Italian Forces

Bastia, Autumn 1943…

Bastia, Corsica, after September 1943: ad Italian seaplane Fiat-CMASA RS.14 half-sunk in the harbor likely damaged during the fight between Italian and German troops on the night of the 8-9 September 1943. Just after the Italy’s Armistice (8 September 1943) the Italian troops in Corsica, landed in the island from 12 November 1942 when the Axis forces occupied the France under the Vichy Government’s control, considered the German troops as enemies and later taken part to the liberation of the Corsica on the side of the Free French Forces. Seaplane of the photo: impossible establish exactly the unit’s identity (the Squadriglia’s number are not visible). On the eve of the armistice of the Kingdom of Italy with the Allies, in Corsica were based two seaplane’s Squadriglie: 146th Squadriglia Autonoma Ricognizione Marittima (Independent Maritime Reconnaissance Flight), at Ajaccio with three CRDA Cant-Z-506 and two RS.14, and 188th Squadriglia Autonoma Ricognizione Marittima, Ajaccio-Porto Vecchio, with only a RS 14, both under the control of the Comando Aviazione Ausiliaria Regia Marina (Auxiliary Royal Navy Air Command), the Italian Air Force’s high command for the naval aviation, and effectively depending for the operations from the Comando Militare Marittimo Sardegna (Sardinia Military Maritime Command), an Italian Navy’s great command with HQ at Sassari and at La Maddalena. The RS.14 of this photo, likely reached at Bastia by the occurrences, is a seaplane of one of this Squadriglie. Victor Sierra