Prince Valerio Borghese was the scion of one the oldest aristocratic families in Italy .
During WW2 he was commander of submarine 'Scire' which brought the Italian frogmen to many of their missions against the British , including Alexandria , he was decorated with the Gold Medal .
On 8th sept 43 he was in La Spezia and wept for shame when heard the declaration of armistice , never again he would shed tears in his life .
He negotiated with the Germans and went on to form the Decima Mas which was perphaps the most efficent miltary unit in the RSI forces .
Decima Mas saw ample service on the southern front , at the Eastern Borders of Italy , the battle for Tarnova is the most striking example , bur slowly got involved in the bloody civil war and was feared by the partisans .
At war's end some units were at the front and others in the rear areas , but there was a plan for all units to march to Friuli and defend Italian eastern borders and population form Tito' bands violence .
Unfortunately the chaos and confusion of the last days in April prevented this plan fom becoming operative .
At 24 April Borghese was in Milano , at the Prefettura with Mussolini and when the Duce left Milano withou giving orders to the loyal troops he went back to the Decima baracks in Piazza Fiume , now Piazza della Repubblica and saluted his men " DECIMA ' the men answered "COMANDANTE " and he went on to say that the war was lost and they were released from their oath but were to be proud of their service with the RSI .
Then instead of staying with his troops , this fearless soldier , the commander of a sub such as Borghese cannot know fear , did something that for me is almost unbelievable , He went to his apartment in Piazza Piemonte , changed in civilian clothes and boarder a car provided and driven by italians agents of the american secret service , he was taken to safety to the south and later had to stand trial for his role in the RSI .
Meantime many of his men were butchered by the partisans .
How could a men such as Borghese do this ?
It always escaped my comprehension as the Commander of X MAS and he was more than that , he was the soul of this force , could leave his men and not share their fate .
Of course Borghese is a complicated figure not always above reproach in his personal life and also the role that he had in the coup of 1970 which could have sunk Italy in a new bloodbath are big question marks .
Submarine "Scire" with Frogman dock on its deck (note simlitaries to modern day US Navy Seal systems)
--- www.comandosupremo.com ---
During WW2 he was commander of submarine 'Scire' which brought the Italian frogmen to many of their missions against the British , including Alexandria , he was decorated with the Gold Medal .
On 8th sept 43 he was in La Spezia and wept for shame when heard the declaration of armistice , never again he would shed tears in his life .
He negotiated with the Germans and went on to form the Decima Mas which was perphaps the most efficent miltary unit in the RSI forces .
Decima Mas saw ample service on the southern front , at the Eastern Borders of Italy , the battle for Tarnova is the most striking example , bur slowly got involved in the bloody civil war and was feared by the partisans .
At war's end some units were at the front and others in the rear areas , but there was a plan for all units to march to Friuli and defend Italian eastern borders and population form Tito' bands violence .
Unfortunately the chaos and confusion of the last days in April prevented this plan fom becoming operative .
At 24 April Borghese was in Milano , at the Prefettura with Mussolini and when the Duce left Milano withou giving orders to the loyal troops he went back to the Decima baracks in Piazza Fiume , now Piazza della Repubblica and saluted his men " DECIMA ' the men answered "COMANDANTE " and he went on to say that the war was lost and they were released from their oath but were to be proud of their service with the RSI .
Then instead of staying with his troops , this fearless soldier , the commander of a sub such as Borghese cannot know fear , did something that for me is almost unbelievable , He went to his apartment in Piazza Piemonte , changed in civilian clothes and boarder a car provided and driven by italians agents of the american secret service , he was taken to safety to the south and later had to stand trial for his role in the RSI .
Meantime many of his men were butchered by the partisans .
How could a men such as Borghese do this ?
It always escaped my comprehension as the Commander of X MAS and he was more than that , he was the soul of this force , could leave his men and not share their fate .
Of course Borghese is a complicated figure not always above reproach in his personal life and also the role that he had in the coup of 1970 which could have sunk Italy in a new bloodbath are big question marks .
Submarine "Scire" with Frogman dock on its deck (note simlitaries to modern day US Navy Seal systems)
--- www.comandosupremo.com ---
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