Luigi Baron was born on 10 July 1917 in Castelfranco Veneto (Treviso).

He served with 412^a Squadriglia, equipped with Fiat CR.42s, in the East African campaign of 1940-41.He ended the campaign as the second most successful of the Italian fighter pilots in the East Africa.

On 14 June 1940, the Wellesleys of Flight Lieutenant Irvine (K7723) and Pilot Officer Reginald Patrick Blenner Hassett Plunkett (K7743), both of 14 Squadron, took off to bomb the oil installations of Archìco. Over Massawa at 19:15, they were targeted by an intense anti-aircraft fire before bombing the target without being able to ascertains the results. On their way back they are attacked by two CR.42s, piloted by Tenente Mario Visintini and Sergente Baron. Flight Lieutenant Irvine managed to disengage but Pilot Officer Plunkett (RAF No. 40849), without a gunner on board, tried to escape out to the sea, but was pursued and finally shot down.
This was Visintini’s first claim in the Second World War but should possibly be shared with Sergente Baron.
The AOI Aviation Operations Bulletin No. 5 states one bomber shot down by fighters and a second by anti-aircraft.
It seems Flight Lieutenant Irvine had in fact convinced Pilot Officer Plunkett that it was possible to bomb Archìco without running too many risks even without a gunner on board, perhaps because they were both unaware of the presence of fighters in nearby Massawa. Because of his heavy responsibility in the death of his colleague, Irvine was sent back to Amman the same evening.

At 04:35 on 30 June, six Wellesleys from 223 Squadron took off from Summit to attack the airfield of Massawa and fuel depots at Hirgigo, 3 km south of it. Participating pilots were Flight Lieutenant Pelly-Fry (Wellesley L2695), Flying Officer Joel (L2673), Pilot Officer Shepherd (K7750), Flying Officer Ross (K7724), Sergeant Poskitt (L2694) and Sergeant Young (K8524). The formation reached their target at 07:48 (Italian time – GMT+3) and dropped their load of bombs causing damage defined as insignificant by the Italians. An intense and precise anti-aircraft reaction, coming from the airport and from ships at anchor, was unleashed during the bombers’ dive, hitting Flying Officer Ross’ aircraft. After the drop, the Wellesleys turned left to the south. The British crews saw Sergeant Poskitt's Wellesley suddenly make a sharp turn to avoid the dive attack led by two CR.42s (Tenente Mario Visintini and Sergente Baron, both from the 412^a Squadriglia) and a CR.32 that had unexpectedly appeared, after which they lost sight of them. Wellesley L2654 was shot down into the sea with the loss of the pilot 24-year-old Sergeant Bernard Poskitt (RAF no. 522475) and 20-year-old Leading Aircraftman Lewis Peter Jepp (RAF no. 550735).
Shortly afterwards, the two CR.42s also attacked the aircraft of Ross and Flying Officer Joel who, in order to escape the Italian fighters, descended to a very low altitude, respectively 30 and 10 meters above the sea surface and they managed to escape.
Tenente Visintini was officially credited with shoting down Sergeant Poskitt while Sergente Baron was credited with another and a third was credited to Massawa AA.

On 8 July, five Wellesleys of 47 Squadron were charged to bomb Zula airfield. The Wellesleys were piloted by Flight Lieutenant Magill (K7771), Pilot Officer James (L2675), Sergeant Oakley (L2704), Sergeant Osbourn (L2641) and Sergeant Wragg (L2667). The target was however obscured by clouds, and they diverted to Otulma (Massawa), which they attacked at 15:0, believing that they had hit buildings and hangars there. Immediately afterwards, they were attacked by Tenente Mario Visintini and probably Sergente Baron, which claimed a shared probable kill.
The fight went on for 10-15 minutes, until the Wellesleys managed to take refuge in a thick blanket of clouds that at about 4,600 meters covered the entire area. Sergeant J. S. F. Lawley, navigator in K7771 recalled:

“We by no means thought that most of those attacking us were harmless. But many tended to approach us from a relatively long distance, with an apparent reluctance to get too close to our defensive fire. But, to our considerable disappointment, there were some notable exceptions, who pressed their attacks with the determination we would have expected from our own boys... I cannot vouch for the number of those who made this exception, but there were enough! If I remember rightly, on this occasion we disengaged by climbing slowly up into medium height clouds, and fortunately so, because there were few of those in those parts at that time of year. “

On 12 July, 254 Wing ordered a joint action for 14 and 47 Squadron, which took off from their bases with four (Flight Lieutenant Stapleton in K7722, Pilot Officer Green in K7726, Pilot Officer Le Cavalier in K7723) and Pilot Officer Illsey in L2691) and five Wellesleys (Flight Lieutenant Magill in K7771, Pilot Officer Joyce in L2641, Pilot Officer Harrison in K8527, Sergeant Aldus in L2667 and Sergeant Nelson in K8520) respectively. The two squadrons assembled at Suàkin and, with 14 Squadron leading the formation, headed out to sea before returning to the coast at Dáhalac Chebìra Island and making a low-level attack, at about 15.00, on the hangars at Otumlo. While still approaching the objective, aircraft n. 5 (external wingman on the left) of the second formation, the Wellesley K8520/KU-B of 47 Squadron, was attacked in a dive and damaged by CR.42s, and smashed to the ground in an attempt to make an emergency landing. Flight Sergeant Frederick "Freddy" Nelson (RAF no. 516778) was killed on impact, which completely smashed the Wellesley’s nose, while the rest of the crew, Sergeant Brixton and LAC Woods, became PoWs. The other bombers arrived on target shortly afterwards, met by a precise and intense anti-aircraft reaction, also coming from the ships at anchor in the port of Massawa.
The remaining eight aircraft all landed at their respective bases, although an analysis of the ORBs revealed that Wellesley L2667 would not return to action on this front after this mission. The only damage sustained on the ground was to an aircraft hangar.
Two Italian fighters (Tenente Mario Visintini and Sergente Baron) had intercepted them with Tenente Visintini credited with shooting down K8520.
After the first attack, Visintini and Baron returned to altitude, to pounce again on the bombers as they came out of anti-aircraft range, and attack them for another 10-15 minutes. Baron believed he had hit a second Wellesley, which, at first, was believed to have landed four kilometres from Massawa.
According the Italian Bulletin it seems that this was claimed as a probable (as a shared by both pilots) between 15:00-15:10.

On 23 July, five Wellesleys from 223 Squadron (Squadron Leader Larking (L2713), Pilot Officer Willing (L2668), Sergeant Collis (K7774), Sergeant Bathe (K7750) and Pilot Officer Ellis (L2798) ) took off for Archìco to hit the fuel depots. At 14:15 they dropped from 4,600 meters in one pass. As the anti-aircraft, taken completely by surprise, began to fire with great delay, the bombers saw two biplanes take off from the airport and gain altitude, soon disappearing from sight.
After about five minutes, two fighters, flown by Tenente Mario Visintini and Sergente Baron, swooped down on the bombers as they are on their way back. The two FIATs concentrated for 25 minutes on the second wingman on the left, Pilot Officer Ellis, hitting his aircraft repeatedly in the tail planes, the main tank, the bomb bay, various parts of the geodesic structure, the radio and the hydraulic system, which caused the undercarriage and bomb bays to open. This inevitably caused the aircraft to slow down, so Pilot Officer Willing was ordered by Squadron Leader Larking to flank the aircraft and escort it back to base. The British gunners put up a fierce fight, firing a total of 1,800 .303-inch rounds at the Italian fighters, apparently without effect.
L2978 managed to return to base at 16:45, a quarter of an hour after the others, but due to the serious structural damage suffered, this Wellesley was declared Damaged Beyond Repair (DBR).
The Italian Comando AOI Bulletin no. 44 stated: “Our fighters reaction chased effectively enemy action […] A hit enemy aircraft is reported to have fallen on our territory. A search is being held.”. This was however revoked the following day.
Tenente Visintini and Sergente Baron returned claiming a shared probable over the Eritrean coast, north of Massawa. However, in some modern literature it seems that Sergente Baron was credited with a victory at this occasions but this seems not to have been the case.

On 4 August , five Wellesleys of 14 Squadron and the same number of 47 Squadron took off to attack the submarine fleet moored at Abd el-Cadér. The aircraft from 14 Squadron included Flight Lieutenant Stapleton (K7722), Pilot Officer Willitts (L2657), Sergeant Taylor (K7767), Sergeant Patey (L2676/D) and Pilot Officer Illesley (L2645). while the aircraft from 47 Squadron included Wing Commander Elton (K8521), Flight Lieutenant Dally (K7779), Pilot Officer Harrison (K7756), Sergeant Wragg and Pilot Officer Joyce (K7728).
The approach route included an overflight of the Eritrean hinterland. At 10:30, the 47 Squadron attacked the ammunition depot on the island of Scec Sáid, but all bombs missed the target. In the meantime, three CR.42s (Tenente Mario Visintini, Sergente Baron and possibly Tenente Raimondo Di Pauli) scrambled and attacked the bombers. Five minutes later, the 14 Squadron also arrived on target and dive-bombed the fuel depots at Archìco. Sergeant Patey's Wellesley L2676/D was hit by an anti-aircraft shell that knocked out the hydraulics. As a result, the undercarriage dropped and the plane slowed down. Immediately, two of the fighters pounced on it and attacked it repeatedly until their ammunition run out, while the third FIAT continued to duel with the 47 Squadron for another 10-15 minutes, but without result. Sergeant Patey remembered:

“[...] About 20 miles [32km] north of Massawa two aircraft were seen approaching from behind and they turned out to be CR.42 fighters. They decided to attack almost simultaneously from the rear quadrants, one on each side, which made it hard for my gunner who could only deal with one at a time. Since my speed was very low, I did not even try to outdistance them, so I decided to prevent them from attacking from below by lowering myself a few feet overboard and staying there. [...] During their last attacks, I could see the water splashing where the bullets entered the sea in front of me. Things were looking bad, as my plane had received quite a few hits near the tanks, when suddenly the fighters stopped their attacks and flew away. […]”

At 07:00 hours on 1 September, Wellesley L2689 of 14 Squadron, with pilot Sergeant Norris, navigator Sergeant D'Arcy and the gunner Leading Aircraftman Charles D. Lampard on board, took off for a photographic reconnaissance of Harmìl, the northernmost island of the Dáhalac archipelago. The purpose was to photograph the Regia Marina's Giulietti battery, consisting of four 120/45 pieces. The aircraft was sighted and the alarm was immediately raised. Three fighters, Tenente Mario Visintini, Sergente Baron and probably Tenente Raimondo Di Pauli, immediately took off and flew to a height north of Massawa to intercept the enemy reconnaissance aircraft. They spotted it while it was making its third overflight of the island, attacked it in a dive and, after seriously wounding the gunner, forced it to make an emergency landing on Harmìl, on the field located on the south-eastern offshoot of the island and next to the battery itself.
Antonio Raffi recalled the episode after the war:

“On a small island one hundred and fifty kilometres north of Massaua, [...] Visintini and two wingmen, one I think was Di Pauli and the other I don't remember, intercepted a Wellesley on reconnaissance and hit the tanks without setting it on fire; Considering the condition of the enemy aircraft, Visintini and the wingmen stopped firing to give the crew a chance to save themselves; in fact, the British, after firing a few rockets as a sign of surrender, landed on the small island where there was a Navy observation post and were captured.”

“In the middle of the third lap we were attacked by three CR.42s. The first 20 mm [sic] burst hit Lampard in the leg and damaged the engine controls and hydraulics... I had no engine and nowhere to go but down. Ahead was a fairly small, rocky, irregular island. I made a classic emergency landing approach, but there was a danger of going over the island and into the water. Without flaps, we almost stalled on the shoreline, I hit my left wing and the bomb rack on the rocky ground and quickly stopped. Before I could unfasten my belts and parachute, the plane was surrounded by a disorderly crowd of Italians... I left the plane and tried to reach the rear gunner, but was prevented from doing so. D'Arcy was not allowed out until Lampard was lifted up and taken away. His leg was almost off and bleeding profusely.”

“Dear friends, yesterday I had a particularly good day [...]. In his tour of the centres of the Empire, yesterday the Viceroy was in Massaua. We were to await him in the air, he was flying a Green Sorcio. But a sudden air alarm changed things and we had to leave in search of the enemy.
With the fortunate intuition that has always helped me so far, I took up position, high up, hidden by a cloud, far away from the base. After 10 minutes of cruising, I gasped: here he comes, without any suspicion, to carry out his mission. He is several hundred metres lower than me; I would not have imagined that he would also be at such a high altitude!
I pounce on him like a hawk on an innocent sparrow. He only notices me when he is already, lightning fast, liquidated.
Engine fire; he has to surrender and give thanks that be-neath him, amidst so much Red Sea, there is the island, the very one he had intended to attack. […]
Before leaving the sky of the island I make sure that the enemy aircraft lands well in our territory. Later, a dispatch from the island gave the following detail: enemy aircraft recoverable; crew of three, captured gunner seriously wounded (poor fellow was the first to take my volley).
[...] As soon as he got off, he had to report the incident to the authorities waiting for the Duke. And they, in turn, reported it to the Duke as soon as he got off the train. He appreciated the good news very much. He recognised me immediately and entertained me very cordially, congratulating me with precious expressions of sympathy.
My fifth victory has therefore been sanctioned by the Viceroy!

On 20 September, the Massawa section of 412^a Squadriglia was called back to Gura. From the beginning of the war and until then, it was credited with 18 aerial combats, in which its pilots shot down 9 Wellesleys and four more probable.

At 12:50 on 30 September, three 45 Squadron Blenheim Is raided Gura, but, once there, all the bombers were attacked by CR.32s and CR.42s. Blenheim L6665 flown by 28-years-old Squadron Leader George Justin Bush (RAF No. 37061) was soon damaged in an engine by Tenente Mario Visintini who, with Sergente Baron and perhaps Sottotenente Giovanni Levi, surrounded the bomber and ordered it by gestures to land. But the Blenheim couldn’t remain in the air with just one engine and crashed, killing Bush and his crew (20-years-old Observer Sergeant John C. Usher (RAF no. 580912) and 21-years-old Wireless Operator/Air gunner Sergeant James Corney DFM (RAF no. 541684)).

On 2 October 1940, three Bleinheims of 45 Squadron, which had taken off from Wadi Gazouza at 02:30, approached Gura in an dawn attack, but were attacked short of target over Mai Edega by six 412^a Squadriglia CR.42s, which concentrated on the leading aircraft, flown by the commanding officer, Squadron Leader John Dallamore. The Blenheim (L8452) at once began to burn and Dallamore were seen to jettison his bombs; the air gunner then bailed out, but the pilot remained at his controls to allow the observer to follow suit. Before Dallamore could himself get out, the aircraft hit the ground and exploded. The observer Pilot Officer A. Sheppard was taken PoW but the wireless operator/air gunner Sergeant Myles Mackenzie was killed.
The other two Blenheims broke formation and fled, chased by the fighters for some distance; Baron claimed to have shot down two Blenheims during this combat, and to have shared in the destruction of a third.

Having known since 13 October, by aerial reconnaissance, that a Flight of 47 Squadron had been detached to Al Qadarif (Gadaref), pilots of Regia Aeronautica planed a strafing attack on that field. On the 16 October, taking off at 06:00 from the Italian advanced field of Barentu, an S.79 flown by Generale Pietro Piacentini (CO of Settore Aeronautico Nord AOI) himself led in eight CR.42s of the 412^a Squadriglia flown by Capitano Antonio Raffi, Tenente Mario Visintini, Tenente Carlo Canella, Tenente Raimondo Di Pauli, Sottotenente Fiorindo Rosmino, Sottotenente Levi, Sergente Maggiore Baron, and Sergente Pietro Morlotti. Some sources say that nine CR.42s were involved in this strike, but possibly the ninth pilot, newly arrived Sergente Carlo Scarselli, was left to protect Barentu.
At 06:55, the Savoia dropped its bombs on the field, then the fighters strafed between 07:00-07:20 and totally destroyed all eight Wellesleys of 47 Squadron detachment (K7742, K7762, K7779, K7781, L2650, L2675, L2677 and L2688) and, personally by Capitano Raffi, two of 430 Flight’s Vincents (K4657 and K4731) while they were taking off, which were claimed as Gladiators shot down. An attempt to call the 1 SAAF fighter detachment at Azaza (some 20 kilometers north-east) was foiled, as the telephone line between Al Qadarif and Azaza was found to have been cut. Italian claims were quite accurate, eleven aircraft being claimed destroyed, together with a munitions dump, some lorries, a searchlight and, it seems, a Packard car, the latter fired on by Tenente Canella.
Capitano Raffi was decorated with a Medaglia d’argento al valor militare as the organizer of the attack, while the other pilots gained a Medaglia di bronzo al valor militare each.

Towards the end of October, Tenente Mario Visintini, Sergente Maggiore Baron and Sottotenente Levi moved to Bahir Dar, on the south side of Lake Tana, for operations in the Metema-Gallabat border front. Previously, another section led by Capitano Raffi himself had been transferred by Gura to Gondar airport, on the north side of the same lake.

On 24 October Baron claimed a Lysander over Metema. British records can’t verify this claim.

On 27 October he claimed a Gladiator over Metema. British records can’t verify this claim.

On 11 November, a reconnoitring Hardy of 237 (Rhodesian) Squadron bombed Italian lorries on the road to Gondar. Around 12:30 some Fiat fighters scramble to intercept it, but instead had a clash with three Gladiators which were patrolling the area.
Lieutenants John Coetzer, Andrew Duncan and Servaas de K. Viljoen of 1 SAAF Squadron had set off for Gallabat to intercept bombers. West of the town they ran into a reported eight enemy fighters instead. These were stepped up in echelon in three groups, 1524 meters above the three Gladiators. Despite tactical and numerical disadvantage, the South Africans attacked, chasing two of the Fiats down to ground level before they escaped, while the rest made one pass on the Gladiators and then fled. One Gladiator returned damaged by a single explosive bullet.
The Italians from 412^a Squadriglia returned claiming a Gladiator destroyed (probably by Tenente Mario Visintini) and two more probables, the latter one each to Sottotenente Giovanni Levi and Sergente Maggiore Baron.

On 23 November, six CR.42s from the 412^a Squadriglia (among them Capitano Antonio Raffi, Tenente Mario Visintini, Sottotenente Giovanni Levi and Sergente Maggiore Baron) returned to Gura, leaving at Gondar a section of another six fighters, commanded by Tenente Niso Provinciali.

On 25 December he claimed a Gladiator over Gallabat. British records can’t verify this claim but it is possible that this claim was made during an attack on Gedaref on 27 December although no Commonwealth losses were suffered during this attack.

On 12 January 1941, Pilot Officer Peter Simmonds of 237 Squadron flew a sortie with Hawker Hardy K5922 with Sergeant Gray as observer over Tessenei when Fiat CR.42s intercepted them. The Hardy was extensively damaged, but managed to remain in the air for 25 minutes before force-landing a mile south of Tessenei, the crew returning to base on foot.
They had been intercepted by two CR.42s from 412^a Squadriglia flown by Sergente Maggiore Baron and Sottotenente Fiorindo Rosmino, which returned to base claiming it shot down jointly.

He claimed a Gladiator over Gheru on 22 January 1941. British records can’t verify this claim.

On 11 February, 1 SAAF Squadron had 11 aircraft on patrols over Keren during the day. During the morning, two of them encountered three CR.42s flown by Tenente Mario Visintini, Tenente Ubaldo Buzzi and Sergente Maggiore Baron engaged in strafing British troops in front of Keren. After the first brief clash the Fiats hid in a thick cloud. Lieutenant Servaas de Kock Viljoen followed and failed to return. Running low on fuel, he had to land near a village, fortunately within territory in British hands. He obtained petrol, and attempted to take off next morning, but crashed. He returned to Akordat on foot. His aircraft was later recovered and repaired.
Tenente Buzzi and Sergente Maggiore Baron landed at ‘Sabarguma’ airstrip (Gahtelay, in the Wekiro river valley between Asmara and Massawa) due to bad weather, while Tenente Visintini had reached Asmara.
In the afternoon, Visintini took off to fly back to guide these pilots home. It seems that during the flight he was perhaps blown off course by high winds and while descending through clouds he crashed into the sides of Mount Bizen, near the hamlet of Nefasit, and was instantly killed.

On 17 February he claimed a Wellesley over Cheren. British records can’t verify this claim.

On 25 February he claimed a Gladiator over Cheren. British records can’t verify this claim.

On 1 March he claimed a Hurricane over Cheren. British records can’t verify this claim.

Gladiator N5853 of 237 Squadron was operating over Keren on 25 March and the pilot saw two CR.42s, but was himself attacked by a Hurricane at that point, the biplane being damaged.
1 SAAF Squadron engaged CR.42s twice during the day, once in the morning when one was hit by Lieutenant Irvine, but no result seen (possibly the 237 Squadron Gladiator). In the afternoon engagements Lieutenants Robin Pare and White met two Fiat CR.42s from 412^a Squadriglia at 15,000 feet, one of which Pare shot down in flames, but the other escaped from White. Pare went after this one also and caught it near Asmara where he reported that it blew up.
The Italians recorded one CR.42 shot down (Sergente Pietro Morlotti was killed) and a second so damaged as to be a write-off. Two more CR.42s were damaged in combat during the day, and both pilots were wounded. Two Hurricanes were claimed shot down. Baron claimed one of the Hurricanes before being shot down himself (probably by Pare) and safely baling out badly wounded in the calf of the left leg.

He was hospitalised and for two years was moved from hospital to hospital before being embarked on a ship bound for Italy (Duilio, which was used for the repatriation of civilians). The ship finally reached Italy after a two-month voyage.

Luigi Baron ended the war with 11 biplane victories.

From 1970, he worked as instructor at the Air Club of Gorizia.

Luigi Baron passed away in Udine on 6 February 1988.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1940
1	30/06/40	07:50	1	Wellesley (a)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Massawa	412a Squadriglia
	08/07/40	15:00-15:15	1/2	Wellesey (b)	Shared probably destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Massawa	412a Squadriglia
	12/07/40	15:00-15:10	1/2	Wellesey (c)	Shared probably destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Massawa	412a Squadriglia
	23/07/40	14:20-14:45	1/2	Wellesey (d)	Shared probably destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Eritrean coast, N Massawa	412a Squadriglia
	04/08/40	10:35-	1/2	Wellesey (e)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Massawa	412a Squadriglia
	04/08/40	10:35-	1/2	Wellesey (e)	Shared probably destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Massawa	412a Squadriglia
2	02/10/40	02:30-	1	Bleinheim (f)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Gura	412a Squadriglia
3	02/10/40	02:30-	1	Bleinheim (f)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Gura	412a Squadriglia
	02/10/40	02:30-	1	Bleinheim (f)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Gura	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Wellesley (g)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Wellesley (g)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Wellesley (g)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Wellesley (g)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Wellesley (g)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Wellesley (g)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Wellesley (g)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Wellesley (g)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Wellesley (g)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Gladiator (g)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Gladiator (g)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
4	24/10/40		1	Lysander (h)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Metema	412a Squadriglia
5	27/10/40		1	Gladiator (i)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Metema	412a Squadriglia
	11/11/40	12:30 ca	1	Gladiator (j)	Probably destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Metema	412a Squadriglia
6	25/12/40		1	Gladiator (k)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Gallabat	412a Squadriglia
	1941
	12/01/41		1/2	Hardy (l)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Tessenei	412a Squadriglia
7	22/01/41		1	Gladiator (m)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Gheru	412a Squadriglia
8	17/02/41		1	Wellesley (n)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Cheren	412a Squadriglia
9	25/02/41		1	Gladiator (o)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Cheren	412a Squadriglia
10	01/03/41		1	Hurricane (p)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Cheren	412a Squadriglia
11	25/03/41		1	Hurricane (q)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Cheren	412a Squadriglia

Biplane victories: 11 and 3 shared destroyed, 1 and 4 shared probably destroyed, 11 shared destroyed on the ground.
TOTAL: 11 and 3 shared destroyed, 1 and 4 shared probably destroyed, 11 shared destroyed on the ground.
(a) 412^a Squadriglia claimed 2 Wellesleys and AA a third. Wellsley (L2694) of 223 Squadron flown by Flight Sergeant Poskitt failed to return (crew MiA).
(b) Claimed probably destroyed, shared with Tenente Visintini. Wellesley (L2704) of 47 Squadron damaged and under repair for a couple of months.
(c) 412^a Squadriglia claimed 1 destroyed and 1 shared probable in a formation of 9 Wellesleys from 14 and 47 Squadrons. Officially, only Sergeant F. Nelson in K8520 was admitted shot down, but Wellesley L2667, though returned home, was later struck off charge due to enemy fighters’ damage. These were both by 47 Squadron.
(d) Claimed as a shared probably destroyed with Tenente Mario Visintini. Wellesley L2798 from 223 Squadron damaged, later struck off charge due to enemy fighters damage.
(e) 412^a Squadriglia claimed 1 destroyed and 1 probably destroyed while 14 Squadron suffered 3 damaged (1 beyond repair).
(f) Regia Aeronautica claimed at least 3 destroyed; RAF losses was one Blenheim (L8452) of 45 Squadron, flown by 27-year-old Squadron Leader John Walter Dallamore (RAF no. 36074); the observer Pilot Officer A. Sheppard parachuted and taken PoW but the wireless operator/air gunner 23-year-old Sergeant Myles Mackenzie (RAF no. 531722) was killed. Dallamore was killed on impact when aircraft crashed.
(g) According to British sources eight Wellesleys of 47 Squadron (L2650, L2675, L2677, L2688, K7742, K7762, K7779 and K7781) and two Vincents of 430 Flight (K4657 and K4731) were burned on ground, against claims for nine Wellesley destroyed on the ground and two Gladiators shot down during take-off. The latter were unofficially credited to Capitano Antonio Raffi.
(h) This claim can’t be verified with British records.
(i) This claim can’t be verified with British records.
(j) Claimed in combat with three fighters of 1 SAAF. Italians claimed a Gladiator destroyed and two probable. Official 1 SAAF documents are missing for this period, but it seems that just one Gladiator suffered mild damage.
(k) This claim can’t be verified with British records. It s possible that this claim was made on 27 December.
(l) Hawker Hardy K5922 from 237 Squadron force-landed (crew safe).
(m) This claim can’t be verified with British records.
(n) This claim can’t be verified with British records.
(o) This claim can’t be verified with British records.
(p) This claim can’t be verified with British records.
(q) Most probably claimed in combat with 1 SAAF Squadron, which didn’t suffer any losses.

Sources:
Assi Italiani Della Caccia 1936-1945 - 1999 Aerofan no. 69 apr.-giu. 1999
Dust Clouds in the Middle East - Christopher Shores, 1996 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-898697-37-X
Elenco Nominativo dei Militari dell’ A. M. Decorati al V. M. Durante it Periodo 1929 - 1945 1 Volume A - L
GORIZIA ed il QUARTO STORMO
I Cavalieri Erranti - Ludovico Slongo, Stefan Lazzaro, Eugenio Eusebi, Michele Palermo and Danilo Ventura, 2023, ISBN 978-88-87952-37-7
Italian Aces of World War 2 - Giovanni Massimello and Giorgio Apostolo, 2000 Osprey Publishing, Oxford, ISBN 1-84176-078-1
RAF 1939-45 - D. Richards and H. St. Georges Saunders kindly provided by Alfredo Logoluso.
Royal Air Force Bomber Losses in the Middle East and Mediterranean, Volume 1: 1939-1942 - David Gunby and Pelham Temple, 2006 Midland Publishing, ISBN 1-85780-234-9
The Bristol Blenheim: A complete history – Graham Warner, 2002 Crécy Publishing Limited, Manchester, ISBN 0-947554-92-0
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Additional info kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro, Alfredo Logoluso, Giovanni Massimello and Ludovico Slongo.