One for our Italian experts!

[Gianandrea Bussi]

Sorry, I don't drink any wine....

Gianandrea

[Brian]

Stig & Gianandrea

No offence Gianandrea but I will forsake the sun if I have to bring my own bottle, and will share Stig's wine (home brew?) in his cave. Hey, Stig, any Troll women round your way?

Gianandrea (and perhaps Ludovico) have you any additional details about the four SM79s that FTR on 5 April 1943? Crew identities? Fates? Aircraft serials? I am hoping to find more from 253 Squadron's ORB about this action (assuming it's pilots were responsible for the demise of the SM79s), and plan to include this in a future project.

Cheers
Brian

[Gianandrea Bussi]

Sorry, I've not got any addictional detail.
I could eventually search for them when I'll go to the It.AF Historical Office.

Gianandrea

[Brian]

Hi Stig and Gianandrea

Although I can now confirm that 253 Squadron did combat the SM79s of 204^Squadriglia on 5 April 1943 (confirmed by P/O Kelly's grandson, who has his grandfather's logbook), there are no entries in 253 Squadron's ORB for April 1943! The whole month is missing! However, it would appear that five Hurricane pilots were involved but I don't know yet how the claims were divided. Watch this space!

Cheers
Brian

PS: Gianandrea: yes, when you next visit the records office I would appreciate additional details on the losses. Many thanks.

[Brian]

Re the above posting, a slight slip on my part. It is P/O Kelly's great nephew who has the logbook! Apologies to those concerned.

Cheers
Brian

[Gianandrea Bussi]

Here are the details I've been able to find.

The aircraft, from 205a Sq. of 41° Gruppo AS, took off at 18.05 local from Milis (Sardinia) lead by Cap. Ernesto Brambilla. Their mission: offensive recce with torpedo in the area of Capo Corbellin (lat. 37° 10', long. 3° 7').
All went missing: 5 officers, 5 NCO plus an unaccounted number of privates and corporals (likely, about 10).

Regards

Gianandrea

[Gianandrea Bussi]

Hi Brian,
I've found the names of the crewmembers of Cap. Brambilla'S.79:

S.Ten. pil. Di Pasquale Alfonso
Serg. marc. Pavese Mario
1° Av. arm. Lucci Elio
Av. Sc. mot. Paulitti Luigi


Best regards

Gianandrea

[Lippert]

I know it's been quite some time since this thread has been active, but I joined the forum because of this thread alone.

I am currently in the military along with an Italian officer who is Cap Ernesto Brambilla's sole direct descendent. I am trying to do research to create a shadow box for him. So far, most of what's in this thread was unknown to my friend, as he grew up knowing very little about his grand father.

I am writing mainly to determine if any more information is available about Ernesto, specfically his service record and/or his citation for his Medaglia d'Argento al Valore Militare.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.