Italian Forces

A forgotten war

From February 1942 to January 1943 the forces of “France Libre”, commanded by General Leclerc, launched a series of campaign for the conquest of Italian oasis in the remote region of Fezzan in the Libyan’s western desert. In this campaigns French and Italians had recourse to respective air forces, in particular for Italians to the colonial aviation. In the photo a twin engine Caproni Ca.309 “Ghibli” of a Squadriglia of Aviazione Sahariana e di Presidio Coloniale (Sahara and Colonial Garrison Aviation), employed in many roles (reconnaissance, air support, liaison, medical evacuation) on the airstrip of Sebha’s Oasis overlooked by the “Regina Elena” Fort. Sebha was abandoned by Italians to French at the end of the war in Fezzan, on 4 January 1943. Victor Sierra