Italian Forces

Beneath the Cassibile’s olive trees

Imperial War Museum

Bristol Beaufighter Mark VIFs of No. 600 Squadron RAF parked in dispersals among the olive trees at Cassibile, Sicily, Summer 1943. The Armistice signed by the Italy in this little town of the Sicily on 3 September 1943 was kept secret until the evening of the 8 September 1943 when the General Dwight Eisenhower and the Marshal Pietro Badoglio it announced publicly on the radio (for this reason the Italy’s surrender is usually indicated as Armistice of 8 September or “the 8 September). In the afternoon of the same 3 September Badoglio, during a meeting with the high ranks of the Italian Armed Forces, the Secretaries of the War, Sorice, of the Navy, De Courten, and of the Aeronautics, Sandalli, present also the Chief of Staff Italian Armed Forces, Ambrosio, and the Secretary of Royal House, Acquarone, not mentioned in the least the Armistice’s signature, but only talks in progress. In the same days, many Italian soldiers, was send to die in the darks of the events. The only to smell a rat was the Germans which entered in action few hours after the official announcement of the Armistice. Note: although the photo, source IWM, depict a RAF’s plane, the same make reference to an important page of the Italy’s history. For this reason I post this photo in Italian Forces section and also for another reason: the photo of signature of the Armistice are well known and this picture, as the previous, hare a strange sense of rustic peace which is in contrast with the dramatic events of this days. I think the WW2incolor’s friend agree on this choice. Best regards, Victor Sierra