Located just off the western coast of Greece, Cephalonia had been occupied by Axis forces in 1941. The Italian garrison consisted of the 12,000 men of the Acqui Division.Relieved that their country was no longer involved in a hugely unpopular war, the members of the division celebrated when they learned of the armistice. The Italians seemed unfazed by the sullenness of the Germans, who also had their own garrison on the island.

When German Maj. Gen. Hubert Lanz demanded that the Italians lay down their arms, the soldiers of the division overruled their officers, who realized the futility of resistance. Lanz received considerable reinforcements, and on September 15 his 1st Gebirgsjäger Division attacked.

The Acqui Division resisted the superior German forces for a week and suffered more than 1,600 casualties before its commander, General Antonio Gandin, negotiated a surrender. As part of the agreement, Gandin was assured that his men would be repatriated to Italy.

After Captain Amos Pampaloni's artillery unit was disarmed and assembled, German soldiers began to strip the men of their valuables. When the captain protested that it was illegal to take prisoners' effects, the German commander replied, "Not from prisoners, but from traitors, yes." Shortly thereafter, the Germans began shooting the Italians.

There were so many prisoners that one of the Germans confided to his diary that the sound of machine gun fire could be heard continuously for more than two hours. By the time they were finished, the Germans had shot some 5,000 Italian prisoners in cold blood and thrown their bodies into unmarked pits or into the sea. Those who were not shot were transferred to ships. An additional 3,000 perished on the voyage to Germany, where the rest endured months of brutal captivity in slave labor camps.

After the war, the graves containing the remains of the men of the Acqui Division were uncovered. It was hoped that Gandin's body could be identified among the thousands of other corpses by the Iron Cross ribbon that he wore on his uniform for his service with the Wehrmacht in Russia. Unfortunately, the general's remains could not be found.


http://www.thehistorynet.com/wwii/editorial_09_03/



General Antonio Gandin

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Incredible story: I never heard about those pour souls. Poor men. Most didn't even get a proper grave

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Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't there a movie based about this event or using this event as a background for the movie's story. It was a few years ago and I saw it just once.

Really? if there is I don't know the title but if any one knows it I would love to see it I checke dthe place on a map and you can clearly see that the Italians were trapped and had no other altenative than surrender. Also they did not expect to be executed or deported, otherwise some would have tried to escape with their weapons or at least die while fighting.

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Yes this sounds like the movie with Nicholas Cage.... Sgt. something Medellin?

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The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness. -Adolf Hitler

Captain Corelli's Mandolin
see this bit, the massacre
YouTube - mg42

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Excellent Wessex I'm impressed by your culture. This story is really interesting , I always like discovering new chapters and this is new for me.

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Yes I remember it starred Nicolas Cage. Now I have to find the time to review that movie again.

On Captain Correlli's Mandolin,
The book is beautiful art.
The film is mawkish rubbish.
Be sure to read the book first!

Cheers,
Adam.

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"Wars cannot be fought with dream stuff" - Sir Percy Hobart.

I will, but I will have to buy it first.

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See I watched the movie, and after it waisted 2 hours of my life, im a little hesitent on reading the book!

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The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness. -Adolf Hitler

Seriously Slon, I rate the book as just about the best novel I've ever read (possibly just behind the Wasp Factory), it lead me off into reading all of de Berniere's books, some of which are rather odd, bit heavy on the magical realism. They did make a pleasant change from all the 'rivet-counting' stuff I normally read though .

Cheers,
Adam.

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"Wars cannot be fought with dream stuff" - Sir Percy Hobart.

Cor I read that yonks ago early 90s(?), Iain Banks stuff, strange reading. Great stuff.
Read a few, can't remember which ones now, never ended as I thought they would.
Might get Corelli out of the libary next time I'm there.

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Hmm, it's sound tempting, I a have now several opinions, I guess I should read it and have my own and wish I made the choice.

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