Among the Italian Partisans: The Allied Contribution to the Resistance

Here is the remarkable story of the foreigners who volunteered to join the guerrilla war against Germans and Fascists in Second World War Italy. The fighters included Britons, Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders, South Africans, Americans, Russians, Poles and Yugoslavs.

Most were escaped prisoners of war who fled their camps after the Italian armistice and surrender in September 1943. From the summer of 1944 the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) and American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) built on information from their compatriots in enemy territory to send in agents to help arm and train the partisans and to coordinate airdrops.

Against the backdrop of twenty months of savage warfare on the mainland, this is the full story of the Allied servicemen who took part in the Italian Resistance, which became one of the greatest insurgent movements in Western Europe. Partisan forces hit enemy communications, tied down seven German divisions and provided tactical support for the Allied armies. Among the Italian Partisans is a celebration of brave men and great events.

The Anglo-Italian historian Malcolm Tudor is a graduate of the University of Wales and lives in the principality. His British father was a soldier with the Eighth Army in Italy, and his Italian mother and grandparents were awarded the Alexander Certificate in recognition of the help they gave to Allied escaped prisoners of war in their home and in the mountains. Malcolm has written eight books on WWII Italy and is a member of the Anglo-Italian Family History Society. He uses international sources, interviews veterans, and speaks and teaches Italian.