ITALIAN GUERRILLAS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 23014, 4 October 1944, Page 8

ITALIAN GUERRILLAS

Men Of The North-west Italian “Maquis” and a number of escaped Russians are fighting effectively in the Aosta Alpine district of northwest Italy. With French patriots they are reported to be fighting the Germans on the Little St. Bernard Pass. After the Allied invasion of southern France, the Italians, mainly soldiers recruited from Aosta Province, made use of mule-tracks and footpaths to make contact with the French to seek and offer information and military aid. The French response naturally at first tended to be sceptical, but 'they learned to respect these men from across the Alps, says “The Times” correspondent on tie Franco-Italian frontier. A French mission crossed the Alps, and returned full of praise for the achievements of the Italians, who had very limited means. Italian resistance parties were formed immediately after the Italian armistice. Many of the higher Italian officers, either Fascist or concerned with their own safety, went to Switzerland, but gave their men the choice of joining the Germans or going home—retaining their arms. Many junior officers accepted the latter offer and led the men into the mountains. Last November these groups received some arms from the Allies, but they are still ill-equipped. They were originally organised in political parties— the Communists created the Formazione Garibaldine, and the Socialists the Formazione Matteotti. Both parties were strengthened by Russian prisoners who got away in the armistice confusion. In January they established communications with Allied headquarters and received arms and money from southern Italy. The Germans are taking the most brutal reprisals as they retreat through Aosta. This is one proof that the Germans have been at least annoyed by these guerrillas The French believe that in the next five weeks, in which the Germans must be cleared out of.this area before the winter snows halt activities, these “Maquis” will be useful allies.