https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Ascari_del_CieloAscari del Cielo - Revision history2026-09-24T14:06:33ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ascari_del_Cielo&diff=364808&oldid=prevBot at 20:13, 26 February 20222022-02-26T20:13:53Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Paratroopers of the Italian armed forces}}<br />
[[File:Parafromitalianlibya.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Ascari del Cielo Paratroopers]]<br />
The '''''Ascari del Cielo''''' were the first [[Paracadutisti|paratrooper]]s of the [[Italian armed forces]]. They all were born in [[Libya]] and with [[Arabs|Arab]]-[[Berber people|Berber]] ethnicity. They constituted the majority of the troops of the Battalion (later regiment) "Fanti dell'Aria", created in 1938, that fought in the [[North African Campaign|Desert War]] during [[World War II]].<br />
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==History==<br />
In spring 1938 the [[Royal Corps of Colonial Troops|royal colonial troops in Libya]] created two battalions of [[Askari|Ascari]] paratroopers, who, together with a battalion of Italian paratroopers, formed shortly after the 1st Paratroopers Regiment "Fanti dell'Aria". The word "ascari" indicated that they were colonial (and not Italian) troops.<br />
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On March 22 1938 the Paratroopers Battalion was formed. The battalion consisted of about 300 native Libyans and thirty Italian officers and NCOs. They were under the command of [[Lieutenant Colonel]] Goffredo Tonini and stationed at the airport of [[Castel Benito]] near [[Italian Tripoli|Tripoli]].<ref>[http://www.nembo.info/il_paracadutismo.htm I paracadutisti libici (in Italian)]</ref><br />
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After four weeks of training was launched simultaneously the entire [[battalion]] outside "Castel Benito airport" with the use of 24 three-engined [[Savoia-Marchetti SM.81]], belonging to the 15º Stormo of the [[Italian Air Force]]. Another launch was done a few days later and carried out at night.<ref>Simula, ''Gli arcangeli d'Italia'', Ed.Camelo, 1977, p.37</ref><br />
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Some casualties happened, like with Ugasci Mohamed Ben Ali who was the first paratrooper to die (twenty paratroopers died in exercise launches before [[World War II]]). They were noticed and appreciated even by [[Hermann Göring]], when paraded in front of him in 1939.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.archivioluce.com/archivio/jsp/schede/videoPlayer.jsp?tipologia=&id=&physDoc=17452&db=cinematograficoCINEGIORNALI&findIt=false&section=%2F |title=Sfilata degli Ascari del Cielo (Video) |access-date=2019-05-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025200504/http://www.archivioluce.com/archivio/jsp/schede/videoPlayer.jsp?tipologia=&id=&physDoc=17452&db=cinematograficoCINEGIORNALI&findIt=false&section=%2F |archive-date=2014-10-25 |url-status=dead }}</ref><br />
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In the summer of 1940 the Ascari del Cielo were nicknamed "Diavoli neri" (Black devils) and numbered 500. In September, during the [[Italian invasion of Egypt]], the 1st Paratroopers Regiment "Fanti dell'Aria" assaulted the positions of the [[Coldstream Guards]] in [[Sollum]] and forced them to withdraw.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Wahlert|first=Glenn|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UKbuDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Coldstream+Guards%22+Sollum+1940&pg=PT51|title=The Western Desert Campaign 1940-41|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2010|isbn=978-1-921941-34-4|language=en}}</ref> <br />
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In January 1941, with the beginning of the British counter-offensive, the ''Ascari del Cielo'' were renamed ''Gruppo Mobile Tonini''.<br />
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{{Quote|''During the first part of Jan. 1941 the battalion was moved to Derna and absorbed the remnants of the Gruppo Pancano and static units assigned to El Fteiah which totalled 370 men, 3 47/32mm guns, 4 75/27 guns, 12 20mm guns, 4 M11/39 tanks, 1 captured Humber armored car, 22 trucks and 12 motorcycles. The Libyan Battalion amounted to 430 at the time and an additional 50 men from the Parachute School. So, the total force comprised with the new units was 850 men strong and combining the weapons it brought the numbers to: 8 47/32mm guns, 8 Fiat M35 machineguns, 30 Breda M30 LMGs, and 12 20mm guns. This new comprised force was renamed Gruppo Mobile Tonini.''<ref>[http://www.comandosupremo.com/LibyaPara.html Libyan paratroopers]</ref>}}<br />
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By February 1941 they nearly cease to exist as an effective combat force after the British offensive during [[Operation Compass]]. In December 1942, the last of these paratroopers were captured in the advance of [[Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein|Montgomery]] in Libya after the battle of [[El Alamein]].<br />
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==Notes==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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==Bibliography==<br />
* Girlando Raffaele. ''I paracadutisti libici. Immagini e commenti storici'' Editrice New Italia. Roma, 2006 {{ISBN|9788895038032}}<br />
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==See also==<br />
* [[Italian Libya]]<br />
* [[Operation Compass]]<br />
* [[Askari]]<br />
{{Italian Libya}}<br />
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[[Category:Italian Libya]]<br />
[[Category:Military units and formations of Italy in World War II]]<br />
[[Category:Libya in World War II]]<br />
[[Category:Italian colonial troops]]</div>Bot