European Resistance Archive/European Resistance Archive (ERA)
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We set up three units:
We set up three units:
abbiamo formato i tre distaccamenti: -
the “Piccinini”, the one I was in, whose commander was Otello Salsi from Cervarezza.
the “Piccinini”, the one I was in, whose commander was Otello Salsi from Cervarezza.
il “Piccinini” dov’ero io, che lo comandava Salsi Otello di Cervarezza, -
Then there was the “Bedeschi” group, whose commander was Luigi, one from Rivalta, a really nice guy.
Then there was the “Bedeschi” group, whose commander was Luigi, one from Rivalta, a really nice guy.
poi c’era il “Bedeschi” che lo comandava Luigi che era uno di Rivalta, bravissimo, -
And then we formed the “Camillo Prampolini” group, a socialist leader,
And then we formed the “Camillo Prampolini” group, a socialist leader,
e poi abbiamo fatto il “Camillo Prampolini” un altro, che era poi socialista, -
led by Valter from Cavriago, a big and bossy guy.
led by Valter from Cavriago, a big and bossy guy.
che lo comandava Valter di Cavriago, era un robustone uno spaccone quello lì. -
Then we went to carry out the attack on Villa Minozzo.
Then we went to carry out the attack on Villa Minozzo.
Dopo siamo andati a fare l’attacco a Villa Minozzo: -
We went there on May 24th, the last day ...
We went there on May 24th, the last day ...
siamo andati il 24 di maggio che era l’ultimo giorno… -
The Italian government was telling to all the ones that had escaped from war to return,
The Italian government was telling to all the ones that had escaped from war to return,
Perché il governo italiano diceva a chi era scappato dalla guerra di presentarsi -
but instead of handing us in to the government we carried out the attack to the command post in Villa Minozzo.
but instead of handing us in to the government we carried out the attack to the command post in Villa Minozzo.
e noi invece di presentarci ci siamo presentati all’assalto del comando che c’era a Villa Minozzo. -
We were about fifty, but there were some who ...
We were about fifty, but there were some who ...
A Villa Minozzo eravamo una cinquantina, però c’era una parte… -
I was placed in front of the barracks of the fascists, it was full of people inside,
I was placed in front of the barracks of the fascists, it was full of people inside,
A me mi avevano messo in una posizione di fronte alla caserma di fascisti che era piena -
I could hear them sing their songs.
I could hear them sing their songs.
e io sentivo dentro cantare le loro canzoni: -
I was a good marksman
I was a good marksman
io ero un militare che era buono a tirare -
but I was fifty meters away in a hole and couldn't get out because ...
but I was fifty meters away in a hole and couldn't get out because ...
e ci sparavo ma ero a cinquanta metri in un buco e non potevo uscire perché loro… -
We had a hard time because a plane came to shoot at us,
We had a hard time because a plane came to shoot at us,
Abbiamo tribolato perché poi è venuto anche un aeroplano a mitragliarci sopra, -
so we got stuck in the ditch like frogs, surrounded by nettles.
so we got stuck in the ditch like frogs, surrounded by nettles.
in un fossettino c’erano le ortiche dentro lì ci siamo impantanati come le rane. -
Hard moments.
Hard moments.
Sono momenti difficili. -
I told my fellows that were 70-80 meters away and said:
I told my fellows that were 70-80 meters away and said:
Poi dopo si parlava con gli amici che erano a 70, 80 metri, gli ho detto -
"Shoot there, you shoot and we will walk under the shooting line!"
"Shoot there, you shoot and we will walk under the shooting line!"
“Sparate là, voi sparate e noi passiamo sotto” -
It was an operation for covering people we wanted to rescue.
It was an operation for covering people we wanted to rescue.
un’operazione del ritiro degli amici, tu spari sopra agli amici, l’amico ritira…