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

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.

At 04:35 on 30 June 1940, five Wellesleys from 223 Squadron took off from Summit to attack the AGIP depot at Massawa. The formation reportedly met heavy AA fire and was attacked by one CR.32 and two CR.42s, which shot down Wellesley L2654 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).
The Italian fighters of the 412^a Squadriglia claimed two of the bombers shot down, one of them by Sergente Maggiore Baron, who claimed a Wellesley over Massaua. AA claimed a third Wellesley.

On 22 July, he claimed a Wellesley over Harmil Island. British records can’t verify this claim but it is possible but it is possible that there is some confusions on the date since the next day (23 July) Wellesleys from 14 Squadron (four) and 223 Squadron (three) attacked Massawa and meet fighter opposition although no losses were suffered, one aircraft flown by Pilot Officer Ellis from 223 Squadron was damaged but returned to base.

On 14 August he claimed a shared Wellesley over Harmil Island. This claim can’t be verified with British records. It is also possible that this claim is one presumed to have happened on an unknown date in July when he claimed a shared Blenheim with Tenente Mario Visintini in the Gura-Decamere area.

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.

In the early hours of 16 October Flight Lieuteant Mitchell of 430 Flight, piloting a Vincent, attacked Tessenei airfield. He was followed back to Gedaref by a Ca.133, which bombed the landing ground without effect. But the Italians now knew where the aircraft, which had been operating around the Lake Tana region during recent weeks were based.
A strike was laid on at once. At 0525 an S.79 flown by Generale Piacentini himself led in six CR.42s of the 412^a Squadriglia flown by Capitano Antonio Raffi, Tenente Mario Visintini, Tenente Carlo Canella, Sergente Maggiore Baron, Scarselli and Tenente De Pauli. Some sources claims that nine CR.42s were involved in this strike and the British identified the attackers incorrectly as one S.79, four CR.42s and three CR.32s.
The Savoia dropped its bombs without causing much damage, but the fighters then strafed and totally destroyed all eight Wellesleys of 47 Squadronss detachment (K7742, K7762, K7779, K7781, L2650, L2675, L2677 and L2688) and two of 430 Flight's Vincents (K4657 and K4731). An attempt to telephone the fighter detachment at Azzoza was foiled, as the line between Gedaref and Azzoza was found to have been cut. Italian claims were very accurate, eleven aircraft being claimed destroyed, together with a munitions dump and a lorry.

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

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

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.

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 in the Keren area. Two of them encountered three CR.42s, which dived away in thick cloud. Lieutenant S. de K. 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 Agordat on foot. His aircraft was later recovered and repaired.
It seems that Viljoen had chased aircraft from 412^a Squadriglia, engaged in strafing British troops in front of Keren. Two of these fighters flown by Sergente Maggiore Baron and another pilot, force-landed at a forward landing strip due to bad weather.
Later on the day Tenente Mario Visintini took off to fly back to guide these pilots home. It seems that during the flight he was however blown off course by high winds and while descending through clouds he crashed into the side of Mount 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.

During the war Baron was decorated with one Medaglia d'argento al Valore Militare and one Medaglia di Bronzo al Valor Militare. He was also decorated with the German Iron Cross 2nd Class.

Luigi Baron ended the war with 12 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	04:35-	1	Wellesley (a)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Massawa	412a Squadriglia
2	22/07/40		1	Wellesley (b)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Harmil Island	412a Squadriglia
	14/08/40		½	Wellesley (c)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Harmil Island	412a Squadriglia
3	02/10/40	02:30-	1	Bleinheim (d)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Gura	412a Squadriglia
4	02/10/40	02:30-	1	Bleinheim (d)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Gura	412a Squadriglia
	02/10/40	02:30-	1	Bleinheim (d)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Gura	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40		1/7	Enemy aircraft (e)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Gedaref	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40		1/7	Enemy aircraft (e)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Gedaref	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40		1/7	Enemy aircraft (e)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Gedaref	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40		1/7	Enemy aircraft (e)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Gedaref	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40		1/7	Enemy aircraft (e)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Gedaref	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40		1/7	Enemy aircraft (e)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Gedaref	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40		1/7	Enemy aircraft (e)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Gedaref	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40		1/7	Enemy aircraft (e)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Gedaref	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40		1/7	Enemy aircraft (e)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Gedaref	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40		1/7	Enemy aircraft (e)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Gedaref	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40		1/7	Enemy aircraft (e)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Gedaref	412a Squadriglia
5	24/10/40		1	Lysander (f)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Metemma	412a Squadriglia
6	27/10/40		1	Gladiator (g)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Metemma	412a Squadriglia
7	25/12/40		1	Gladiator (h)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Gallabat	412a Squadriglia
	1941
8	22/01/41		1	Gladiator (i)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Gheru	412a Squadriglia
9	17/02/41		1	Wellesley (j)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Cheren	412a Squadriglia
10	25/02/41		1	Gladiator (k)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Cheren	412a Squadriglia
11	01/03/41		1	Hurricane (l)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Cheren	412a Squadriglia
12	25/03/41		1	Hurricane (m)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Cheren	412a Squadriglia

Biplane victories: 12 and 2 shared destroyed, 11 shared destroyed on the ground.
TOTAL: 12 and 2 shared destroyed, 11 shared destroyed on the ground.
(a) Claimed in combat with Wellesleys from 223 Squadron, which lost one bomber. The 412^a Squadriglia claimed two bombers and AA a third.
(b) This claim can’t be verified with British records.
(c) This claim can’t be verified with British records. It is also possible that this claim is one presumed to have happened on an unknown date in July when he claimed a shared Blenheim with Tenente Mario Visintini in the Gura-Decamere area.
(d) 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.
(e) According to British sources eight Wellesleys of 47 Squadron and two Vincents of 430 Flight were destroyed against claims for eleven aircraft destroyed on the ground.
(f) This claim can’t be verified with British records.
(g) This claim can’t be verified with British records.
(h) This claim can’t be verified with British records. It s possible that this claim was made on 27 December.
(i) This claim can’t be verified with British records.
(j) This claim can’t be verified with British records.
(k) This claim can’t be verified with British records.
(l) This claim can’t be verified with British records.
(m) 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
GORIZIA ed il QUARTO STORMO
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.