them, overwhelmed by war. both as direct witnesses and as victims. parents, spouses, brothers and sisters, children of men sent to the front.

a friend of the forum, sent me some documents belonging to his grandfather asking me if I could find some data on the events that saw him protagonist during the war period.
As I also told our friend, if his relative had done military service in the marina, I would probably have access to more information. instead he is enlisted in the royal army, sent to Western Africa and there made prisoner. the research has however passionate me and gave me the opportunity to explore an aspect that until now, I had never deepened. to do so, we retrace the story that has as the protagonist Sebastiano. I just have to add that this allowed me to carry out research and read numerous stories of our soldiers, torn to families often too young and made protagonists, despite them, on the war theatres and in the long months of imprisonment that followed.
I have read touching, exciting stories, which leave the mark and for this, I thank those who gave me the opportunity.
 
Sebastiano was born in a Sicilian country at the end of February 1914. is a land kissed by the sun and rich in water, so rich of the vital liquid, that its inhabitants are exempt from paying taxes on it. and of this abundance are fruit of citrus fruits, olive trees and vineyards. Tarot gardens fill the air with their perfume; are the mosquitoes that light the citrus fruits in color. then the flowers leave the place to the fruits and fruits, once collected, offer with the proceeds, their livelihood to the families. small writings of taste, masterpieces of nature that can boast only a rich, productive agricultural territory and, kissed by the sun as the Sicilian one.
is called to military service on 8 October 1934 at the military district n° 59 of siracuse with official 18791. by profession makes the potator, even if at the end of the story, from his foil he emerges as “art or profession” that of mechanic (we will see why). the fact that in the same sheet is reported that sebastiano was able to read and write should not surprise; in 1934 most of the population must still be literacy.
at the end of the First World War, on the eve of fascism, Italy counted 36,975,000 inhabitants. was an essentially agricultural country, with a very high number of illiterates. in 1921 25% of young people between the twenty-first and twenty-nineth year of age did not know how to read. Even worse it went for girls, whose percentage of illiteracy, always for the same age, was 31%. an impressive percentage, especially when compared to the situation of other European nations despite the commitment of the regime in the education of the people. when in 1861 Italy is finally a nation, 70 % of its citizens are illiterate. in half a century illiteracy falls to 46%. the first legislative measure establishing the school obligation is constituted by the extension to the Kingdom of Italy of the decree promulgated by the Kingdom of Sardinia on 13 November 1859, at the initiative of the Minister Gabrio casati. the law previews the obligatoryness and the gratuitousness of the first two classes of the biennium elementary but will be of difficult application especially for the lack of teachers and schools on the national territory. the law housed remains in force until 1923, when the Gentile reform will be launched. The first school programmes were approved by the Mamian Minister in 1860, including religion among fundamental subjects and are intended to ensure a basic cultural literacy for the whole population. in 1877 the Coppino Law reaffirms the obligation of elementary education already enshrined in the law of home, specifying also the sanctions that affect the defaulters. the school obligation is established from 6 to 9 years of age. the duration of the elementary school is fixed in five years. In this period primary education is at the expense of municipalities. in 1911 with the Danish law-believing elementary schools will pass to state control. the compulsory school is also realized because the development of industrialization requires personnel who can maneuver machine tools for which a minimum degree of education is required. In 1910 it became binding by law the notation of the performance of the school obligation on the workbook in order to be able to hire a minor.

Sebastiano at twenty years is enlisted and framed in the 24th Infantry Division artillery regiment “pavia” where his military history begins. thanks to the excellent characteristics indicated on its registration sheet, it is promoted corporal on October 1, 1935 and, chief major on February 7, 1936.
Still the winds of war do not flow in Italy and Sebastian is placed on unlimited leave on 4 September 1936.
but the international situation as we know from there gradually will change and, in fact, it is recalled to the weapons on 23-5-1940 from the command xi body of army, 24^ regiment of artillery of division of infantry and then be transferred to the xxxi rep. only Libyan blend. At home, parents, wife, a newborn child are waiting for him.
soldiers are supplied with colonial uniforms that are delivered without looking too much at the size. to hold the calzones, 3-4 meters long bands are used that must be wrapped around the calves. so "equipped", they are subjected to only one day of training, where the use of the rifle and machine guns is explained then, boarded on the motorship "arborea" on 4 June 1940 (and the arborea we will take care of later).
They disembark at triples on June 5, 1940, welcomed by the particular African calura and Arab populations expressing themselves in a language unknown to them. with a military truck reach a barrage that already welcomes Italian soldiers arrived a few days before and that they find to the newcomers a nice water of pasta dryer that is eaten in a moment. the barracks acts as a collection center of the Italian troops that will later be sent to the front. Since the capacity of the structure is not unlimited and the internal space is now exhausted, the new arrivals are encamped outside, in a large olive grove, near a place called "homs". there remain several days, tormented by the great heat that reaches the fifty degrees in the shade. Fortunately, a kilometer from there is the sea and every day they take advantage of it to refresh themselves. in homs there is also the cinema, obtained in a large shed and all the evenings welcomes our soldiers, they project themselves fil propaganda of the light institute as for example “conductors”, “the path of heroes” and “black”, but it is fine the same, on the other hand Mussolini himself publicly said to hold the cinema “the strongest weapon of the state”.
from 11 June the state of war is in force and the departments are sent to the combat zone. the night is per night in the tents, waiting to continue the advance the next day, because the night the desert is very cold and humid. the British retreat while the Italian soldiers, unaware, advance with the pride of the conquerors and with the conscience of fighting a just war, a holy war (also blessed by the clergy) for the conquest of northern Africa and Egypt, strong of a faith that the fascist dictatorship has inculcated to the poor and ignorant soldiers who, are sure to quickly reach the cairo and suez.
 
Meanwhile Sebastiano is promoted to sergeant with cheque decorating from September 1, 1940. thanks to its mathematician capabilities, Sebastiano is appointed head battery and has to take care of the calculations for the shooting of cannons as well as men and logistics. It is a battery of 8 guns for the coastal defense of tobruk.
One night his station is attacked by the English. the ammunition is kept inside a natural cave behind the Italian trenches and it is necessary to prevent all the costs that the British blow it. Sebastiano and another volunteer enter the cave and exit with a few boxes of bombs as they launch towards the attackers stopping their momentum. some splinters hurt his hands and neck but the action was successful. for this heroic act is proposed for a commendation by the lieutenant in command, but it will never arrive for the death of the same lieutenant during a transfer to the desert.

at that time el alemein is only a small railway station with a sheet metal shack. all around is the desert, not a plant not a bush to repair itself from enemy attacks. mussolini is convinced: in days the troops of the axis will reach victorious alessandria. a vademecum is distributed with the rules of behaviour on the ground of egitto. the instructions and recommendations of how to behave are given; there are also some historical and geographical notations of the country and a small vocabulary with the main words and phrases in Arabic and its translation. Other recommendations concern behaviour and precautions to be taken against Egyptian women.

Sebastiano uses a license from 11 May 1941 to 20 June 1941 and is probably the last time he can write to his family. is, in fact, caught in el alamein, while it is with the 1st celery - 4th group - 11th batt. under the command of Captain Frazzone in the locality el dabà, on November 5, 1942 and started to a prison camp.
immediately after the capture our military are disarmed and searched. the English depreciate the Italians of all that they have understood the shaving blades then, transfer them to a concentration camp prisoners but it is complete, so they arrange them on the outside lying on the ground only covered by their own pastra. the next day arrive some trucks loaded with ammunition led by indocinese and commanded by an officer. prisoners are taken up on the means and transferred to another camp not far away. There is a military chaplain celebrating Mass for all prisoners and that during the homily he says "we lost the war, but we will win with prayer!" after a few days, another transfer. It's morning, officers arrive, order to prepare the little stuff the prisoners have with them and framed for four, start a 25 km long march, without knowing the destination. the next day again on trucks and other transfer. in this new field are distributed a little extra food; a box of meat every three people, a loaf every seven, a little American peanuts and a little rice. is distributed of the flour to be kneaded with water and then fry it in a tin that first contained gasoline.
from 3 February 1943 some Italian prisoners, and among them Sebastiano, embarked on a ship that transports them to the definitive prison camp. we are surprised to see that the ship, after sailing in the south, changes course heading north-east. the Italians wonder where they are directed but no one from them an answer. They will later know that they have been transferred to Iraqi (which after the short Anglo-Iranian conflict is under British control), in the field of basra prison, city on the mouth of tigers and euprates.

at home for two years that have no news and the idea that he may have fallen with his comrades in the sands of the desert is wide. the mother, respecting the ancient tradition, closes in the house with her pain. a custom that is lost in the most remote times and that for widows it lasts all life, women wrap themselves in their black clothes, they cover the head with a sort of chador and, resist the pain of detachment from their loved ones in contradiction with the intimacy of such an event.

inside the camp Italian soldiers can move quite freely. There is a refrigeration factory in which many prisoners are employed and some of them are also able to undertake small clothing businesses with the Arabs, so Sebastiano also begins to perform tailoring tasks. is a way not to be overwhelmed by apathy, emotional leveling, loss of initiative; a result change of recruitment. the prisoner of war does not know when he will end his detention. this emotional state is aggravated by other factors such as the absolute lack of privacy, uncertainty in the future, homesickness and family, difficulty if not impossible to match with your loved ones at home. so the prisoner is ingenious in craft activities, from simplest to more complex, with inventiveness and creativity.
more unfortunate are instead the Italians fallen in the hands of the soldiers of the free franc. the treatment reserved to them is often inhuman, forced to work while mistreatment and abuse scan daily monotony.
 
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the fall of the regime on 25 July 1943 and, above all, the armistice, have their consequences among the more than 500,000 prisoners of allies.
If the fall of mussolini creates a stir and disorientation, the announcement of the armistice has a devastating impact on unity among prisoners.
It is the task of Italian officers to communicate the news. the Italian colonel commander of the field, climbs on a table and laconicamente announces that the English command has communicated to him that between Italy and allies was signed the armistice. a few voices of protest are raised but above all the division between two currents until then arises from the common condition, a monarchist and one that instead attributes the responsibility of the conflict to the king.

Badoglio has placed what condition the release of prisoners with the intent to use them in Italian combat units against German occupation but allies ignore this request and use our soldiers exclusively for logistic support operations to their units.
in the autumn of 43 the requests for cooperation begin to circulate which must be accompanied by a written commitment of fidelity signed by the prisoners. It is an act due to the fact that according to the Geneva Convention they are not required to cooperate with the allies.
so from 19 May 1944 Sebastiano is framed as a co-operator to the Allied forces and on 19 May of the same year he is assigned the category of "mechanical" in the detachment r.a.f.
who is a part of it is responsible for several uses. there are those who maintain and repair military means, those who work in deposits, arsenals or even in factories. framed by Italian officers but placed under allied control, they work for eight, ten hours a day, with modest pay and without any of the individual freedoms that had been their promises.

then the war finally ends and, even if delayed by numerous difficulties, the repatriation of Italian prisoners in allied hand can begin.
on 14 April 1945, a prospectus was presented to the Allied Committee for the return of 460.000 men, of which 360.000 were in English, 65,000 American and 35,000 in French hands, which provided for the return home by the end of the same year. in reality can not be carried out for lack of means of transport.
repatriations begin at the beginning of 46 or about a year after the end of the war but, proceed slowly and end until the end of February 1947.
the allies lack the ships for the transport and the Italian government has no hurry to welcome their children. Moreover, the contemporary return from germany, russia, america, india, africa, of so many people, is objectively a big problem to manage.
the lists of repatriates are slowly emptied. the former prisoners are waiting for patients, sleeping clothes and baggage ready, their turn finally coming.
Sebastiano returns to Italy, presenting itself to the "centre of houses" of palermo on 20 February 1946, of the barracks formed specifically for prisoners who repatriate. in that place the sorting takes place and, after the formalities of rite, for groups are started to the places of origin while the carabinieri of the thousands of barracks that constellate the national territory, are engaged in the happy task to carry telegrams that warn of the return of the veterans bringing back trust and serenity to many families.

Italy of 46 is the Italian of destruction. cities are unrecognisable; a pile of rubble and ruins. the next day he was granted a 60-day repatriation license and a prison check as well as a bourgeois dress, clothing and shoes. then the train and the return home, after 6 years of absence. spent the two months of license, the Sebastian district gets unlimited leave; is 20 April 1946. now he has finally returned to be a civilian, a free citizen, closing, even officially, that sad experience of soldier, fighter and prisoner. finds his family, his affections, a child left newborn and now in school age. thanks to his skills and the "mathematical preparation" becomes a wholesaler to the fruit and vegetable market and in 47 the second son was born.
the follow-up of the story of Sebastiano is exclusively about him and his family even if at the end of the 1990s the wife receives a phone call from a person, with clear accent of the north, who asks for his news, telling of being a companion of weapons who wants to thank him for saving his life and that of the whole team, in the episode of the cave.
but Sebastian cannot answer, he reached his soldiers in 1992.
we will talk instead of what was his family from 40 to 46.
 
pavia
on 1 March 1860 the 28th Infantry Regiment (Briga Pavia) was formed, with the 27th, from origin to the new brigade from which it takes its name. in 1871 it changed the name assuming that of 28° infantry regiment "pavia" and in 1881 of 28° Infantry Regiment (Briga pavia). in the First World War, it consists of three battalions and is among the first departments to enter into gorizia earning a silver medal at the military valor. on October 20, 1926, in execution of the law of March 11 on the new order of the army that previews the constitution of the brigades on three regiments, assumes the name of xvii brigade of infantry reuniting to its addictions beyond the 27th and the 28th Infantry, also the 11th rgt. home infantry.
The brigade and the 26th artillery regiment subsequently became part of the 17th territorial military division of ravenna. This great unit in 1934 takes on the nomination of infantry division of the rubicone, which also extends to the brigade that becomes Infantry Brigade of the rubicone (xvii). with measure of 27 April 1939 the 27th and the 28th rgt. infantry and the 26th rgt. artillery by infantry division gives rise to the self-transportable pavement division which, in May 1941, turns into a motorized division and then returns to be called self-transportable. on 10 June the division, equipped with 46 tanks l3/35;
with sixteen pieces of artillery from 20 mm, eight 47/32, eight 65/17, twenty-four 75/27, twelve 100/17; with twelve mortars from 81 mm and one hundred and eleven from 45 mm, it is located on the Libyan-Tunisino border where it remains until 25 June. It is then moved to the west area of tripoli and used in coastal defense in the sabratha-sorman area.
in 1941 the pavia division continues in the coastal defense activity of the trenchrate field of tripoli until April when it is transferred to sirte to defense of the airfield of tamet and coast, then attacks in the direction of the balbia street and 6 April, surrounds the city of mechili and captures 3,000 prisoners in most Australians. on 22 May, following the Italian-German offensive, he reached derna and martuba and in June he moved to the area of tobruk, to bir batruma, from where he took part in the siege for the reconquest of the stronghold and the hard fighting that take place continuously throughout the spring-summer period. on 23 November, during the operation crusader, the British departments besieged in tobruk of 70h infantry division, with a violent attack, try to open a gap in the circle that tightens them but, after some initial success, are contained; counterattacks brought on 3 and 4 December allow to restore the initial situation. again attacked on 7 December at el garaa the pavia division is forced the next day to fold to ain el gazala and then leads a defensive battle that protracts violent and without interruption until 16. In particular, according to the Australian official history of World War II, the tenacious defense to el adem delayed the Australian advance of more than three hours, allowing retreat to the forces of the axis (and to most of the same division).
the 17 folds, always fighting, in the zone of tmimi and then on the derna-mechili line. in the following days, to avoid the encirclement, it moves on bark, bengase, agedabia, el agheila that reaches December 24; to the south-east of this last resort is organized and caposaldo a bir es suera along the rig.
first half of 1942. the pavia in January faces the enemy west of bu medeues and, during the third Italian-German offensive, moves forward in the Chilean gebel. on 26 May attacks the positions west of tobruk and on 28 and 29 chases the enemy until mteifel el ghebir; therefore participates in the encirclement of the departments located between ain el gazala and tobruk. exceeded tobruk, the units of the division head towards bardy and sollum to the southeast of sidi el barrani where they reach on June 27. when he was in the Italian army, he took part in the defense of the rib of ruweisat, during which he suffered heavy losses by the New Zealanders.
on 1 July they stand in deir el abyad south of el alamein. On August 30, the pavia division resumed the advance but, after the first partial successes, it is arrested both by the violent reaction of the enemy and by the scarcity of supplies, all aggravated by the enormous difficulties of the soil stops in front of the defenses of el alamein. the second battle of el alamain, sees it deployed along with the 185° parachute division “folgore”. at the dawn of October 24 units of the division attack the southern slope of oaret el himeimat and reach the plateau south of nagh rala, but they are repelled from the immediate opponent's reaction. throughout the month of October and until 3 November the U.G. must undergo the British attacks and when the pressure becomes unsustainable, goes back to el qattara and then towards alani el nuss where the rearguards, reached by the enemy armoured units, are annihilated. Subsequently, the surviving departments without means of transport and flattened, marching towards fuka and chased by enemy units, are encircled and overwhelmed. on 4 November. on 25 November the 17th pavement division is dissolved in zone of operations following war events. the survivors escaped from prison, are framed by the motorized division “trieste”. 20,000 Italian prisoners and 10,000 Germans remain. in all the countryside of Africa, Italy has lost among fallen, injured and prisoners, 140.000 men.
Reconstituted on July 1, 1958 as the 28th infantry regiment "pavia" (car), replacing the 6th car, was again dissolved on November 15, 1975 but the 28th infantry battalion "pavia", which inherits flag and regimental traditions. during the reorganization of the f.a., in an experimental way takes the physiognomy of the regime on 17 September 1991. the 2nd battalion that will become the 121° regiment "macerata", from 7 January 1993 the regiment assumes the name of 28° regiment "pavia" that maintains unchanged at the time of transformation in unit specialized in operational communication.

by decree 31 December 1947, the pavia is granted the silver medal to the military valor with the following motivation. "during 6 months of harsh operating life on the front of tobruk, he learned with skillful, daring work, to realize important achievements, imposing to the opponent his tenacious will. in the battle of the Marmarian, which began after so long, bitter proof, the warrior virtues of his good infantry were affirmed and refuls of heroism in 40 days of hard, interrupted struggle. Absolving heavy back-guard tasks, he overcomes pitfalls and difficulties of all kinds and always managed to break the impetus of preponderant enemy forces. the counter-offensive found his untouched moral energies, strongly strained towards victory. luminous example of faith, abnegation, indomite value. ”the motto of the regiment is "ardeam dum luceam" whose meaning is: "that I shine while I deaf".
 
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motorship arborea
As we have seen, Sebastiano was boarded on the arboreal piroscaph that brought him, along with his comrades, into northern africa.
the arborea was a passenger motorship 111,1 meters long, 15,2, with a stable of 4960 tons. the motor apparatus consisted of 3 diesel fiat large 4.500 cv engines on three axes and the speed was 16 knots. was built between 1928 and 1929 by the yards of the muggiano of the spice for the citra (Italian companion transatlantic) with preparation curated by the architect Bolognese melchiorre bega. since 1932 the citra merges with the florio, Italian company of navigation, forming the Tyrrhenian society anonymous of navigation. the arborea is registered at the marine compartment of napoli with n° 399. in ’36, following the Ethiopian war, the ship is requisitioned and transformed into “corsaro”.
4 120/40 guns are shipped and two hydroplanes cant z.25 ar with foldable wings. for lack of space the catapults are not boarded but rather load peaks for the mass to sea and the recovery of the aircraft. during the Ethiopian conflict it is used as a transport then, on 3 June 1936, returns to napoli transporting the Italian Marshal pietro look after the return to home after the conquest of Ethiopia. the arborea is returned to the navigation company that puts it online. but at the outbreak of the Second World War the ship is requisite and enrolled in the role of the auxiliary ship as "auxiliary cruiser" with official d5. 4 120/40 guns and 6 13.2 guns are shipped again and is destined to escort the convoys. on October 23, 1941, while it is escorting to a convoy headed by patrasso to to toast composed by the German steamer virginia s. and the tankers "balcic" and "balkan", is sighted by the British submarine "truant" that maneuver to take to the attack of the Italian leader. but the continuous maneuvers of the Italian unity make impossible the launch so the British submarine changes goal and launches two torpedoes against the virginia s that centered from both weapons, sinks in 4 minutes. the truant again attacks the arborea that however counterattacks by launching several bombs of depth and then recover 35 shipwrecks. on September 10, 1943, the arborea was captured by the Germans at a long time to transport to Trieste the men of the “brenner”, whose commanders had agreed with the Germans for disarmament and the transfer of division into Italy. in the operation are also involved the old torpedo boats "pilo" and "missori", the transports "italia" and "argentina" and the piroscafi "marco" and "brumer". the arborea, which ship escorted, sailed in the head with the sides the two torpedo boats. the Italian crews boarded on the pile, disarmed and guarded by German soldiers, assaulted the guard of 8 men killing the commander and throwing the other men at sea then, regained control of the unit, broke up toast. on the arboreal it was not possible to do as much for the presence on board a whole battalion of black shirts. the arboreal arrived in Venice on 29 September where he landed the men of the brenner.
On 12 January 1944, while at the bottom of the sebenic, it was attacked by allied and damaged aircraft. Other attacks were carried out in the following days until the ship, severely damaged and burning, sank in the gherga canal on January 17.
 
I read the whole story and it's very moving.

I compliment you on the way you told her. You look like a writer.
 
I'm reading some titian books. great journalist, there is nothing to say, but if he wrote as exatem, probably reading his books would be even more enjoyable. . .
 
"Pow but good..."...:finger::finger:

I'm always here, too, at the end of the year, I think I'm asking you "the account."
 
quoto :finger:
Guys, thank you.
I really enjoyed writing this story (I think it's what I've written so far, along with another one, who excites me more), he passionates me a lot and, after being authorized to make it public, he gave me great satisfaction to share it with you.
and find your appreciation.
 
... sooner or later you will make it a pdf...:biggrin:
for now jealously preserves discussions with imperitura memory!!! :finger:
I would have liked it and ready.. .
I'll ask the protagonist's nephew if I can distribute it.

I'll see you again.
the whole story of the Italian submarine is finished and converted in pdf.
I did so long ago because I had to make a "gift" to a friend who keeps the only printed and relegated copy.
but I cannot post it otherwise I burn all the rest of the story. . .
 
I would have liked it and ready.. .
I'll ask the protagonist's nephew if I can distribute it.

I'll see you again.
the whole story of the Italian submarine is finished and converted in pdf.
I did so long ago because I had to make a "gift" to a friend who keeps the only printed and relegated copy.
but I cannot post it otherwise I burn all the rest of the story. . .
the important thing is that "exist"...!!!:finger:
for the rest, I agree, better a beautiful pointed story, you enjoy it more!!

great work as always, exatem!!! :36_9_1::4425:4425:
 

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