At the 07,34 28 November 1942, on the gallows of the Maltese prison of Corradino, died Carmelo Borg Pisani (born in Senglea near Valletta, 10 August 1915) young artist who dreamed of the liberation of his island from the British. Driven by a generous enthusiasm, he left the brush and palette to take up the rifle. Enlisted as a simple soldier in the Italian Army, he was the protagonist of an unfortunate secret mission that ended with the arrest and the trial for high treason. He thus entered the ranks of the Gold Medals at the Military Valor. A controversial figure, the protagonist of a tragic event, was considered in Italy as an irredentist hero and in Malta, though not by all, a traitor. It is the best known case of mission in enemy territory, the story of a man who, recognizing himself in an ideal, faced the supreme sacrifice as Cesare Battisti, Fabio Filzi, Damiano Chiesa and Nazario Sauro.
Born in a famous Maltese Catholic and nationalist family, at 14 he enrolled in OGIE (Italian Youth Organizations Abroad) in Valletta and after four years, while he was also taking advantage of the art high school Umberto I, an efficient cultural center and a flag of fervent Italianness.
After completing his high school studies, to improve his artistic talents he moved to Rome where he attended the Academy of Fine Arts without neglecting political activity: he came into contact with the group of Maltese irredentists and collaborated with prof. Umberto Biscottini and other intellectuals of theHistorical archive of Malta.
But the British did not look favorably on Italian organizations and associations in Malta; since 1931 prohibited the use of Italian in the debates of criminal courts, they eliminated the teaching of Italian in elementary schools. Starting from the limitations on the language, which had been rooted in the use of the Maltese for seven hundred years, in the 1933, they ended up breaking every delay, adopting a series of increasingly restrictive measures also against the Italian associations, which had dared to protest. government of the colony and to suspend the Constitution.
In Malta, the Nationalist Party, which in the June 1932 elections had won a majority of 21 seats on 32, was tenacious assertor of the indispensability of Italian culture, while the Constitutional Party gathered votes and favored the interests of conformists bent to servility towards occupant. Lighthouse of the Maltese irredentists was Carlo Mallia, an illustrious university professor of law, who belonged to the extreme wing of the Nationalist Party, which declared itself irredentist; with him many other Maltese saw in fascism the movement that could liberate Malta. Many Maltese were fascinated by Mussolini and his popularity increased after the conquest of the Empire.
Possessing a whimsical and fresh artistic vocation, he had attended good schools of painting in Malta, but he could refine his preparation by diligently and enthusiastically attending the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, where he entered the studio of Carlo Siviero. The Italian government opened the "Maltese Redemption House" in Rome to host Maltese students.
But he did not neglect political activity; he became president of the "Circle of Friends of the History of Malta" and organized cultural and patriotic events. The "Maltese Action Committee" was also established in Rome under the chairmanship of Carlo Mallia, of the University of Malta, who, persecuted by the British, had been forced to leave the island; Carmelo was admitted to the steering committee.
Carmelo was the creator and organizer of a collective trip to Predappio in November, wearing all the uniform of the GUF.
He was a generous man, even though he had to keep in check; his father, arsenalotto, sent him half his modest earnings, but in Rome they were not enough. Ours deprived himself of some dish, but did not limit his generosity.
When he arrived exiled in Rome, Carlo Mallia was appointed National Councilor of the Chamber of Fasci and Corporations representing the Maltese Archipelago. At the same time he was published in Rome, director still Carlo Mallia, the pugnacious newspaper Malta, which had been suppressed by the British on the island a few days before the conflict; the English had also staged a noisy gazzarra, orchestrated by provocatives of albionic observance, which culminated in the devastation of the newspaper's headquarters and in the arrest of the director Enrico Mizzi. Other pro-Italian Maltese 49s were also arrested, who were then deported to Uganda together with Mizzi, who was also a parliamentarian. Among them the other parliamentary sir Arturo Mercieca, Professor Giulio Cortis, of the University, Monsignor Alberto Pantalleresco, professor of the Lyceum, the director of the Vincenzo Bonello Museum, the professionals Alberto Laferla, Herbert Ganado and Berto Gauci, but we must also remember the young Alberto Baiona. With the outbreak of hostilities, hopes were magnified and irredentism was nourished "All this led to the deportation, in Uganda, of over seven hundred Maltese exponents of the Italo-Maltese culture". We mention some names: Guido Abela, Alfred Bencini, Vincenzo Caruana, John Casabene, Charles Cheteuti, Joseph Cini, Emanuel Cossai, Frank Curmi, Antony Farrugia, Paul Felix, Charles Formosa, Emmanuel Galleri, Henry Gatt, Salvatore Gatt, Daniel German, Joseph Grech Marguerat, Edgar Laferla, Carmelo Lateo, Edgar Lateo, Joseph Laudi, Orazio Laudi, Salvatore Laudi, Georges Leprè, Joe W. Naudi, Charles Saffrette, John Sammut, Joseph Scicluna, Edgar George Soler, Vic Savona, Alexander Stilon de Piro. In Uganda, Maltese 600 were deported, in unhealthy and deleterious hygienic conditions, having to endure the perniciousness of an infernal climate.
The 30 May 1940, just before the entry into the war of Italy, in the lively and effervescent atmosphere on the eve, Carmelo Borg Pisani had sent a passionate letter to Mussolini, putting himself under his command: "for the crowning of my great ideal, which is to see Malta surrendered to Italy "the result of her idea that the British were destroying theItalian soul of Malta and that it was necessary to drive away the British for the return of the island to its origins.
The 7 June 1940 was enrolled in the Fascist University Group (GUF), and as if this were not enough, to the National Fascist Party becoming Black shirt. Italy's intervention in the war found it decidedly deployed: "Malta is not English for usurpation and I am not a British subject because of this usurpation. My true homeland is Italy. It is therefore for her that I must fight".
The announcement of Mussolini on the radio of the declaration of war in France and England gave rise to an irrepressible pro-Italian demonstration in Valletta. The same evening began the first arrests; starting with Enrico Mizzi and Arturo Mercieca.
Through the American embassy, which took care of English interests in Italy, Carmelo renounced his English citizenship with an absolutely explicit, though not entirely formal, letter:
"... I must declare to you that I, precisely because I am unrecognized Italian, no longer have anything to do with the fate of the British Empire that you have had the task of protecting.
[...] I beg you to note once and for all, that I, like many other Maltese living in the Kingdom, have the only desire to be left undisturbed in my activity committed to the sacrosanct Italian war, which I consider a shame of the past to have been subjected I do not want to be protected by the United States of America".
Therefore "the British, considering him a foreigner, had legally exonerated him from military service". Il Foreign Office, English Foreign Ministry, sending copies of documents to the Lieutenant Governor of Malta, so he expressed himself verbally, recognizing that Borg Pisani was no longer an English citizen "about the English passport of Mr. Carmelo Borg, formerly Maltese citizen".
Three days after the opening of the hostilities he went to volunteer, but he was rejected at the medical examination for his very strong myopia. Carmelo, very bitter, but did not give up. He insisted, knocked on many doors, asked powerful recommendations to be accepted into any fighting body.
Meanwhile in Malta other students, considering the imminent conquest of the island by Italy - according to a logical deduction, supported, among other strategists, also by Marshal Cavallero1, but that unfortunately did not find confirmation in reality, for many considerations, not excluding the opposition and obstructionism of military leaders - had thought to organize the first reception of Italian paratroopers, who, if they were launched on the island could, as often happens, landing in places scattered here and there, and then be easy prey of the English before having reunited in organic units. So they had organized a network of friendly houses where Italians could have been secretly received at first, if it were necessary to hide.
Not content with this, as G. Olivier de la Scerri testifies: "After another month without anything happening, I thought to write a flyer titled At Frenchman's Advise (Council of a French). In which an imaginary Frenchman, given the recent experience that showed how the British easily abandoned their allies, explained to the Maltese how the British, once they left, would not fail to bomb Malta [......] the idea it was to invite the Maltese not to cooperate with the British ".
Another young conspirator, Dino Borg wanted to retouch the text of the flyer that was entrusted to Enrico Briffa to have it printed clandestinely by another dorm remained unknown. As soon as it was ready it was posted in strategic places, it was also distributed, not only by post, but also by hand. It so happened that the student Antonio Xerri - part of a small-party nationalist group, connected with the illegal fascists - put an envelope containing the flyer in the mail box of a colleague whom he considered sympathizing, writing the address by hand. This man, however, decided to hand over the flyer to the police and pushed his delusion to recognize the calligraphy on the envelope in that of a notebook of his classmate, Antonio Xerri, who was immediately arrested. After a few days, the other four of the small-party-socialist group were also discovered, including their leader Karl Schranz. The English, meanwhile, had done, and continued to do, intensifying, searches in the homes of high school students Umberto I who had come to light as fascists. At the home of Enrico Briffa were found many flyers and other compromising material; Dino Borg and G. Olivier de la Scerri were also arrested, then sentenced to four years of forced labor, and thrown into the so-called "di Corradino" prison in Casal Paola (south of Valletta). Later they were all deported to Uganda.
It should be noted that the failed occupation of the Maltese Archipelago was a serious mistake, repeated over time. Finally "Mussolini was dissuaded by General Rommel, emboldened by his advance in Egypt and for this strong near Hitler". Another mistake was to bombard the archipelago immediately and fiercely, since the Maltese, who were mostly in favor of fascist Italy, instead, disappointed, became hostile. In this contradictory picture the story of Maltese clandestine fascism should be read.
Carmelo Borg Pisani, meanwhile, continued his requests for recommendations to Rome to get enlisted, as did other fervent young Maltese fascists.
Finally, the 16 April 1941, for the authoritative intervention of the Directorate General of Italians Abroad, urged by Umberto Biscottini, secretary of the Fascio di Malta, official of the Foreign Ministry, friend and admirer of Carmelo, managed to be enrolled in the MVSN (Volunteer Militia National Security). He was sent to Brindisi under the 112 ° legion CC NN (Black Shirts) ready to embark. On the first of May he participated in the occupation of Kefalonia with his department. From there he wrote a simple postcard to the comrades who remained in Rome, whose synthetic text, which has come down to us, still makes us clearly understand the enthusiasm that animated this patriot: "From the conquered land, fascistically I greet you"He also sent postcards of the same tenor to many other comrades in Italy."He wrote to everyone, even to the most distant acquaintances, and everyone could say a word of incitement".
At the end of the campaign in Greece, although suffering from an infirmity contracted in the area of operations, he renounced the intervention that would have healed him and, "without losing time", ran to attend a course of the MilMart Official Students School ( Maritime Artillery Militia for the defense of the coasts and the skies) in Messina. It became underarm2. Other unrecognized Maltese students attended the same School of Unbelievable Students: it is worth mentioning: Carmelo Borg Pisani, Antonio Cortis, Paolo Frendo, Ivo Leone Ganado, Roberto Mallia, son of the national councilor, Manoel Mizzi, Antonio Vassallo, Joe d'Ancona and Carlo Liberto . Everyone assumed cover names.
Meanwhile, the landing in Malta was being intensively prepared, "Operation C 3"3. Carmelo Borg Pisani felt the need to participate in the front line, he wanted to contribute to the preparation of that operation that deeply gripped him. He offered to return illegally to the island to give a valuable contribution to information, but also to resume contacts with the islanders who had attended Italian culture courses and with people whose fascist feelings had not been affected by the vicissitudes of war.
Gaius Borghi, this his cover name, was well aware of the risk to which he would be exposed and then wanted to write his spiritual testament: a very pure act of passionate love for his Malta and for his Italy, which thus concluded:
To the volunteer comrades who are of today's and tomorrow's Malta the highest Italian expression, my affectionate thought and my most fervent wish.
To the Italian comrades who have assisted me and particularly to the prof. Biscottini that has always confirmed to me with his faith in the feelings that the parents had instilled me and the prof. Siviero [...] my grateful and affectionate thought
To the King and to the Duce my last thought, the one that goes beyond Victory for the greatness of the immortal Homeland.
Viva Malta Italian Your
Carmelo
He became an agent of the SIS (Information and Security Service of the Royal Navy). He then prepared for the clandestine mission with his usual diligent and diligent commitment: training and study that lasted for months at the secret training base of the sailors of the assault vehicles of the Tenth Flotilla Mas at the mouth of the river Serchio. A long training in which, among other things, he acquired technical data to transmit and receive radio-telegram messages, for luminous signals, for the use of ciphers, for clandestine organization, for the recognition of enemy vehicles, etc.
The complex of severest exercises, called 110 ° and 111 ° operation, to which the selected volunteers were subjected to disembark in Malta as informants, was directed by the frigate captain Max Ponzo del Sis.
Other 34 Maltese irredentists (12 officers, 3 non-commissioned officers and 19 soldiers) at the same time frequented the Military Center "G" of Soriano del Cimino (Viterbo) to become landing guides, instructor Captain Cardenio Botti, expelled from Malta along with many other fascists, in the 1933. The Center was headed by Colonel of the General Staff Edmondo De Renzi, with whom Captain Lamberto Negri collaborated, but then, after the war ended, in the atmosphere of anti-fascist Manicosian revanchism, he ignominiously attempted to "punish" 32 of the Maltese irredentist Xredimists having already at the time of the so-called "armistice" of the 34 contacted the British Embassy in Madrid. Other documents on the Maltese compromises against England in Italy were provided by the Americans who had "bought" them from unworthy Italians.
Click here for the second part
(Article published in the July issue of 2010 of Maritime magazine)
Note:
1 - But Supermarina and Admiral De Courten disagreed, and this attitude can not be explained by strategic considerations, as it is clear that the occupation of Malta, placed on the route of the convoys that went to Libya, was preparatory action every our military operation in Africa. General Emilio Canevari, in his, Background of the defeat, on page 850 e ss., shows that in the 1941 Malta, reduced to the end, was about to capitulate. A symptomatic fact, now famous because repeated by many, was that the island had at the beginning only three outdated biplane fighters Gloster Gladiator, with classic humor English sarcastically nicknamed: Faith, Hope and Charity (Faith, Hope and Charity). Stefano Fabei wrote on page 68 of the quoted volume: "The Chief of General Staff, Marshal Pietro Badoglio, for years responsible for the modernization and preparation of the Italian armed forces, instead of sending a body of shipping to" free Malta from the yoke of perfidious Albion "- as propaganda recited - ordered violent bombardments whose only effect was to make Italy hostile to those who had waited for it to be" redeemed ". They were 3.346 air raids.
Admiral Andrew Brown Cunningham said that Malta was "the key to victory". And one can not think that De Courten and Badoglio were so blindly strategically not to see him. It must be inferred that since then they were in bad faith. The secret directives of Freemasonry must have had a fundamental weight far more weighty than generally thought.
2 - Degree of MVSN equivalent to a second lieutenant.
3 - The landing was postponed because Hitler did not want to participate, instead wanting to give priority to other military operations, considered more pressing, following the impetuous, but too simplistic forecasts of Rommel. Marshal Kesselring, however, sided with the immediate occupation of Malta.
The landing party in Malta foresaw special landing troops: "San Marco" regiment, CC NN battalions from landing, daring, etc. with 270 landing craft and fifty other boats, escorted by thirty torpedoes, while the rest of the Italian fleet would be ready to intervene from the ports of Messina, Reggio, Augusta, Naples and Cagliari. The use of 9 German and Italian 51 battalions was planned: 35 Army, 10 MVSN, (Militia), 4 Navy, 2 Aeronautica, 62 thousand men, 1.600 vehicles and 700 guns, transported on 33 large ships with adequate stocks, and hundreds of German gliders, with the support of 1.500 aircraft, including German 600.
