Following the Italian Armistice of 8 September 1943, there was heavy fighting in the island of Corsica between the Italian defenders in the form of the Friuli and Cremona Divisions, and the German invaders in the form of the 90th and 91st Panzergrenadier Divisions.[1]The Italian occupation forces in Corsica saw themselves as having to abide by the orders of the new Italian government of Marshal Pietro Badoglio and defeated the Germans in the Battle of Corsica. Despite several Italian units electing to fight alongside the German forces, practically the entire Regia Aeronautica (Italian Air Force) and Nembo Parachute Division, the Germans were determined to ruthlessly punish any further Italian attempts to resist German occupation.
On the night of 9/10 September 1943, fighting between the former Axis partners erupted in Bastia, the principal port of Corsica. German seaborne troops seized the harbor at midnight but Italian troops counterattacked early that morning and drove the Germans from their newly-won positions.[2]
German reinforcements, nevertheless retook Bastia and the fighting intensified over the next weeks, but the Italian conscripts knew the territory well and were able to ambush the crack German infantry and supporting Panzer columns advancing along the main roads, capturing 800 Germans in the process.[3]
With the German invasion force finally defeated, a German flotilla consisting of eight ships of various sizes evacuated the last German defenders. However, despite cover provided in the form of the Luftwaffe, the Italian destroyer-escort Aliseo, supported by several corvettes from the Regia Marina (Italian Navy) and Italian shore batteries intercepted and sank all eight evacuation ships with heavy loss of German lives, and engaged other ships in the process.[4]
In all, the fighting in Corsica resulted in the deaths of 245 Italians, 75 French and around 1,000 Germans (mostly drowned).[5]
The Acqui Division, on the island of Cephalonia, were also amongst the Italian garrisons that chose to resist German occupation. The commander, General Antonio Gandin (veteran of the Eastern Front and winner of the German Iron Cross) received orders from Badoglio that he must regard the Germans as invaders and resist all attempts to disarm his division. From the Germans he received the ultimatum that he must either fight alongside them, fight against them, or surrender unconditionally. Negotiations broke down as the Italians sought further clarification from the Badoglio government.
Fighting broke out in which the numerically superior Italian conscript defenders were initially successful, sinking 2 German landing crafts, downing 1 German Stuka dive-bomber and capturing 400 German soldiers from Lieutenant-Colonel Hans Burge's 966th Grenadier Regiment.
However, the Germans landed fresh reinforcements in the form of Colonel Harald von Hirschfeld's 1st Gebirgsjäger (Mountain) Division on 16 September, with the 'Acqui' Division running out of ammunition and finally surrendering on 22 September after having suffered more than 1,300 battle casualties.[6]
By the time of the Italian surrender, the German High Command had issued new orders claiming that because of the perfidious and treacherous behaviour of the Italians in battling the German occupation of Corsica and Cephalonia, no prisoners are to be taken. This was interpreted as permission to execute all of the surrendering Italians. Consequently, despite having fought well and promised good treatment, 4,750 Italians, including wounded, combat surgeons, combat medics and conscripts were shot dead in cold blood by the German victors.
Categories: [War] [World War II]