European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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When we did the Liberation it was a big relief for us
When we did the Liberation it was a big relief for us
infatti quando abbiamo fatto la Liberazione abbiamo dato un gran sospiro di sollievo -
because this was what we had wanted. But what did they want?
because this was what we had wanted. But what did they want?
perché lo si voleva e loro invece che cosa volevano? -
They just wanted people to be killed, we've seen it many times.
They just wanted people to be killed, we've seen it many times.
Volevano solo fare ammazzare della gente, abbiamo visto i casi che abbiamo saputo. -
For example, when they did their killings at the Bettola, or in Cerrè Sologno,
For example, when they did their killings at the Bettola, or in Cerrè Sologno,
Ad esempio quando hanno ammazzato alla Bettola, quando hanno ammazzato a Cerrè Sologno, -
they did terrible retaliation acts.
they did terrible retaliation acts.
lì han fatto delle rappresaglie tremende, -
But we had the experience in carrying out an attack
But we had the experience in carrying out an attack
invece noi avevamo già l’esperienza di fare un attacco -
and in fact we did the action at the Sparavalle and not in Cervarezza,
and in fact we did the action at the Sparavalle and not in Cervarezza,
infatti la Sparavalle l’abbiam fatta qua non a Cervarezza -
so that the people would remain unharmed,
so that the people would remain unharmed,
per lasciar pulita la gente, -
we didn't want to cause casualties among the population.
we didn't want to cause casualties among the population.
per non fare mica delle azioni su della gente così. -
The first airdrop and the Sparavalle battle
The first airdrop and the Sparavalle battle
Primo lancio e battaglia allo Sparavalle -
They did the first drop at Lama Golese and there we were expecting it.
They did the first drop at Lama Golese and there we were expecting it.
Il primo lancio l’han fatto a Lama Golese e lì lo aspettavamo -
But the English made a mistake,
But the English made a mistake,
però gli inglesi si sono sbagliati, -
they were supposed to do their drop in Modena but did so at our place instead:
they were supposed to do their drop in Modena but did so at our place instead:
dovevano darli a Modena e invece l’han buttato da noi: -
they'd set up a triangle with fires, the plane turned around and around and eventually did their dropthere.
they'd set up a triangle with fires, the plane turned around and around and eventually did their dropthere.
avevano fatto un fuoco di triangoli, l’aeroplano girò girò e lanciò lì. -
They dropped four Bren machine guns and 130 other machine guns.
They dropped four Bren machine guns and 130 other machine guns.
Ci ha lanciato quattro mitragliatori Bren e 130 mitra, -
In our group were about fourty people, so we had far enough weapons.
In our group were about fourty people, so we had far enough weapons.
eravamo una quarantina perciò ce n’era in abbondanza, -
Later on a local guy came and took all the surplus weapons and brought them away.
Later on a local guy came and took all the surplus weapons and brought them away.
dopo un locale ha preso tutte le armi in più e le ha portate via. -
"Frigio" wrote right things about this episode, that the arms ...
"Frigio" wrote right things about this episode, that the arms ...
E lì "Frigio" sul suo libro, Franzini che è stato un grande partigiano responsabile, ha scritto quello che è vero, che le armi… -
I knew the weapons because I'd served in Yugoslavia,
I knew the weapons because I'd served in Yugoslavia,
Io conoscevo le armi perché avevo fatto il servizio in Jugoslavia, -
I learned to handle them all, all kinds of weapons, antitank cannon, mortar,
I learned to handle them all, all kinds of weapons, antitank cannon, mortar,
avevo imparato a conoscere tutte le armi dal cannoncino anticarro al mortaio,