Information kindly provided by Giovanni Massimello.

When the Italian bombers approached the English coast they were spotted by British radar and Hurricanes from 17 and 257 Squadrons were scrambled shortly after 13.30, whilst Hurricanes from 46 Squadron, already airborne patrolling a convoy off Foulness, were also vectored to intercept Bandits over the Thames Estuary by Fighter Control. The latter formation was slightly delayed while the investigated a formation which proved to be friendly and were forced to made a wide circle before attacking. Elements 249 Squadron were also on a convoy patrol patrolling the same convoy off Foulness.

Flight Lieutenant H. Peter Blatchford (in Hurricane V6962), leading 257 Squadron, sighted nine bombers flying in a tight 'vic' formation some 10 miles east of Harwich. These were heading west-north-west at 12,000 feet, and Blatchford climbed the squadron to 15,000 feet before leading them down in a beam attack on the starboard side BR.20 formation. 46 Squadron, meanwhile, was fast approaching from the port side and attacked almost simultaneously. As they did so they were attacked from above and behind by between 20 and 30 CR.42s.

Peter Blatchford first attacked the rear BR.20 to the starboard side, seeing no effect from his fire and passing across to the port side, where he delivered two rear-quarter attacks on the rear left bomber. This aircraft looped violently and dived vertically towards the sea, disintegrating before hitting the water. His second opponent was also probably attacked by Pilot Officer K. Pniak (in Hurricane V7292) of 257 Squadron, who attacked one bomber that began to smoke and burn and then turned onto its back before it dived into the sea 10 miles east of Harwich after one man had baled out. He then attacked another, which glided in towards the coast, trailing smoke.

Meanwhile Pilot Officer Kay of 257 Squadron attacked the extreme right-hand aircraft, which had broken away upwards, trailing smoke. This was given a burst by Pilot Officer S. E. Andrews of 257 Squadron and dived into the sea. Kay then attacked another with Pniak. It broke formation and headed for the coast. Flight Lieutenant L. M. Gaunce (in Hurricane V6928) of 46 Squadron had also attacked the first bomber, noting that it was then attacked by two more Hurricanes (Kay and Andrews), and indeed was also probably engaged by Pilot Officers G. North and P. A. Mortimer of 257 Squadron and by Sergeant R. J. Parrott of 46 Squadron.

North, after making an unsuccessful beam attack on one aircraft, made a stern pass on another, which fell away, diving towards the coast. He chased it, expended all his ammunition, saw four bombs fall away and the undercarriage drop. Mortimer, who had previously made a head-on attack, hitting one aircraft before engaging North's opponent, then attacked this bomber. The bomber then caught fire and dived into the sea. One man baled out but pulled his parachute release too early and his canopy caught on the tail unit.

Sergeant Parrott saw a BR.20 heading for the coast pursued by a Hurricane that was obviously out of ammunition (North). He made two firing passes under fire from the rear gunner and on the second attack the bomber's engines burst into flames and it dived into the sea.

Meanwhile, the aircraft previously attacked by both Pniak and North came under attack from three 46 Squadron pilots; Pilot Officer G. Leggett had already attacked one BR.20, from which one of the crew had baled out before it crashed into the sea, and now he joined forces with Pilot Officer Hedley and Sergeant N. Walker to chase another in over the English coast heading towards Ipswich. After several attacks the BR.20 circled, losing height, and finally crashed into a wood some 10 miles east of the town.

The last claims against the Italian bombers came from Sergeant S. E. Lucas of 257 Squadron who reported that he had disabled one bomber by putting one engine out of action. Pilot Officer B. Davey of 257 Squadron attacked the bomber on the extreme right, attacking from underneath and using up all his ammunition. He saw black smoke belch from both engines. This bomber was then attacked by a Hurricane from 46 Squadron.

Spitfires of 41 Squadron had also been scrambled, but although they arrived too late to take part in the main battle, they were the first to sight the CR.42s. The Spitfire (Spitfire Mk.II P7322) flown by Flying Officer E. P. Wells was attacked, but he evaded and claimed one CR.42 damaged east of Ofordness before the biplane fighters disappeared. This event apparently delayed the Italians from interfering with the initial attack by 257 and 46 Squadrons. While the Hurricanes were ripping into the BR.20s, the Italian fighter pilots had appeared above. Peter Blatchford was turning to attack the bombers again, but saw many fighters. He engaged one, opened fire and it "waffled extensively", but he was unable to conclude this combat as he was then caught up in a dogfight with others. He found that he could turn with the agile biplane, but quickly ran out of ammunition and rammed the Italian fighter, striking the upper mainplane with his propeller. The CR.42 at once fell away. Blatchford headed for base, but saw a Hurricane coming under attack from three CR.42s in line astern. He made a dummy head-on attack on each, causing them to break away and head east. On his return, Blatchford found that nine inches had been lost from two propeller blades and that they were also splashed with blood.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Lucas of 257 Squadron, breaking away from his attack on the bombers, saw enemy fighters below and behind. He turned and took one in a head-on attack, seeing it go down in a spin. He was then attacked by four more and quickly climbed into cloud, but saw his opponent crash into the sea. In fact it is likely that the aircraft he saw was not his opponent, but that of Flight Lieutenant Gaunce of 46 Squadron, who had seen a CR42 appear beside him whilst the rest of the 46 Squadron Hurricane pilots were still shooting at the bombers. He turned and opened fire at close range. The CR.42 dived and Gaunce followed spinning and manoeuvring violently with his throttle closed in order to stay above. He then lost sight of his adversary and pulled up, engaging two more and firing a deflection burst at one of them. He then saw another pair, one of which he chased with closed throttle, opening fire at 150 yards. The CR.42 took no evasive action, but continued straight on, losing height. He lost sight of it, but then approached another CR.42 from the side. After a full deflection burst from 80 yards, it burst into flames and dived into the sea 15 miles east of Ofordness.

Pilot Officer Karel Mrazek, a pre-war Czech Air Force pilot, of 46 Squadron was flying with the intercepting force when he experienced partial engine failure in his Hurricane (V7610) and fell behind the formation. He then sighted a number of twin-engined bombers flying in five sections of three, and identified them as Fiat BR.20s.

He wrote:

'the Italians veered eastwards towards Southend then making off on a slanting dive for Margate, the Straits and Calais. As they turned away I saw three BR.20s go down in flames followed by their crews in parachutes. At that moment I saw about thirty to forty unknown biplanes which I realised was a gaggle of CR.42s, supposedly protecting the bombers - as they (the CR.42s) crossed my path without seeing me, I gave the second a short burst at full deflection - it went down like a fireball. The other turned to fight - due to its great manoeuvrability it kept getting on my tail, but after a series of successive bursts I saw it begin to smoke and flame.'

The first CR.42 fell into the sea 4 miles from Ofordness and the second 3 miles from Ofordness. After the first claim he also noticed another CR.42 crash into the sea nearby, apparently the one attacked by Gaunce. After the combat he had to put the Hurricane's nose down and re-cross the coast to land at Rochester with empty tanks and ten bullet holes in his wings and fuselage. He claimed one destroyed and one damaged.

Mrazek served as Pilot Officer with 43 and 46 Squadrons during the Battle of Britain. Later in the war he was promoted to Squadron Leader and took command over 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron. Later still he served as Wing Commander of the whole Czechoslovak Wing. Mrazek was awarded with both the DFC and the DSO during the war. He returned to Czechoslovakia after the war as a Group Commander and lived in the town of Jablonec. Mrazek passed away on 5 December 1998.

Pilot Officer Karel Mrazek who during patrol with 46 Squadron claimed two shot down Italian CR.42s on 11 November 1940.

Flight Lieutenant M. Burnett of 46 Squadron had not engaged the bombers, but had climbed above as 257 Squadron attacked. Then a large formation of CR.42s appeared from cloud to the south. He took one of the leading pair, opened fire, and as he closed turned his guns on the other, firing until his ammunition was gone. He saw strikes on the fuselage of his second opponent, which broke left in a step turn, leaving the others in a gentle dive.

Pilot Officer Hedley of 46 Squadron saw a CR.42 about to dive or spin and opened fire, but as it went down another Hurricane hurtled down and destroyed it.

Finally, Sergeant L. D. Barnes of 257 Squadron, who sighted approximately ten groups of CR.42s in sections of four, attacked one group, using up his ammunition. His opponent at once dived past the vertical, but the other three out-turned the Hurricane, which took one bullet through the wing before he shook them off and returned to base.

This was not the end of the story, for 249 Squadron also had Hurricanes airborne on convoy patrol duties. Wing Commander F. V. Beamish sighted one of the returning CR.42s and claimed a 'probable' 20-30 miles east of Southwold, while Flight Lieutenant Robert A. Barton attacked an aircraft identified as a Junkers Ju 86P, which he claimed "went into the sea like a torch". This could have been one of the BR.20s - although Luftwaffe lost several other aircraft this day. It is more probable that this was Focke-Wulf Fw58 (3551 'OJ + AK') of Stab III/JG51, flown by Unteroffizier Karl Nispel + 1 crew. This had been sent out to seek three shot-down fighter pilots from the morning's operations over the Thames Estuary and did not return.

RAF made following claims after this combat:

RAF No 257 (Burma) Squadron

257 Squadron

• Flight Lieutenant H. Peter Blatchford - 1 BR.20 destroyed (his first claim), 1/4 BR.20 shared destroyed and two CR.42s damaged
• Pilot Officer North - Two ½ shared BR.20s destroyed
• Pilot Officer Davey - ½ BR.20 destroyed
• Pilot Officer Mortimer - ½ BR.20 destroyed
• Pilot Officer Karol Pniak - 1 BR.20 destroyed (his seventh and last claim) and ½ BR.20 shared destroyed
• Pilot Officer Andrews - ½ BR.20 destroyed
• Pilot Officer Kay - Two ½ shared BR.20 destroyed
• Sergeant Lucas - 1 BR.20 damaged and 1 CR.42 destroyed
• Sergeant Barnes - 1 CR.42 probably destroyed

RAF No 46 (Uganda) Squadron

46 Squadron

• Flight Lieutenant Lionel Manley Gaunce - ½ BR.20 destroyed, 1 CR.42 destroyed (his fifth claim) and 1 CR.42 probably destroyed
• Pilot Officer Leggett - 1/3 BR.20 destroyed
• Pilot Officer Karel Mrazek - 2 CR.42 destroyed
• Sergeant Parrott - 1 BR.20 destroyed
• Pilot Officer Hedley - 1/3 BR.20 destroyed
• Sergeant Norman McDonald Walker - 1/3 BR.20 destroyed
• Flight Lieutenant Norman Whitmore Burnett - 1 CR.42 probably destroyed
• (Revenge met both Walker and Burnett when they later were killed by the Regia Aeronautica over Malta. Burnett was shot down by MC.200s from 7° Gruppo on 11 June 1941, probably by Tenente Cibin or Sergente Domenico Facchini. Walker was shot down the day after, on 12 June, by a CR.42 of 74a Squadriglia flown by Maresciallo Germano Gasperoni)

RAF No 249 (Gold Coast) Squadron

249 Squadron Wing Commander F. Victor Beamish - 1 CR.42 probably destroyed

RAF No. 41sqn Observer Corps

41 Squadron Flying Officer Edward Preston Wells - 1 CR.42 damaged

Total:

• 9 BR.20 destroyed, 1 BR.20 damaged
• 5 CR.42 destroyed, 4 CR.42s probably destroyed, 3 CR.42 damaged

In return, the Italian fighters claimed nine enemy fighters. One Hurricane was credited to Giuseppe Ruzzin, who fired on a climbing Hurricane. He reported that it was his and fell away with along trail of smoke and was credited with a victory. Defending gunners in the bombers also claimed one additional Hurricane.

As usual, with this kind of large air combats, these claims are exaggerated for CAI lost three fighters and three bombers while RAF didn't suffer any losses and only 2 Hurricanes were slightly damaged.

During combat over the Suffolk coast, the 99° Gruppo lost three BR.20Ms. The two aircraft flown by Sottotenente Enzio Squazzini (242-3/MM22267) and Sottotenente Ernesto Bianchi (243-10/MM22620) ditched in the North Sea; two men were seen to bale out from one of the bombers. The third (243-2/MM22621) flown by Sottotenente Pietro Appiani was pursued by the 46 Squadron trio (Leggett, Hedley and Walker - Pniak was also probably part of this claim) and crashed in Tangham Forest, Bromswell, near Woodbridge. The radio-operator 1o Avieri Armando Paolini had been killed in the air and the co-pilot Sergente Pilota Giuliano Rigolone and the flight engineer 1o Avieri Motorista Emmanuelle De Gasperi were wounded (Rigolone later died of his wounds). The pilot Sottotenente Appiani, Degasperi and the unit's photographer Avieri Sc. Mario Pensa were taken prisoner. The sixth in the aircrew, 1o Avieri Elvino Cerrosi (front air gunner and bombardier), survived the crash without any wounds and became a POW. MM22621 was later removed to the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough for evaluation. 257 Squadron personnel visited the wreckage first however and 'liberated' two crests, a bayonet sheath and a steel helmet to serve as squadron trophies. The Aldeburgh lifeboat was sent out after the crews from MM22267 and MM22620 but only found an Italian parachute. A German He59 also looked for survivors but it was shot down 20m off the Naze. No survivors were found.

Tenente Pier Antonio Poggi, who was lost on 11 November. He was probably co-pilot in Sottotenente Enzio Squazzini's 242-3/MM22267. Image kindly provided by Antonio Poggi.

Tenente Pier Antonio Poggi at Brugelette prior the 11 November mission. Image kindly provided by Antonio Poggi.

Fiat BR.20M 242-3/MM22267 lost on 11 November 1940. Image kindly provided by Antonio Poggi.

In the course of aerial combat 18° Gruppo C.T. lost three CR.42s. 46 and 257 Squadrons shot down two. Sergente Enzo Panicchi of 83a Squadriglia was killed when MM6978 was shot down into the sea apparently by Gaunce. Sergente Antonio Lazzari of the 85a Squadriglia crashed with MM6976 ('16') near Corton Railway Station and was taken prisoner.

Fiat CR-42 (18./JG56) 18G56S85aSA and 95aSA en route to Belgium 1940

Fiat CR.42 MM6976 flown by Sergente Antonio Lazzari and shot down 11 November 1940 near Corton Railway Station.

The third, MM5701/95-13 flown by Sergente Pietro Salvadori of 95a Squadriglia force-landed due to engine problems on a beach near the Orfordness lighthouse and he was also taken prisoner. This last aircraft was made serviceable by the RAF and flown on evaluation trails as BT474 and is now on exhibition in the Battle of Britain Museum, Hendon.

The British interrogation of Salvadori revealed a lot of details. He told that even before the combat started his aircraft had got a broken oil duct, which meant that the aircraft couldn't stay in formation. The engine started to overheat and he was forced to make an emergency landing on the beach. This landing was successful and the aircraft didn't sustain any large damage. Shortly after the landing a Hurricane flew over him and he waved at it, at which the Hurricane responded by waggling his wings. The British interrogation also revealed that Salvadori had a very weak moral and didn't want to fight any more. He was really happy to have left the war and was very dissatisfied with the Italian officers. He also didn't like the Belgian weather and appreciated neither the Germans, nor their food.

Fiat BR.20 Cicogna 243a Squadriglia 243-2 MM22621 crash site Woodbridge 1940

Evidence from bomber wreckage revealed an extraordinarily large crew of six, all wearing tin hats and armed with rifles and bayonets. Also had some nice wiine and cheese too from the photo :-)

A further reference to this day's operations is in a letter from the Chief Constable of Suffolk dated June 16, 1971:

"At 1345 hours on November 11, 1940 two formations of Italian bombers escorted by fighters were intercepted by the RAF off the Suffolk coast. Approximately eight German and seven Italian aircraft were brought down in the sea, and three aircraft made forced landings in Suffolk, including a Fiat CR.42 biplane - the pilot was arrested and taken to force headquarters at Ipswich.

There was an officer Tenente P. Appian in a very smart uniform and a number of men whose dress varied. The officer, who spoke English, had flown a bomber at 14,000 ft he said that the effect of the lack of oxygen had made them partly lose their senses. The men were apprehensive of the treatment they were to get. They were told (before flying) that their biplanes could manoeuvre while the Hurricanes could not."

Apart from loses already mentioned other aircraft, both fighter and bomber, were damaged in combat. Four BR.20s force-landed either on the Dunes at Dunquerque or at Antwerp-Deurne airfield. One of the aircraft, which landed at Bray-Dunes, was 243-6/MM22628 flown by Tenente Luigi Gnechi with a dead radio-operator aboard. The other three damaged BR.20Ms were 242-4/MM22626, 243-4/MM21914 and 243-9/MM21879.

Fiat CR-42 18 Gruppo 95a SA 95-14 MM5703 crash landed Belgian Nov 1940

Nineteen CR.42s landed away from base as a result of either combat damage or shortage of fuel. Of these were eight damaged and MM5676 (Sergente Mario Sandini) and MM5662 (Tenente P. Tacchini) of 83a Squadriglia were destroyed; Sandini's aircraft crashing in a public square in Amsterdam. One of the aircraft that was damaged was flown by the ace-to-be Sottotenente Franco Bordoni-Bisleri when he landed short on fuel. MM5703 (95-14) overturned on landing but the pilot Tenente Ramolo Artina was unharmed. Sottotenente Peppo Re also overturned with his 85-4 when he force-landed near Dunderlewe. Another CR.42 damaged or destroyed was flown by Sottotenente Brunolena.

As of the attack and fighters, Churchill wrote:

"They might have found better employment defending their fleet at Taranto."

After this combat the Italian fighter pilots felt that the reducing of the two 12.7mm guns to one 12.7mm and one 7.7mm in order to save weight and increase manoeuvrability had not helped. During the same day 24 G.50bis of 20° Gruppo escorted 5 Cant Z1007bis of 179a Squadriglia to Great Yarmouth in a feint but they didn't meet any opposition. During all their missions the G.50bis was hampered by low range capability and lack of radios. Several of 20° Gruppo pilots also suffered from severe frostbite due to the lack of cockpit heating.

Picture of a captured Italian pilot

Picture of a captured Italian pilot. The caption to this photo is:

News Chronicle 12th. November 1940
ITALIAN AIRMEN CAPTURED IN BRITAIN.

Italian airmen who were brought down by the R.A.F. in a battle over Britain were brought to London on their way to a prison camp. These exclusive N.C. pictures were taken in the train. Each man travelled with guard in a separate compartment. They are shown eating sandwiches and smoking. One man, surlier than the rest, scowled at the photographer and turned away as he took his picture. But the pilot [censored], smiled as he was photographed.

Image kindly provided by Edward McManus

After the ambitious effort of the 11th, the next sortie was on the night of 17/18 November and was a small-scale night raid on Harwich by six BR.20s of 43° Stormo without losses.

On 18 November two CR.42s (Tenente Specker and Maresciallo Giuseppe Ruzzin) were detached to Vlissingen on night fighter and reconnaissance duties.

At 10:10 on 20 November a lone BR.20M of the 13° Stormo set out to attack Norwich, but aborted due to the bad weather.

Next attack came as twelve BR.20s of 13° Stormo took off between 23:30 and 00:45 on the night of 20/21 November. Seven 250kg and seventy 100kg HE bombs being dropped.

One aircraft was lost when 5a Squadriglia BR.20M MM22257 failed to return, the crew last being heard radioing that they were attacked by a night fighter. The bodies of Tenente Sergio Paoli and Sergente Maggiore Gino Rildani were later washed ashore at Wassenaar, without 'chutes but with lifejackets. The remainder of the crew, Sottotenente Umberto Fonda, 1o Avieri Motorista Erasmo Lesignoli, 1o Avieri Marconista Amelio Brunetti and 1o Avieri Armiere Raffaele Giampieretti were reported missing.

This loss can't be verified any corresponding RAF claims.

Fiat CR.42 of Corpo Aero Italiano based in Belgium. Right image © Archive D'Amico-Valentini.

On the 23 November a fighter sweep was flown by 29 CR.42s of the 18° Gruppo led by Maggiore Ferruccio Vosilla with Sottotenente Franco Bordoni-Bisleri as his wingman. The course was Dunquerque - Margate - Eastchurch - Folkestone - Calais while 24 G.50s of the 20° Gruppo covered them, operating a little further inland. At 11:40, 12 Spitfires Mk.IIs (P7550, P7597, P7311, P7496, P7529, P7388, P7289, P7543, P7389, P7449, P7528, and P7324) from 603 Squadron were scrambled from Hornchurch and headed south. Off Folkestone 603 Squadron spotted the Italian CR.42s travelling west and the Spitfires hit them from astern. The CR.42s were badly bounced and two of them were lost when MM5694 of the 83a Squadriglia flown by Tenente Guido Mazza and MM5665 of the 95a Squadriglia flown by Sergente Maggiore Giacomo Grillo were shot down into the sea and reported missing. On return to base Sergente Maggiore F. Campanile and Sergente P. Melano of the 83a Squadriglia had to force-land and both pilots were slightly injured. Later it was found out that Campanile had, due to the lack of armour plating, been saved by his parachute pack, which had stopped several machinegun bullets. During the combat Tenente Giulio Cesare Giuntella's CR.42 was hit several times but he returned claiming hits on a Spitfire. Maresciallo Felice Sozzi of the 83a Squadriglia (83-15) attacked and chased off a Spitfire on the tail of Sergente Maggiore Luigi Gorrini's aircraft, who in his turn were attacking other British Spitfires. Sozzi was however hit in return by two other Spitfires, who attacked him from behind. He was seriously wounded with three bullets in his lungs but he succeeded despite pain and a damaged aircraft, to return for an emergency landing on a Belgian beach. He survived his ordeal and recovered to receive the Medaglia d'argento al valore militare "in the field".

603 Squadron claimed seven shot down and two probables. CR42s were claimed destroyed by Pilot Officer Archie L. Winskill (Spitfire Mk.II P7389)(his first two claims) and Sergeant A. S. Darling, who claimed two apiece and by Pilot Officers Ronald Berry (his 9th claim), B. R. MacNamara and Flying Officer Colin Pinckney (Spitfire Mk.II P7529)(his third claim). Berry also claimed a probable, as did Flying Officer John C. Boulter (Spitfire Mk.II P7597)(his last claim before being killed in an accident on 17 February 1941), while Pilot Officer F. David S. Scott-Malden (Spitfire P7278 (?) 'D') claimed two damaged when he saw strikes on these.

Squadron Leader George Denholm, CO 603 Squadron, described the combat:
The Italians looked quite toy-like in their brightly-coloured camouflage, and I remember thinking that it seemed almost a shame to shoot down such pretty machines. I must have been wrong, for the pilot who saw six going down at the same time said afterwards that it was a glorious sight. But I must say this about the Eye-ties: they showed fight in a way the Germans have never done with our squadron. Denholm chased one Fiat halfway across the Channel, but had to let it limp home as his own engine started to splutter.

18° Gruppo claimed five enemy fighters. However it appears that only one Spitfire was actually damaged when Archie Winskill returned to base with the canopy shattered and the aircraft (P7389) damaged by return fire from the CR.42s. Winskill was however safe.

As 603 Squadron disengaged, more RAF units were alerted to the presence of furthers enemy units. 92 Squadron left Biggin Hill at 12:25 together with 74 Squadron. Aircraft identified as Bf109s were sighted by 92 Squadron pilots some miles south of Dover, but these particular fighters avoided combat. It seems that it is likely that these were the Fiat G.50s of the 20° Gruppo. The Italian pilots reported sighting a formation of British fighters, but did not engage them.

On 25 November 25 Fiat CR.42s of the 18° Gruppo flew out from Calais and made landfall at Margate. Over Eastchurch, the bad weather deteriorated and the formation aborted the patrol without sighting any British aircraft.

In the early hours on the night of 27/28 November six BR.20Ms of the 13° Stormo raided Ipswich without loss.

Around noon on 28 November 23 Fiat G.50s of 20° Gruppo, accompanied by a small formation of Bf109s and followed by 24 Fiat CR.42s of 18° Gruppo flew an offensive patrol over Ashford, Maidstone and Dungeness, but were not engaged by British fighters.

A further night raid was made on Harwich, Ipswich, Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth on the 29th, ten of 13° Stormo's aircraft taking off between 1745 and 1830 hours. 41 x 100kg and 20 x 50kg HE bombs being dropped. They met strong AA fire and later, when MM21908 came in to land at base, presumably because of combat damage, it hit some workers houses at Diegem-Lo, burning out and killing Tenente Talete Rebuscini, Tenente L. Dal Forn, Maresciallo E. Romito, Avieri G. Columbano, G. Maruelli and M. Cini.

Visiting Luftwaffe personnel watch with interest as the pilot of a Fiat CR.42 of the CAI climbs into his fighter on a cold day in late 1940. Location is probably Ursel, although it could be Vlissingen, where two of the fighters were detached for reconnaissance and night interception duties.

On the night of 5/6 December twelve BR.20Ms of the 13° Stormo attacked Ipswich.

On the night of 13/14 December seventeen BR.20Ms of 13o and 43° Stormos carried out nuisance raids on the east cost together with bombers from KG2. On of the BR.20Ms was hit by gunfire near Harwich.

The Ursel base was attacked for the first and only time on 19 December by a Bristol Blenheim.

On the night of 21/22 December six BR.20Ms of 13o and 43° Stormos again raided Harwich. One of the bombers returned with battle damage attributed to a British night-fighter, although no British claim was submitted for a combat in this area during this night.

Last time the CAI appeared over British skies during 1940 was on the night of 22/23 December when six BR.20Ms of the 43° Gruppo made individual attacks on Harwich without losses.

The bomber effort of the CAI ended with a touch of farce when a single BR.20M flown by the CO of 240a Squadriglia took off to bomb London. Almost inevitably, the crew became lost and bailed out near Abbeville.

Four BR.20Ms from the 13° Stormo took off from Melsbroek on the late afternoon on 2 January 1941 in order to fly a mission against Ipswich harbour. They were to operate separately. Two however experienced technical problems (failures at the landing gear retraction system on both) while still over Belgium and they returned to base. The remaining two bombers were disturbed by searchlights and by intense AAA. One night-fighter was observed and it seems that no bombs were dropped. According to other sources the target was Harwich harbour which according to the same source was successfully bombed.

A further bombing mission with eigth BR.20M from the 13° Stormo was planned on 9 January 1941, with the same target. Two aircraft took off at 19:00 but the mission was suspended and the aircraft were recalled.

By January 1941, all of the BR.20Ms and CR.42s that remained were flown back to Italy, leaving only the G.50s in Belgium, in yet another token gesture of support for the Luftwaffe.

13o and 43o Stormis flew home to take part in the Greek and Yugoslavian campaigns while 18° Gruppo moved to Libya.

After the main CAI units had left for Italy, 352a and 353a Squadriglias remained for patrols along the Dutch, Belgian and French coasts as far as Calais (353a Squadriglia moved to Desvres, France on 1 March), until 15 April 1941.

Some of the Italian pilots were checked out on the Bf109E at Maldegem (at least one of them was borrowed from II/JG54) during this time. One of these pilots was the pre-war well-known pilot and ace-to-be Capitano Furio Niclot Doglio (he was later killed over Malta on 27 July 1942 by George Beurling of 249 Squadron after having claimed 7 victories). More of the pilots were allowed to fly the Bf109Es at JG51's training unit, based at Cazaux, France. The Italian pilots were so impressed with the German fighter that they asked their commander to order 100 of them for the Regia Aeronautica. The Germans however declined to supply this amount but did offer to equip one Gruppo but this was rejected by the Italian higher command.

Capitano Furio Niclot Doglio in front of Bf109E-4 "White 1" borrowed from II/JG54 to train some 20° Gruppo pilots.

On 3 April 1941 Sergente Maggiore Pilota Remo Meneghini of 353a Squadriglia died in a flight accident during one uneventful patrol.

The crash site of this G.50 seems to be the village of Crémarest, very close to Desvres airfield.

At 11:45 on 13 April Tenente Mario Roncalli of the 352a Squadriglia was scrambled from Ursel. He intercepted an enemy aircraft at 300 meters altitude above the Eastern Flanders. However, he aborted the interception to return to base but due some unknown cause he lost control of the aircraft and it crashed into the ground, killing the pilot. This was C.A.I.'s last operational loss. No reports of RAF activities in the area have been possible to find.

The remains of Roncalli were recovered and he was buried close to Steenbrugge. Roncalli was one of 352a Squadriglia's best pilots and he had flown the Bf109E for the first time two weeks earlier.

On 16 April 20° Gruppo took off from their base to fly back to Italy and further on to Libya.

During their six months in Belgium the G.50s of 20° Gruppo flew 662 sorties, but, extraordinarily, never encountered any enemy aircraft! They actually only sighted enemy aircraft twice!

Known aviators in the Corpo Aereo Italiano (CAI)