Italian fighters on Kos

[Brian]

Hi guys

When the RAF/SAAF Spitfires arrived on the island of Kos in mid September 1943, the airfield at Antimachia was occupied by a mixed force of fighters of 396^Squadriglia commanded by Sottoten Giuseppe Morganti. Had the unit changed sides?

What were these aircraft? Did any participate in the subsequent fighting? Presumably all were destroyed on the ground?

Cheers
Brian

[Leendert]

Brian,

An Italian wikimedia site says (at least, I think) that the squadriglia had 2 x C.202, 1 x G.50 and 1 x CR42 at its disposal at the time of the armistice.

The Italians had sided with the Allies and many of them (together with British troops) were taken prisoner in early October 1943 after the Germans had recaptured the island in Operation Eisbär.

Regards,

Leendert

[Brian]

Thanks for that, Leendert

I doubt if the fighters took to the air - apparently most if not all the pilots and groundstaff joined forces with the Germans, at least one - Loris Baldi retraining on the Bf109G and became an ace. Not sure what happened to Morganti.

Cheers
Brian

[Leendert]

Brian,

It appears that Morganti shot down a He-111 on 10 Sep 43 and the Germans retaliated by destroying two Italian a/c the next day and rendering a third useless. In the next days the Germans intensified their bombings.

Regards,

Leendert

[Brian]

Thanks again, Leendert

I wonder if Morganti was one of those Italian officers executed by the Germans following the capture of Kos?

Hopefully one of our Italian friends might be able to advise us.

Cheers
Brian

[Ludovico Slongo]

Dear Brian,
Giuseppe Morganti survived the war. He escaped to Turkey with another pilot, ten. Carlo Berti and was interned there. They came back to Italy and were assigned to 9° Gruppo, 4° Stormo, co-belligerant AF, on July the 1st 1944.
Morganti, that was a non commissioned officer and had already ended his service period in the air force, requested to be placed on leave on September the 9th 1944. All these infos came from the book of Antonio Duma on 4° Stormo.
Additionally he is not comprised in any casualty list of the Italian armed forces during WWII.
ciao
Ludovico

[Brian]

Thanks once again, Ludovico

Most helpful. Do you know if Morganti flew during the assault on Kos? Or any of the others?

Cheers
Brian

[Ludovico Slongo]

Dear Brian,
I've had a more careful look into my books but I've found only confirmation of what stated by Leendert and no new pieces of information on combat claims.
To summarize:
154° Gruppo formed the fighter force of Italian aviation in the Aegean island on September the 8th 1943. It had eight C.202 (six combat ready), thirteen Fiat G50bis (five combat ready), and nineteen CR 42 (eleven combat ready) on strenght, plus five additional CR 42 (three combat ready) for nightfighter duties.The bulk of the Gruppo was based in Rhodes Maritza, the nightfighter section in Rhodes Gadurrà and finally a section of three CR 42s, two G50bis and two C202s was based in Kos. Apparently Morganti was the OC of the section of Kos.
After the armistice most of 154° Gruppo sided with the Germans, later escorting the Luftwaffe aircraft attacking Leros. The section of Kos instead, sided with the Allies, and on September the 10th, Morganti attacked a formation of (reportedly) JU 88s claiming one shot down. The day after a reprisal bombing attack on Antimachia destroyed on ground two CR 42s and damaged a G50. A pilot of the section then escaped to Rhodes in another CR 42 not willing to fight against the Germans. The RAF planes arrived -apparently- on September the 12th and the surviving Italian fighters (the C202s and one G50) start to collaborate with them. It is not stated if they claimed more victories but it is possible that at least two of the planes finally escaped to Turkey.
Most of these pieces of information come from the book on 154° Gruppo written in 2008 by my friend Eugenio Eusebi and Pietro Mazzardi.
Ciao
Ludovico

[Brian]

Many thanks again, Ludovico

Excellent!

Cheers
Brian