the History Bookshop

 

Books about military contemporary history

including a selection of the works published

by the Italian General Staffs, of Army, Navy and Air Force.
 


Cod. 3007E
EUR 38,73

HISTORY BOOK



Flavio Russo
SME - LA DIFESA COSTIERA DELLO STATO
DEI REALI PRESIDI DI TOSCANA
DAL XVI AL XIX SECOLO

298 pp. - 188 colour and b/w photos and drawings - hardbound with colour cover - published 2002
Italian text
Published by the Italian Army General Staff, History Archives

THE COAST DEFENCE OF THE STATE OF THE ROYAL PROTECTIONS OF TUSCANY FROM XVI TO XIX CENTURY

The strategic need to protect the routes between the southern possessions, Kingdom of Naples and Kingdom of Sicily, and the coasts of Genoa and of the North, as much as the harbours to the Kingdom of Sardinia, led Spain to curve out a sort of enclave geographically corresponding to the promontory of Argentario. The military strategy was the one of the so called Presidios, already tested almost half a century before in North Africa, and consisting of the imposition of strongholds and garrisons in the territory to be controlled.
Cod. 3032E
EUR 25,00

HISTORY BOOK



Luigi Emilio Longo
SME - IMMAGINI DELLA SECONDA GUERRA MONDIALE
LA CAMPAGNA DI TUNISIA
(1942-1943)

228 pp. - over 300 b/w photos - hardbound with cover - printed 2007
Italian text
Published by the Italian Army General Staff, History Archives

IMAGES OF WORLD WAR II
THE CAMPAIGN OF TUNISIA
(1942-1943)

The volume includes over 300 pictures about the Campaign battled in Tunisia by the Italian Army between November 1942 and May 1943, divided into two main subjects; the operative and the logistic ones. The collection of the iconographic material is introduced by a historical synthesis of the main events occurred on the Tunisian Front, considered as the outpost of Europe, whose defence represented a strategic crux to avoid the air and sea superiority of the Allies.
Cod. 3037E
EUR 20,66

HISTORY BOOK



Mario Montanari
SME - LE OPERAZIONI IN AFRICA SETTENTRIONALE
VOL. IV - ENFIDAVILLE
(novembre 1942 - maggio 1943)

820 pp. - 90 b/w sketches and 37 b/w plates - hardbound - reprint 2005 of the 1st ed. 1993
Italian text
Published by the Italian Army General Staff, History Archives

THE OPEARTIONS IN NORTH AFRICA
VOL. IV - ENFIDAVILLE
(November 1942-May 1943)

With this volume, that follows the three previously published about "Sidi El Barrani", "Tobruk" and "El Alamein", the History Bureau has finished the re-elaborated version of the eight monographs, published immediately after war, relevant to the operations led by the Italian Army in North Africa from June 1940 to May 1943. Like the previous ones, also this work is not restricted to a technical and operative analysis of the operations - in this case related to the Tunisian theatre - but it extends the investigation field to the political-military aspects of both parts.
Cod. 3060E
EUR 42,00

HISTORY BOOK



Renato Battista La Racine - Franco Prosperini
LA MARINA MILITARE 1861-1991
COMPENDIO DI 130 ANNI DI VITA

296 pp. - b/w and colour ill. - hardbound with colour cover - printed 2007
Italian and English text
Published by the Italian Navy General Staff, History Archives

ITALIAN NAVY 1861-1991
COMPENDIUM OF 130 YEARS OF LIFE

This volume offers a balanced context of the history of the Italian Navy in a limited number of pages, in order to give some synthetic and exhaustive information of the history events that have characterized its existence, for 130 years, from its birth to Gulf War. The book is not restricted to illustrate the Italian Navy policy, its naval operations and the technical features of its ships, instead it also faces topics of social and political character.
Another aspect concerns the drawing up of the work in English too, initiative through which the Italian Navy General Staff appears again on the international scene, taking Italian history outside its national borders.
Cod. 3062E
EUR 36,00

HISTORY BOOK



Ersilia Graziani
TRA MEMORIA E FUTURO
IL CENTENARIO DELL'UFFICIO STORICO
DELLA MARINA MILITARE

200 pp. - richly illustrated with numerous b/w and colour photos - hardbound with colour cover - printed 2013
Italian text
Published by the Italian Navy General Staff, History Archives

ISBN: 978 8898 485888
BETWEEN MEMORY AND FUTURE
THE CENTENARY OF THE ITALIAN NAVY GENERAL STAFF

The volume represents the most significant way to celebrate the centenary of the Italian Navy General Staff, since it outlines its identity by means a history excursus of its activities: the rich photographic patrimony, the continuous editorial production, the participation and the organization of exhibitions and conventions; everything is reconstructed on the basis of the wide documentary sources produced by the General Staff itself over its existence.
Cod. 3073E
EUR 36,00

HISTORY BOOK



Ubaldini Ubaldino Mori
I SOMMERGIBILI NEGLI OCEANI

390 pp. - ill. and 33 diagrams in b/w - revised by Aldo Cocchia - hardbound woth cover - reprint 2002 of the 3rd ed. 1976
Italian text
Published by the Italian Navy General Staff, History Archives - Series: The Italian Navy in WWII

SUBMARINES IN THE OCEANS

The events of the 32 oceanic vessels of Betasom, been commissioned between 1925 and 1943, the Italian naval base in Bordeaux and the foundering of a good 569,000 gross tonnage of enemy mercantile craft, in the documents of the Italian Navy Archives and in those of the British and American History Archives.
Cod. 3077E
EUR 30,00

HISTORY BOOK



Pier Filippo Lupinacci
ATTIVITÀ IN MAR NERO E LAGO LADOGA

revised and updated by Giuliano Manzari e Massimo Paolucci
212 pp. - b/w ill. and diagrams - hardbound with cover - printed 2003 (4th edition)
Italian text
Published by the Italian Navy General Staff, History Archives - Series: The Italian Navy in WWII

ACTIVITY IN THE BLACK SEA AND IN LAKE LADOGA

The activity of the flotilla of "pocket submarines" and of the M.A.S. squadrons, torpedo speedboats and explosive skiffs that operated in the Black Sea and in Lake Ladoga. Their fast transport by road or railroad up to Konstanz and then to Crimea. The success obtained against the Soviet surface vehicles and submarines.
Rosario Abate - Giorgio Apostolo
CAPRONI NELLA PRIMA GUERRA MONDIALE
CAPRONI IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR

300 pp. - 12 colour tables - 175 b/w ill. - fine art quality paper - format cm 24x21 - hardbound in colour - printed 2010
series "Meeting History"
Italian and English text

ISBN: 978-88-96381-06-9
Editorial consultant Maurizio Pagliano

The most significant milestones in the development of Italian bomber aircraft, a celebration of Gianni Caproni, the foresighted constructor of those early wings, synonymous with "strategic bombing".

The complete history of this complex all-Italian aircraft from the design phase to the completion of the prototype, from the results of the first test flights until acceptance by the military administration, continuing later with the demanding phase of national production and concluding with the operational service of the various versions. In the most organic presentation possible, an examination was made of all the most important facts which led to the creation and development of these aeroplanes, and all their individual technical characteristics, together with an ordered study of the production figures.

Great emphasis was placed on the photographic documentation, in the main previously unpublished, and which, better than any document, illustrates the evolution of the Caproni biplane and triplane bombers.
Constant and fundamental support was provided by the Caproni Family, who placed documents and photographic material at disposition.

The text and the original structure of the work, published in 1970, have been in part reworked or modified, and now incorporates some new sections, such as an English translation, the replacement of many illustrations, updated captions, and a colour photographic appendix.

The volume appears in the period of the major celebrations of the 150 years of Italian Unity, and the 1915-1918 war is considered by many experts to be the fourth war of independence. However, research works like this stand apart from simple anniversaries, and contribute to the recording of the design and entrepreneurial capabilities of a man like Gianni Caproni, born at Arco, in the Trentino, territory then in the possession of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and who elected to become Italian and make his contribution to the victory of the Tricolour.

CONTENTS

Preface by Giovanni, Maria Fede and Umberto Caproni from Taliedo
Foreword by Maurizio Pagliano
Author's note

Colour plates

Caproni 300 HP
* The concept of strategic bombing
* The first Caproni enter into action
* 1916: deep bombing raids
* The third year of war

Caproni 450 HP
* More power for the bombers
* Technical data of the Caproni 450 HP
* 1917: raids over Pola and Cattaro
* Target: Vienna
* Caproni built in France
* Derivations from the Ca.3 until 1926

Caproni 600 HP
* Programmes of international co-production
* 1918: the victory

Other users
* The Caproni of the Regia Marina
* Caproni on the Western front line
* The American Northern Bombing Group
* American pilots at Foggia
* Tri-motors in the re-conquest of Libya

The triplanes
* A giant of the era

The single engines
* From monoplane reconnaissance aircraft to triplane fighter

Flying the tri-motor

Bibliography
The authors
FOREWORD by Maurizio Pagliano

In Italian aviation circles, the First World War, which saw Italy enter the field on 24 May 1915 alongside the forces of the Triple Entente against the Central Empire, brings to mind above all two types of aircraft, the S.V.A. and the Caproni. The first, as will be recalled, was a reconnaissance and light bomber biplane designed by ingegneri Umberto Savoia and Rodolfo Verduzio and manufactured by Ansaldo, which entered service with operational units at the beginning of 1918. The second, with its characteristic tri-motor formula, was conceived and produced by ingegner Gianni Caproni, and became synonymous with strategic bombing, a definition which must, however, take account of the technological and doctrinaire parameters of the era.

This volume, written by Giorgio Apostolo and Rosario Abate, two established experts in the sector, describes the history of this complex all-Italian aircraft from the design phase to the prototype, from the results of the first test flights until acceptance by the military administration, then the demanding phase of national production and the operational service of the various versions. Published for the first time in 1970, it is re-launched after some forty years in a new edition promoted by the Vaccari publishing house which, amongst other projects, is engaged in reissuing works which for some time have not been available from libraries or publishing companies.

In my second forty years of activity in the editorial field I continue to demand of the authors the application of some basic principals which have always guided me through the profession, and which can be summed up as: intellectual honesty, knowledge of the subject, balanced opinions, and civility in terms of humans relationships. Assumed are the ability to write, and the desire to be read. I should add that in works of a technical nature like this there is no space for ideological interpretations of any kind; it is the numerical data that assumes overwhelming value, and this must be the foundations for a realistic picture of the situation. These are important characteristics, which are distinguishing features of the books with the signatures of Apostolo and Abate.

The volume appears in the period of the major celebrations of the 150 years of Italian Unity, and the 1915-1918 war is considered by many experts to be the fourth war of independence. However, research works like this stand apart from simple anniversaries, and contribute to the recording of the design and entrepreneurial capabilities of a man like Gianni Caproni, born at Arco, in the Trentino, territory then in the possession of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and who elected to become Italian and make his contribution to the victory of the Tricolour.

There is a letter, reproduced in its original English in the book, dated 11 February 1919, and addressed to Inginiere [sic] Caproni: "My Dear Sir, in the name of the American Expeditionary Forces, I desire to express to you our appreciation of all that you have accomplished in the realm of the Allied aviation during the war. Your name is of course well known to all of us as an inventor of marked genius, but will be especially remembered by those officers with whom you came in contact on account of the sympathetic understanding and friendship which you always displayed toward the United States. Your untiring efforts and unfailing interest were of the greatest help to us in the development of our Air Service.

I am sure that I voice the sentiments of all when I say to you that among our officers and men you will ever find in the United States the same warm welcome and the same friendship which you have shown to us in your own land of Italy".

It was signed by General John Joseph Pershing, Commander in Chief of the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe.
Rosario Abate obtained a Phisician degree at Catania University and moved to North Italy. He started writing about avation in 1953. Since then his works have appeared in numerous journals in Italy and abroad. His books include a story of the Italian aviation, the story of the Caproni Aeronautica Bergamasca company and Aeroplani Caproni (with Alegi and Apostolo). He passed away in Milan in 2004.

Giorgio Apostolo became interested in aviation in 1950 launching an intensive career which continues to these days. A contributing editor of several aerospace journals, he has authored many publications, books and serials. For many years he edited the historical magazine «Aerofan» and he is owner of a specialized publishing house.
Cod. 2203E
EUR 75,00

FREE the miniature sheet
with the stamps of
100 YEARS FROM THE FIRST FLIGHT



Mario Cobianchi
PIONIERI DELL'AVIAZIONE
IN ITALIA
1908-1914

604 pp. - 128 tables with b/w ill. - format cm 21x29.7 - hardbound in colour - printed 2009
series "Meeting History"
Italian text

ALSO AS FREE BOOK (class B)

ISBN: 978-88-85335-94-3
PIONEERS OF AVIATION IN ITALY 1908-1914
with update notes, with references to the Catalogue of "Aerofilia italiana", and errata by Fiorenzo Longhi

The work written by Mario Cobianchi, pioneer of Italian aviation, has been updated and enriched thanks to the several comments and the errata, included as foot notes, by Fiorenzo Longhi, one of the masters of Italian Aerophilately.

The volume by Cobianchi, published in 1943 and difficult to be found since long, "encyclopaedia" about the pioneering period of flight in Italy, is rich in information and documents gathered by the author himself, rare and historical illustrations of air tracks, drill grounds, postcards and photographs, flight attempts and experiments, aviation competitions and shows, flight forerunners, aircrafts.

It describes, day by day, all the aviation events of the pioneering period, whose end is internationally fixed in 1914, with dates and names of flight competitions, pilots and winners, flight licences of Italians, both military men and civilians, position in Europe, aircraft building factories, heroic experiments, pioneers' accidents (unfortunately some deadly).

CONTENTS

Foreword
* 1908-1909 - Today, we will fly
* 1910 - The beginnings of aviation in Italy
* 1911 - The Italian military aviation starts gaining ground
* 1912 - The fervent aviation activity for the war in Libya
* 1913 - The great flights
* 1914 - The wonderful air trips
* 1904-1914 - The different aviation activities
Cod. 1971E
EUR 22,00

HISTORY BOOK



Ricciotti Garibaldi
LA CAMICIA ROSSA
NELLA GUERRA BALCANICA
CAMPAGNA IN EPIRO 1912

260 pp. - b/w and colour photographs of the time - format cm 15x21 - softbound - printed 2007
Table, in colour, with the map representing the operations of the Italian-Greek legion and of the battle in Drisko
series "Meeting History"
Italian text

ALSO AS FREE BOOK (class A)

ISBN: 978-88-85335-91-2
THE REDSHIRTS
IN THE BALKAN WAR
CAMPAIGN IN EPIRUS 1912

With the cooperation of Annita Garibaldi Jallet and of the Museum of Villa Garibaldi in Riofreddo (Rome).
Many thanks to the National Committee for Celebrations of the Bicentenary of Giuseppe Garibaldi's birth.

Foreword by Annita Garibaldi Jallet.

Garibaldis and their topicality, conversation with Annita Garibaldi Jallet by Fabio Bonacina.

Introduction by Bruno Crevato-Selvaggi.

On the occasion of the birth bicentenary of Giuseppe Garibaldi, the "hero of the two worlds", a volume written by his son, Ricciotti Garibaldi. New edition of the work published in 1915, in which the author describes the military background and the participation of the Italian volunteers under his command in the first Balkan war in Greece.

It was in the operations towards Ioannina that Ricciotti's "redshirts" took part, and particularly in the battle in Drisko (small town in the area). Subject of the volume the antecedent facts, the battle in Drisko, the following events, the epilogue, that is the adventure of "redshirts" in Epirus in 1912. Moreover, a whole chapter is devoted to the Italian Red Cross, who accompanied and assisted the Redshirts with their precious work, with the help of the Greek Blue Cross too. Constance Garibaldi, Ricciotti's wife, and Inspector of the Red Cross, in a long letter tells about some particularly touching episodes.

The author, who led the campaign, and is therefore also protagonist of the story, writes in the first person a mix between an account and memoirs, quite a technical report accompanied by many documents which testify the happenings told (one of the reasons which led the editor to publish a new edition of the work). There is the romantic myth of Hellenism; the civilian myth of the volunteer "redshirts"; comments on the volunteer troops; the sense of comradeship but also of boldness.

Thanks to this volume, readers can now realize what kind of war it was, the extent of armed forces and fire, but also the "spirit" of that campaign. A picture of an event which remained in Italian memory.

CONTENTS

* Foreword, Annita Garibaldi Jallet
* Table, in colour, with the map representing the operations of the Italian-Greek legion and of the battle in Drisko
* Garibaldis and their topicality, conversation with Annita Garibaldi Jallet, Fabio Bonacina
* Introduction, Bruno Crevato-Selvaggi

* Dedication, Ricciotti Garibaldi
* I - Greece and Italy
* II - Greece
* III - Preparations in Italy
* IV - From Rome to Athens
* V - Some incidents
* VI - From Athens to Metzovo
* VII - Romas Column
* VIII - Battle in Drisko
* IX - The field hospital
* X - From Drisko to Athens
* XI - Accountancy
* XII - Documents
* XIII - Notes of promotions
* XIV - Note of volunteers
* XV - Summary note of jobs
* XVI - Alphabetical note
Ricciotti was born in Montevideo in 1847, fourth born of Giuseppe Garibaldi and Ana Maria de Jesus Ribeiro.
From 1866 he distinguishes himself on the battlefields. When his father dies, in 1882, he wants to collect his moral heritage, the values of military voluntary service and of philhellenism which belonged to Garibaldian tradition. It is Greece which gives him the possibility to revive the tradition of Garibaldi's "Redshirts", already from 1897. The General Ricciotti succeeds in realising his true inclination: at the head of new Garibaldian volunteers, he creates a new military tradition, which intervenes in favour of peoples' freedom, and pays attention to the values of heroism and sacrifice in the name of a nation.
He dies in Riofreddo (Rome) in 1924.
Fabio Bonacina
LA SALMA NASCOSTA
MUSSOLINI DOPO PIAZZALE LORETO
DA CERRO MAGGIORE A PREDAPPIO
(1946-1957)

192 pp. - b/w ill. - format cm 15x21 - softbound - 2nd ed. 2007 - series "Meeting History"
Italian text

ALSO AS FREE BOOK (class C)

ISBN: 978-88-85335-77-6
THE HIDDEN CORPSE
MUSSOLINI AFTER PIAZZALE LORETO
FROM CERRO MAGGIORE TO PREDAPPIO
(1946-1957)

29/30 August 1957 - 2007
From Cerro Maggiore to Predappio: Benito Mussolini's last "journey"

Where did Benito Mussolini's corpse disappear after Piazzale Loreto?

For eleven years the Italian Republic kept it hidden from enemies and Neofascists, using the monastery of Capuchin friars in Cerro Maggiore (Milan).

The author, Fabio Bonacina, carried on a useful investigation to follow the events through documents and several testimonies from people who lived those years as protagonists or simple witnesses, and through the many postcards with the images relevant to those events.

CONTENTS

* Last days of life
* The "show" in piazzale Loreto
* The problem of the corpse
* The return in Milan
* Padre Carlo from Milan, as if from Cerro
* The solution is in the monastery of Cerro Maggiore
* The years of the secret (1946-1957)
* The corpse given to the family
* A heavy inheritance to handle
* Padre Carlo's diary
* A monastery and its growth
* With the guests of the Central hotel
* Notes
* Bibliography
IN ITALIAN

Il saggio di Fabio Bonacina narra le vicende della salma di un uomo, per vent'anni al centro della storia d'Italia, che giunse, dopo le drammatiche vicende di Giulino e di piazzale Loreto, in un piccolo e, diciamolo pure, sconosciuto ai più, paese della provincia milanese.

Il libro è già alla sua seconda edizione a dimostrazione che le vicende narrate hanno suscitato un interesse che ha travalicato i confini locali.
Le recensioni alla prima edizione hanno trovato spazio sui media nazionali e il saggio è stato citato nella bibliografia di altri lavori. Un esemplare del libro è conservato alla Biblioteca del Congresso degli Stati Uniti. Persino una pièce teatrale si è ispirata alle vicende narrate nel libro.
In effetti la ricerca ha il pregio di aver colmato un vuoto storico e a oggi rimane l'unico testo che ricostruisce in maniera esemplare e minuziosa le vicende della «Salma nascosta».
Esso è quindi strumento indispensabile allo studioso, ma la sua lettura è di sicuro interesse anche al semplice appassionato di storia che avrà modo di conoscere una vicenda che a tratti assume i contorni di un giallo.

Ormai i protagonisti di quegli anni sono quasi tutti scomparsi. Nel suo piccolo, come uno scrigno, questo lavoro raccoglie frammenti di vita di uomini semplici, come il fotografo Igino Braghin o la balia Enrichetta Rotondi. Uomini e donne che non recitarono sul palcoscenico della storia, ma più semplicemente nella quotidianità delle loro famiglie e del loro paese. Ricordarli è un doveroso atto di affetto della nostra Comunità. Ecco perché questo non è solo il libro della salma di Mussolini, ma anche il loro.

Antonio Lazzati
Sindaco di Cerro Maggiore (Milano)

luglio 2007
Fabio Bonacina, a journalist, mainly works in public communication, but he also writes about stamps and the post. The newspapers and magazines that have published his articles include "Cronaca filatelica", "L'arte del francobollo", "Vaccari magazine", "Esperienza", "Giornale di Brescia", and "Italia oggi". He is President of the Italian Philatelic Press Union since 2014, and editor of the daily web magazine of philately and postal information "Vaccari news" (www.vaccarinews.it) since 2003.
He has been awarded the prize by Usfi (Italian Philatelic Press Union) in 2010, he has obtained the award for journalism by the Town of Riccione in 2006, and the oscar for philately by Circolo filatelico numismatico reggiano in 2002.
For this publisher he has written the books "Propaganda con i denti - Il francobollo come mezzo di comunicazione nelle relazioni internazionali, il secondo dopoguerra"; "La salma nascosta - Mussolini a Cerro Maggiore dopo piazzale Loreto (1946-1957)", published in two editions; "Giovanni Paolo II - Viaggi di speranza - I francobolli del mondo testimoniano le visite di Papa Wojtyla", translated into English and German (English edition "John Paul II - Visits of hope - World stamps witness the travels of Pope Wojtyla"); "Campioni del mondo - I francobolli dei Paesi organizzatori e vincitori dei Mondiali di calcio 1930-2006"; "Buon Natale! Il libro-album per la raccolta dei francobolli italiani sul Natale 1970-2010"; "Habemus Papam. Tutti i Papi da Francesco a Pio XII. Il libro-album dei francobolli italiani"; "Campioni del mondo 2 - I francobolli dei Paesi organizzatori e vincitori dei Mondiali di calcio 2010-2014".
Cod. 2420E
EUR 35,00

The author will donate his profits to "ANGSA PUGLIA ONLUS" (National Association for Autistic People Parents).



Vitoronzo Pastore
DIETRO IL FILO SPINATO
documenti e testimonianze dei soldati italiani
prigionieri degli alleati e internati dai tedeschi
1940-1945

608 pp. - b/w and colour ill. - softbound - printed 2011
Italian text

BEHIND BARBED WIRE
documents and stories of Italian soldiers
prisoners of the Allies and of the Germans
1940-1945

Mail and documents of Italian soldiers prisoners during the Second World War, divided into different chapters: historical and postal introductions; notes on several prisoners, most of them from the province of Bari; postal documents sent by them (reproduced in colours) and the transcription of the texts. Work interesting both from a postal and historical point of view.
Cod. 2510E
EUR 20,00

The author will donate his profits to "ALOIS ALZHEIMER" Association, non-profit in Brindisi.



Vitoronzo Pastore
IL MASSACRO DELLA DIVISIONE ACQUI
1939-1943
Testimonianze dei sopravvissuti

462 pp. - b/w ill. - softbound - printed 2013
Italian text

THE MASSACRE OF THE "ACQUI DIVISION"
1939-1943
Evidences by survivors

The book, illustrated with period postcards, envelopes, letters, documents and photos, is published exactly 70 years after the massacre of the "Acqui Division", executed by the German soldiers in September 1943.

The author publishes for the first time the list of dead and missing people of Apulia and Balicata, of more than 70 correspondences and manuscripts of young soldiers of the "Acqui Division": unissued evidences of historic importance of living and dead survivors. Moreover he describes the welcome, by the town of Bari, of the corpses of the people slaughtered in Cephalonia and Corfu, happened in 1953 as reported in the newspaper "La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno" of that time.

This book, besides being a homage to the memories of those dead, represents a warning for the future Italian generations.
Cod. 2563E
EUR 20,00

The author will donate his profits to charity.



Vitoronzo Pastore
SENTIERI DEL NON RITORNO
Caduti del 2° Corpo Polacco
Caduti e dispersi del Sud-Est barese nella Guerra 1940-1945

512 pp. - b/w ill. - softbound - printed 2015
Italian text

ROUTES OF NON RETURN
Fallen of the 2nd Polish Corps
Fallen and lost of the South-East territory of Bari in WWII

The author commemorates testimonies and events that have marked the history of the Italian people. The study and the research of unreleased documents and images, copious and here reproduced, has allowed the author to give voice to lists otherwise destined to silence and oblivion. The researches have been made by the Offices of Civil State, the Archives of the districts involved, the Archive of State in Bari and in the web-site of the Ministry of Defence "Onorcaduti" (Fallen for Honour).

The first chapter is dedicated to the 2nd Polish Corps that, landing at Taranto in December 1943, used the territory of Puglia for logistic settlements. The subsequent chapters are dedicated to the fallen and lost during WWII of the districts of Adelfia, Casamassima, Cassano delle Murge, Cellamare, Palo del Colle, Sammichele di Bari and Turi; during the Italian - Greek conflict in the Aegean Sea: the shipwrecked of "Oria" and "Sinfra" steamships; in the Balkans; in East and North Africa; in the Mediterranean Sea; overseas; on the Italian territory. The work ends with the testimonies of fighters and partisans, among which Sandro Pertini.

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