Italian Forces

The Ionian Islands in Italian hands

At the end unsuccessful campaign against the Greece, the Italy, long time present in Aegean Islands, on April 1941 occupied the Ionian Islands with a briefly operation accomplished at beginning with a small lot of airborne forces. The start of operation was the takeoff from Brindisi, the morning of April 28, 1941, of five float planes Cant-Z.506B of 86th Gruppo which landed at Corfu under the protection of fighters and fighter bombers. In the afternoon at Corfu landed other four Cant-Z-506B with a small force of Regia Aeronautica’s personnel and Carabinieri, in total about 100 men. Two days later landed on Corfu an infantry’s regiment and the conquest of Corfu was completed. In the photo some Italian soldiers and high ranks officers after the Island’s capitulation. Note in background two of the mission’s Cant-Z-506Bs. On April 30, 1941, also with an air landing, was occupied Cephalonia. Victor Sierra