Italian Forces

Gamba di Ferro

Stato Maggiore Aeronautica

One of the most famous personage of the Italian Air Force in WW2 was Ernesto Botto, universally knew as “Gamba di Ferro” (Iron Leg), in this photo with the dress of Officer of the Aviación Legionaria (Legionary Air Force), the Spanish Nationalist Force’s branch where was enlisted the Italian Air Force’s men moved to Spain during the Spanish Civil War. Born on Turin, 8 November 1907, Botto was enlisted in the Regia Aeronautica as cadet of the Air Academy on 1929 and on 1933 was licensed military pilot. Assigned as fighter pilot to 4th Stormo, based at Gorizia, on 1937 Botto, with the rank of Capitano (Captain/Flight Lt), left Italy for the Spain. And was during the Spanish Civil War that Botto, leader of the 32nd Squadriglia equipped with Fiat CR.32 fighter, itself procured the nickname of “Gamba di Ferro”. On 12 October 1937, during a clash with Republican fighters I-16 engaged with his Squadriglia for cover the 31st Squadriglia of Capt. Luigi Borgogno in a tight spot against forces numerically greater over Fuentes de Ebro, Botto was hit by a Republican fighter and seriously wounded to right foot. Botto managed to return at his base, Saragossa, but in the hospital suffered the amputation of the foot and of the part of the right leg replaced by an iron artificial leg. Awarded of the gold medal for his gallantry, now for all “Gamba di Ferro”, and his Squadriglia adopted as emblem the “Gamba di Ferro”, Botto remained in service in the Regia Aeronautica, but only after long vicissitudes and thanks to an “Order from Top” (read Mussolini) was cleared to fly but only at dual control in two seat aircraft. A matter immediately refused by Botto which, returned to Gorizia, at the his old unit, the 4st Stormo, at this time leaded by the Colonel Grandinetti, which assigned to “Gamba di Ferro” the Lieut. Pezzè for flying inside an aircraft with cockpit and pedals modified, at dusk, took off surreptitiously with a single seat, a CR.32. In this matter Botto proved his full capacity of piloting a single seat fighter. Obvious row of the Stormo’s commander, report, inquiry with the final clearance to flying with a single seat. Afterwards “Gamba di Ferro” leaded an aerobatic patrol of nine CR.32, showed also at Berlin, took the command of the 73rd Squadriglia (“Gamba di Ferro” of the 4th Stormo’s 9th Gruppo which will lead, as Maggiore, on 1939. After the Italy’s entry in the conflict, 10 June 1940, Botto leaded his 9th Gruppo in war during the Libyan campaign. Repatriated because a head injury received in a car accident, Botto was again transferred to Gorizia as the Fighter School’s commander with the rank of Lt. Col, from 1941 to Spring 1943 when experienced another accident, this tine a flight accident. Testing a Macchi 202 near the Ciampino airfield, Rome, in view of the command of the 1st Stormo, the plane’s engine failed and Botto attempt an emergency land with landing gear up suffering seriously wounded on the left leg, the healthy leg. De facto flightless forever, for “Gamba di Ferro”, now a heroic legend, began another page of his history, a very difficult page. Botto refused the Italian Armistice of 8 September 1943 and when Mussolini, returned from Germany to Italy, established his Fascist Republic, the Repubblica Sociale Italiana (or RSI), “Gamba di Ferro” was appointed by the Duce Deputy Secretary for the Aeronautics unbeknown to the same Botto. Moved to Rome in the Air Ministry, on 14 October 1943 broadcasted via radio an announcement exhorting the Italian Air Force’s personnel to join the newly born Aeronautica Reppublicana (afterwards Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana-ANR). Many Italian aviators, thanks to charisma of “Gamba di Ferro”, enlisted itself in the RSI’s Air Force. But “Gamba di Ferro” firmly required and the complete freedom and autonomy of the Air Force and his men without any type of interference defending his ideas without compromises. The collision with the German and with their projects to do the ANR under the strictly Luftwaffe’s control was instant. On 27 November 1943 Botto announced on the radio to Air Force’s personnel that the previous communications were without any effectiveness and that the same personnel was obliged to comply only with his orders. The German’s authorities reaction was hard as much hard was the Botto’s reaction to German request of cancellation of his announcement. The disagreement with the Germans was resolved by a meeting of Botto, at Berlin, with the chief of the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe General-Oberst Günter Korten, but the injury remained open. In addition a man and an Officer as Botto accustomed to speak frankly, cannot accept the regime’s compromise and the manner of many Fascist Gerarchi, colliding immediately with the Fascist Party Secretary Roberto Farinacci which many times criticized Botto on his journal questioning his “Fascist Faith”, and also with RSI’s Armed Forces commander, Marshal Rodolfo Graziani. More likely Botto not completely understood the RSI’s reality: the RSI was a III Reich’s puppet State with a poor quality hierarchy dominated by the Germans. The consequence were expected: on January 1944 Botto resigned, but Mussolini tergiversated for a little while. But on March 1944 the Deputy Secretary to RSI’s presidency, Francesco Maria Barracu, as “Gamba di Ferro” war disabled and awarded of the Gold Medal, noticed to Botto that Mussolini had agree to his resignation and his replacement with the General Arrigo Tessari on 6 March 1944. On 26 April 1944 Botto ceased from the service as Tenente Colonello (Lt. Col.) and retired in home in Piedmont. After the war, on 1951, Botto was elected in the Council of the Turin’s Commune as delegate of the Movimento Sociale Italiano, or MSI, the neo-fascist party established by Giorgio Almirante and Pino Romualdi. But the political experience of “Gamba di Ferro” was extremely brief inasmuch, during the first session, a Council member appointed the no eligibility of the former RSI’s servicemen. Ernesto Botto passed away in Turin on 9 December 1984. Victor Sierra