European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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we were waiting for Allied air drops that didn’t take place,
we were waiting for Allied air drops that didn’t take place,
aspettavano dei lanci dal cielo degli alleati che non venivano, -
so they sent four of us back to Ligonchio.
so they sent four of us back to Ligonchio.
e allora ci rimandarono a Ligonchio, in quattro. -
We went to Ligonchio and there really was a crowd of partisans there.
We went to Ligonchio and there really was a crowd of partisans there.
Siamo venuti a Ligonchio e lì c’era proprio un’infinità di partigiani, -
Unfortunately, not all of them were armed.
Unfortunately, not all of them were armed.
e purtroppo non tutti armati -
More partisans came, who wanted to fight, to enrol.
More partisans came, who wanted to fight, to enrol.
perché proprio era più forte l'affluenza dei partigiani, dei giovani che volevano combattere, volevano essere reclutati, -
More than weapons dropped from the sky or taken during attacks to the German garrisons.
More than weapons dropped from the sky or taken during attacks to the German garrisons.
che la quantità di armi che venivano gettate dal cielo o prese dagli attacchi ai presidi tedeschi, ecco. -
I was luckier than others, since I was given an English machine gun, a Sten gun, which was quite short.
I was luckier than others, since I was given an English machine gun, a Sten gun, which was quite short.
Io fortunatamente... sono stato fortunato più di altri, mi diedero un mitra inglese, uno Sten. Un mitra non lungo. -
You could disassemble it in three pieces and hide it, and put it together quickly.
You could disassemble it in three pieces and hide it, and put it together quickly.
Però funzionava anche perché si poteva smontare in tre pezzi e nasconderlo che poi si faceva presto a rimontarlo e così via. -
And I also had a 9 mm Beretta and four hand grenades.
And I also had a 9 mm Beretta and four hand grenades.
E una rivoltella Beretta calibro 9 e quattro bombe a mano, ecco. -
I stayed there with the First Battalion
I stayed there with the First Battalion
Dopo di che sono stato lì con il primo battaglione -
and we used to go on road 63, where German garrisons were all over the place.
and we used to go on road 63, where German garrisons were all over the place.
e si andava sulla Statale 63 e lì c’erano poi già tutti i presidi tedeschi... -
Not long after, around July, there was a great mop-up.
Not long after, around July, there was a great mop-up.
e poi avviene, proprio dopo non molto, verso luglio, avviene il grande rastrellamento: -
The Goering attacked, we fought back for a day and a half, two days.
The Goering attacked, we fought back for a day and a half, two days.
ci fu l’attacco della Goering. Ci fu una resistenza per un paio di giorni, un giorno e mezzo, due giorni. -
Then there was a disbandment,
Then there was a disbandment,
E poi alla fine ci fu lo sbandamento -
because it’s really hard to resist against an attack
because it’s really hard to resist against an attack
perché una divisione tedesca anche abbastanza corazzata con autoblindo, artiglieria, -
from a German division with armoured vehicles, artillery, small airplanes, special forces.
from a German division with armoured vehicles, artillery, small airplanes, special forces.
piccoli aerei, truppe specializzate, diventa difficile resistere a un attacco di questo genere. -
Maybe it wasn’t even right to fight back as we did,
Maybe it wasn’t even right to fight back as we did,
Poi forse ripensandoci adesso non era neanche giusto resistere a quella maniera lì, -
since guerrilla means attacking and withdrawing, coming back and so on.
since guerrilla means attacking and withdrawing, coming back and so on.
perché guerriglia voleva dire attaccarli, scappare, attaccarli e scappare e tornare insomma, ecco. -
That time however it was decided to fight back jointly. We suffered many casualties in the end.
That time however it was decided to fight back jointly. We suffered many casualties in the end.
Invece si era voluto quella volta lì, fare un fronte... e poi l’abbiamo anche pagata, perché ci furono molti morti, anche qualche disperso... -
Then the Germans took away more than a thousand men:
Then the Germans took away more than a thousand men:
poi portarono via più di mille uomini, i tedeschi,