Francesco De Martini

Francesco De Martini (Damascus, 9 August 1903 – Grottaferrata, 26 November 1981) was an Italian captain of the Military Information Service (Servizio Informazioni Militari, or SIM) in Eritrea, when the Allies invaded the Italian East Africa during World War II.

Historical background

Many Italians fought a guerrilla war in Italian East Africa after the surrender at Gondar of the last regular Italian forces in November 1941.

They fought in the hope of an Italian victory with the help of Rommel in Egypt and in the Mediterranean, that would originate a possible return of the Axis in Eastern Africa.

Early life

De Martini was born in Damascus,son of Antonio De Martini,an Italian engineer who worked at the construction of the never completed railway line Berlin-Baghdad,and of Sofia Mokadié.[1] He accomplished his studies at the National College in Lebanon.In 1923 he is conscripted by the Italian army and sent to Rome to train in the newborn tank division.In 1927 Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta sent as gift an Italian tank fiat3000 to Ras Tafari.De Martini had the task to deliver and train the Ethiopians in the use of it.On request of the Italian High Command he spent 8 years in Addis Ababa,joining again the Italian army just before the invasion of Ethiopia.[2]

De Martini guerrilla actions

The Italian Military Information Service recruited him in 1940,since he can speak fluently Arabic,Turkish and Amharic.In the first months of 1941 he fought the invasion of the British forces in Assab and Dankalia (southern Eritrea), but did not surrender after the British victory. He decided to hide in the mountains in order to continue the war as a "resistance fighter".

He actively participated in the Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia and Eritrea during 1941 and 1942.

In January 1942 Captain De Martini blew up an important ammunition deposit in Massaua (Eritrea) and later, after being captured by the British, was able to escape to Yemen. From there, he organized a group of Eritrean sailors (with little boats called sambuco) in order to report British naval movements in the Red Sea to Rome by radio.

In August 1942 Captain De Martini returned in a sambuco to the coast of Eritrea, where he engaged in guerrilla sabotage operations with his Eritrean sailors until he was captured.

After the war

De Martini is back in Italy the 19 Genuary 1946,after 4 years in a British POW camp,and join again the SIM, Servizio Informazioni Militare.His first task is to contact the Ethiopian Ambassador in Washington,during a brief visit in Naples,to begin again diplomatic relationships between Italy and Ethiopia.

After the end of World War II, Captain Francesco De Martini received the Gold Medal of Military Valor.[3]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ http://www.lindro.it/francesco-de-martini-un-eroe-da-ricordare/
  2. ↑ http://www.ilcornodafrica.it/st-melevite.pdf
  3. ↑ Explanation (in Italian) of the reasons why was given to Captain De Martini the italian golden medal of honor. Ragioni del conferimento della Medaglia d'Oro al Capitano Francesco De Martini: "Già affermatosi in gesta magnifiche per essenza di valore e temerario ardimento. Braccato dai nemico occupante, venuto a conoscenza dell’esistenza di un deposito di materiali, del valore di miliardi, di grande interesse ai fini operativi dell’avversario, nonostante la stretta vigilanza riusciva ad incendiarlo, per sua iniziativa e da solo, con gravissimo rischio ed estrema abilità, determinandone la totale distruzione. Subito dopo prendeva il mare su mezzo di scarsa efficienza e, lottando contro l’infido equipaggio e la furia degli elementi, raggiungeva la costa araba, da dove riusciva a ristabilire contatti, come da ordine ricevuto, con la Patria lontana. Incaricato di nuova missione, benché fisicamente debilitato e privo di qualsiasi aiuto, animato da ferma volontà e fede inesausta, si avventurava ancora una volta in mare aperto su fragile imbarcazione di fortuna per rientrare in Eritrea. Catturato da unità navali nemiche, che lo ricercavano, destava l’ammirazione dello stesso avversario per il suo eccezionale coraggio e la generosa noncuranza del pericolo. Fulgido esempio, luminosa affermazione e simbolo della eroica resistenza italiana in terra d’Africa. Massaua - Daga, i - 7/8/1941, Mar Rosso 16/7/ - 1/8/1942".

Bibliography

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