Davide Colauzzi was born on 7 July 1915 and was from Pordenone (Udine).

Sergente Colauzzi served as a volunteer during the Spanish Civil war where he served in the XVI Gruppo 'la Cucaracha'.

On the last day of August 1940, the 151^o Gruppo C.T. (366^a, 367^a and 368^a Squadriglie) was ordered to move in Libya with 30 CR.42s as a reinforcement for the attack against Sidi Barrani.
The unit under the command of Maggiore Carlo Calosso was one of the first equipped with CR.42s in 1939 and was based in Caselle Torinese near Turin, with sections and Squadriglie detached in different airbases of North Italy for local defence duties.
They departed Caselle Torinese in the morning of 6 September and at 18:20 on 8 September, the whole Gruppo landed in Tripoli Castel Benito.
The 366^a Squadriglia formation was composed of ten aircraft: Capitano Bernardino Serafini (CO), Tenente Mario Ferrero (the Gruppo Adjutant), Sottotenente Amedeo Guidi, Maresciallo Giulio Cesare, Sergente Maggiore Fiorenzo Milella, Sergente Maggiore Dino Carta, Sergente Maggiore Roberto Marchi, Sergente Maggiore Cesare Chiarmetta, Sergente Antonio Camerini, Sergente Eugenio Cicognani. Tenente Piero Veneziani and Maresciallo Giovanni Accorsi followed in the unit’s hack Caproni Ca.133 together with five ground personnel.
The formation of 367^a Squadriglia comprised the Gruppo Commander Maggiore Carlo Calosso, the 368^a Squadriglia’s pilot Sergente Piero Hosquet and nine other pilots for a total of eleven. Among them were Capitano Simeone Marsan (the CO), Tenente Irzio Bozzolan, Tenente Aldo Bonuti, Sergente Maggiore Gino Bogoni and Sergente Tolmino Zanarini. The Squadriglia’s other six pilots were Tenente Giuseppe Costantini, Maresciallo Bruno Castellani, Sergente Maggiore Rodolfo Benco, Sergente Maggiore Bruno Celotto, Sergente Renato Mingozzi and Sergente Maggiorino Soldati.
The 368^a Squadriglia formation was composed of nine aircraft: Capitano Bruno Locatelli (CO), Tenente Giuseppe Zuffi, Sottotenente Furio Lauri, Sergente Maggiore Colauzzi, Sergente Maggiore Annibale Ricotti, Sergente Maggiore Alvise Andrich, Sergente Stefano Fiore, Sergente Ottorino Ambrosi, Sergente Mario Turchi. Tenente Orfeo Paroli and Maresciallo Guido Paparatti followed in the Ca.133 of the Squadriglia (Paroli and Fiore were just transferred from 367^a Squadriglia).
On 25 September the 151^o Gruppo transferred from Benghazi to El Adem where it replaced the 9^o Gruppo C.T.

After some days of inactivity due to the incessantly blowing Ghibli wind, a big coordinated Italian action against Mersa Matruh was planned for 31 October. It was planned to use at least 50 SM 79s from the 9^o Stormo, 14^o Stormo and 33^o Gruppo with an escort of 40 CR.42s from the 2^o Stormo and 151^o Gruppo to attack the British base and its different targets.
At 10:10, Menastir M was attacked by British bombers reported as ten Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys (in fact seven Blenheims from 55 Squadron and three from 84 Squadron). The bombers arrived from a northerly direction completely undetected and hit the parking area of the 93^a Squadriglia with many small and medium calibre bombs launched from 3000 metres. The Squadriglia HQ hut was completely destroyed by a direct hit while four CR.42s were lightly damaged by splinters (RS) and one was heavily damaged (RD). The heavy damaged CR.42 was immediately taken to the S.R.A.M. of El Adem (according to other sources the RD Fiats were three and the RS Fiats were two). Luckily no losses were suffered by the personnel of 8^o Gruppo.
At 10:15 (09:40 according with other sources), while the 9^o Stormo formation was taxiing on Gambut airstrip, a formation of seven Blenheims from 211 Squadron led by Squadron Leader Gordon-Finlayson and two others from 84 Squadron suddenly appeared overhead. The British bombers had managed to approach undetected by gliding down from 3000 metres with turned off engines and bombed with extreme precision, destroying three bombers while three others remained RD and many others were less seriously damaged. Heavy were also the losses among 9^o Stormo’s personnel, with two dead among 63^a Squadriglia (Sergente Armiere Carlo Marchi and Primo Aviere Radiotelegrafista Eugenio Bonino).
Three fighters of the resident 82^a Squadriglia scrambled after the bombers had turned on their Mercury engines. They were flown by Sottotenente Virgilio Vanzan, Sergente Maggiore Dante Davico and Sergente Nino Campanini but they were unable to intercept.
Three fighters of the 78^a Squadriglia also scrambled at 10:00. These were flown by Tenente Ippolito Lalatta, Sottotenente Luigi Cannepele and Sergente Ernesto Taddia. These were also unsuccessful and they landed back at base at 10:45.
Sergente Maggiore Roberto Marchi and Sottotenente Carlo Albertini of the 366^a Squadriglia scrambled from the nearby Amseat A3 for the British bombers. While in pursuit an enemy fighter, identified as a Hurricane, crossed the path of Albertini, who spent 420 rounds on it. The aircraft escaped smoking heavily and Albertini, who landed at 10:45, was credited with a probable victory.
At 10:25, three CR.42s from 92^a Squadriglia, 8^o Gruppo, scrambled from Menastir M. The three fighters were flown by Sottotenente Luigi Uguccioni Sergente, Mario Veronesi and Sergente Marcello Mosele. Veronesi intercepted a Hurricane which he claimed damaged with 150 rounds of ammunition. The three aircraft returned to base at 10:45.
It seems that both scrambles from 366^a and 92^a Squadriglie had been involved in combat with Hurricanes escorting the British bombers and in fact, 80 Squadron had put up eight Gladiators and two Hurricanes between 9.00 and 11.00 to patrol off Bardia at 15,000 feet and to cover bombers attacking Menastir and a target 38 miles west of Bardia (Gambut). The returning pilots didn’t report any encounter with Italian aircraft while returning 211 Squadron crews reported that an Italian CR.42 tried to follow them but after firing two bursts from 500 yards was set upon by a Gladiator and a Hurricane and last seen diving towards the ground with smoke trailing from it.
The Italian mission against Mersa Matruh was not cancelled and at 10:50 only ten SM 79s of 9^o Stormo (that in the original intentions were to constitute the bulk of the formation) took off together with 11 SM 79s of the 14^o Stormo and five from the 33^o Gruppo. The bombers were escorted by 18 CR.42s from the 13^o Gruppo, which flew as close escort, and 18 more from the 151^o Gruppo, which was to fly an indirect support sweep.
At 11:45 two sections with six CR.42s of the 78^a Squadriglia took off from Gambut G with Capitano Giuseppe Dall’Aglio leading Sottotenente Luigi Cannepele (a future posthumously Medaglia d’Oro al valor militare winner and inspirer of the famous “Gigi tre osei” symbol of the 150^o Gruppo C.T.), Sergente Rovero Abbarchi, Tenente Ippolito Lalatta (leading the second section), Sergente Ernesto Taddia and Sergente Teresio Martinoli. They were followed at 11:55 by two sections from the 82^a Squadriglia. The first section included Tenente Guglielmo Chiarini (section leader), Sottotenente Giuseppe Timolina and Sergente Maggiore Dante Davico while the second section included Tenente Gianfranco Perversi (section leader), Sergente Francesco Nanin and Sottotenente Virgilio Vanzan. Together with these six CR.42s, six more of the 77^a Squadriglia took off with Capitano Domenico Bevilacqua leading Tenente Eduardo Sorvillo, Sottotenente Carmelo Catania, Sergente Maggiore Ernesto Scalet, Sergente Ernesto Paolini and Sergente Renato Gori. Capitano Giuseppe Dall’Aglio took command of the whole formation.
For the 151^o Gruppo this was the first long range escort mission since arriving in Libya and they received the order to move at 11:00 and at 12:10 they took off from Amseat A3 to arrive over Mersa Matruh at the same time as the bombers. Participating pilots were from all three Squadriglie - 366^a Squadriglia (Capitano Bernardino Serafini, Tenente Mario Ferrero, Tenente Piero Veneziani, Sergente Maggiore Fiorenzo Milella, Sergente Maggiore Roberto Marchi and Sergente Rosario Di Carlo), 367^a Squadriglia (Capitano Simeone Marsan, Sergente Maggiore Renato Mingozzi, Sergente Maggiorino Soldati, Tenente Irzio Bozzolan, Sergente Maggiore Gino Bogoni and Sergente Bruno Celotto) and 368^a Squadriglia (Capitano Bruno Locatelli, Sergente Maggiore Colauzzi, Sergente Mario Turchi, Tenente Giuseppe Zuffi, Sergente Piero Hosquet and Sergente Ottorino Ambrosi).
The bombers gathered over Tmimi and then headed east in groups of five in arrow formations. The fighters from the 13^o Gruppo flew in flights of three in echelon right formation at 5000 meters, directed to a rendezvous point 20 kilometres south-west of Mersa Matruh along the road that connected this base with Bir Kenayis, which they reached at 12:56.
After the bombers arrived over Mersa Matruh, each formation went for different targets but was attacked by British fighters while aiming for their targets.
At 12:46, the 14^o Stormo, led by Tenente Colonnello Lidonici, attacked the airfield of Bir Kenayis but finding it empty they headed for an alternative target of enemy troops south-west of Mersa Matruh, who were hit at 13:01. In fact, 80 Squadron pilots on the ground noticed Italian bombers attacking the aerodrome of Bir Kenayis at 12:45 and reported that bombs fell to the south-west and some distance away, obviously they thought that the Savoias had missed their intended target of some miles. Gunners of the 14^o Stormo claimed two Hurricanes and a Gladiator destroyed, and another Gladiator probable. One SM 79 crash-landed near Sidi Barrani and was written off while a second crash-landed in the desert near Tobruk and was also written off. Three more SM 79s returned at 14:40 so badly damaged that they were classified RD and another one went to the SRAM for major repairs. Among the crews there were three dead (Sottotenente pilota-puntatore (pilot aimer) Federico Tonizzo, Primo Aviere Montatore Mario Padalino, Primo Aviere Armiere Guerino Invorti) and two wounded (Tenete Beltramini (another aimer) and Tenente Martinelli (observer)). Of its 11 SM 79s, in the evening only five were still fit for further operations.
At 12:55 the 9^o Stormo, led by Tenente Colonnello Italo Napoleoni, released its bombs on the railway near El Qasaba airfield. The diarist of 6 Squadron noted that Quasaba had been bombed at 13:05 by five Savoia SM 79s, dropping approximately 30-40 100kg bombs and that no casualties nor damage had been suffered by the Squadron’s detachment while the diarist of 208 Squadron reported that around 40 bombs of the 100kg type were dropped by 15 SM 79s and that four of them fell in the camp damaging three lorries and three tents while the remainder fell around the railway siding. Two SM 79s from the 11^a Squadriglia, 26^o Gruppo B.T. were shot down. The Squadriglia flew in a ‘V’ formation led by Tenente Giovanni Ruggiero and it was the two outer SM 79s that were shot down in flames by a Hurricane (Sottotenente Fulvio Fabiani, Sergente Arturo Bigliardi, Primo Aviere Fotografo Adorno Antonini, Primo Aviere Motorista Francesco Farina and Primo Aviere Armiere Vincenzo Scarinci) (Tenente Roberto Di Frassineto, Sergente Maggiore Armando Zambelli, Aviere Scelto Motorista Camillo Caiazzo, Primo Aviere Armiere Alfredo Pacifici and Aviere Scelto Radiotelegrafista Giuseppe Costa); all but Zambelli (POW) were killed. In an aircraft of the 13^a Squadriglia was Primo Aviere Motorista Tommaso Giorgio killed and Aviere Scelto RT Canaponi was wounded by Hurricane bullets.

Primo Aviere Motorista Francesco Farina (right) killed when the SM.79 piloted by Sottotenente Fulvio Fabiani was shot down on 31 October 1940.
Farina was born on 11 February 1917 and was originally from Ostuni (Brindisi).
He trained in the Corso Normale Motoristi Aeronautica held at the R. Scuola ind. G.L Bernini, in Naples from June 1937 to January 1938.
In 1941, he was decorated with a posthumous Medaglia di bronzo al valor militare.
Image kindly provided by Valeria Panzetta.

A gunner in the SM 79 to the left of Tenente Ruggiero, at the time 22-years-old Aviere Scelto Armiere Cherubino Mariotti recalled, of this his first combat mission:

"On 31 October 1940 I was on a S79, first left wingmen of a five planes formation that was attacked by British fighters after bombing enemy troops near Mersa Matruh. We, gunners, were returning fire when I noticed that the two end wingmen of our formation were hit and were losing height in flames. Suddenly I centred in my gun sight a Hurricane that was closing to the last three planes shooting continuously at us. Arrived at the distance suitable to start the “famous” turn that permit it to fan with its eight guns its target, I was able to aim at its belly and saw my tracers entering it. Obviously hit, the plane directed towards the ground leaving a thick cloud of black smoke. In this way I avenged the ten dear friends lost in the two planes fell in flames.”

“It was 31 October 1940, I was hospitalised in Derna infirmary when I heard that we were going to start for an important bombing mission. Today it can seem a bit excessive all the enthusiasm with which we wanted to take part in war missions, but twenty years old and with the high spirit of those days all seemed normal for us. I left the infirmary and reached the Squadriglia. When my Commander Capitano Giovanni Ruggiero asked me how I felt I told him: “Perfectly and I’m ready to start” [in fact, Tenente Ruggiero wasn’t promoted to Capitano until 15 November 1940].
My crew was composed by: Tenente Di Frassineto, me, Primo Aviere Fotografo Antonini, Primo Aviere Motorista Stramccioni and Aviere Scelto Armiere Costa [Strangely enough, Zambelli here quotes among his crew, a member of the crew of Sottotenente Fabiani and an airman: Stramaccioni that neither is recorded among the casualties of 9^o Stormo in WWII]. The action was one of the most important of the war so far and our forces were fifty S 79s with the escort of forty fighters started from an airstrip near Derna [It appears that the 9^o Stormo was divided in two formations - one from the 26^o Gruppo (11^a and 13^a Squadriglie), which started from Derna and the other from the 29^o Gruppo (62^a and 63^a Squadriglie), which was surprised by the Blenheims at Gambut and was prevented to take part in the action] and after around an hour of flight we arrived over the airbase of Matruh.
Our section was composed by five planes disposed in arrow formation under command of Capitano Ruggero. We were almost on the target when a hand on my shoulder made me turning the head. It was the Motorista that told me that we were attacked by enemy fighters of which we had already shot down one [the aircraft claimed by Mariotti], sadly the Hurricanes and Gloster Gladiators from a superior height continued to fire without respite and after a short while I saw the end wingman opposite to my position falling in flames; pilots were Tenente Fabiani from Rome and Sergente Bigliardi from Bologna. We succeeded in bombing the target but following another enemy’s burst of fire our plane started to burn and being made of wood and fabric it burned like a wax match.
I told the members of the crew to bale out but without avail because they tried to fight the fire. Enemy bullets continued to enter the plane and I saw the poor crewmembers hit by the bullets and reached by the flames. We decided to leave the plane, I opened the exit door on the top of the cockpit and immediately air suction threw me against the tail of the plane that was burning; I lost consciousness and I woke up when the parachute opened. I was descending under the area where our CR 42s and the Hurricanes were fighting. Moving my legs I tried to move towards the land to avoid falling into the sea but in that moment I lost consciousness again. When I woke up for the second time I was on a British vehicle between a bearded Shik driver and an English officer that pointed his gun on me. I was taken to the infirmary because I was burned in the face and in the hands and had a dislocated ankle; there I was left resting for a while. Subsequently I was examined by a General that told me that he was Canadian and that he had fought as our alley during the First World War [Raymond Collishaw!]. He asked me, in an approximate Italian, if in Italy we thought that they killed the aviators that jumped with the parachute. […].”

“Immediately after the bomb release a hard attack of Hurricanes […] immediately the plane took 116 hits […] one wing damaged, engines nacelles damaged, flaps and empennages damaged, bomb bay damaged, the three propellers hit, […] 1^o Aviere Motorista Tommaso Giorgio, that was shooting back with the gun in the “hunk” died, […] his place was taken by Aviere Scelto Marconista Canaponi but after a short while he was wounded too […] finally Primo Aviere Fotografo Marcucci took the gun […].”

Eight Italian Planes Down – Air Battle over Mersa Matruh. Cairo, Saturday.

It was announced from Headquarters, RAF, Middle East on Friday, that a large force of enemy bombers (SM 79s) escorted by a dozen fighters (CR 42s) attempted an attack on targets in the Mersa Matruh area yesterday. Fighter aircraft of the RAF immediately engaged the enemy. In the ensuing battle, four SM 79s were shot down and four CR.42s were destroyed. In addition, four more enemy aircraft were so damaged that it is unlikely that they returned to their base. During the battle, two of our fighter aircraft collided, but the pilots landed safely by parachute. One of our fighters was shot down and one, which was last seen engaging three SM 79s making for home, has so far not returned to its base.

“On 31 October, two S 79s of 11^a Squadriglia failed to return from a bombing action done at 12.57 over enemy positions.
Crew chief of one of those planes was Tenente Di Frassineto.
It seems that coming back from the action the two planes were attacked by numerous enemy planes, together with them other eight planes of the same Gruppo; the two S 79s were seen to fall near Mersa Matruh, one of them presumably hit by the AA fire.
The other crewmembers were Sergente Maggiore Armando Zambelli, Aviere Scelto Motorista Camillo Caiazzo, Primo Aviere Armiere Alfredo Pacifici, Aviere Scelto Radiotelegrafista Giuseppe Costa.
All this personnel until now is considered missing in action.
We already started the procedures on the Red Cross, necessary to know the names of possible prisoners.”

“Indirect protection in the sky over the target was not reliable for the protection of big formations of S79s (…) so, it happened that the S79 had to fight hardly (…) while the fighters, in areas far from the fighting, (…) didn’t do nothing!”.

In the afternoon on 9 December, SM 79s were out to bomb British troops at the Sidi Barrani - Bir Enba area. They were to be escorted by 19 CR.42s of the 9^o Gruppo led by Maggiore Ernesto Botto, which had taken off from El Adem at 14:55. The fighters included seven from the 73^a Squadriglia (Tenente Valerio De Campo (CO), Tenente Giulio Reiner, Sottotenente Alvaro Querci, Sergente Maggiore Guglielmo Biffani, Sergente Maggiore Enrico Dallari, Sergente Maggiore Antonio Valle and Sergente Santo Gino) seven from the 97^a Squadriglia (Capitano Antonio Larsimont Pergameni (CO), Tenente Ezio Viglione Borghese, Sottotenente Riccardo Vaccari, Sergente Maggiore Otello Perotti, Sergente Maggiore Massimo Salvatore, Sergente Angelo Golino and Sergente Alcide Leoni) and four from the 96^a Squadriglia (Tenente Aldo Gon and Sergente Giuseppe Tomasi together with two unknown pilots).
More Italian fighters were up to escort the bombers and at 15:10, Sergente Maggiore Fiorenzo Milella of the 366^a, 151^o Gruppo, attached to a formation of nine CR.42s of the 368^a Squadriglia (Capitano Bruno Locatelli, Sergente Maggiore Colauzzi, Sergente Ernesto De Bellis, Sottotenente Furio Lauri, Sergente Maggiore Annibale Ricotti, Tenente Orfeo Paroli, Sergente Piero Hosquet, Sergente Stefano Fiore, Sergente Ottorino Ambrosi) were out to escorted Italian bombers in the Bir Enba area.
The rendezvous with the bombers over A3 failed and after 20 minutes, the fighters of the 9^o Gruppo arrived and together they proceeded towards the front on a free sweep. Three SM 79s were discovered and escorted for a while. Over Buq-Buq, a Hurricane strafing along the coastal road was discovered and the SM 79s were left to the 9^o Gruppo while the CR.42s of the 151^o Gruppo attacked the British fighter. The Hurricane was claimed shot down in flames and credited to the formation (but in fact only Locatelli, Lauri, Paroli and De Bellis fired their guns).
The 151^a Gruppo fighters returned to base at 16:50.
Meanwhile the fighters from the 9^o Gruppo continued and 30 km south of Bir Enba they spotted some Gladiators at a lower level and dived on them, but suddenly the CR.42s were jumped by a reported two Squadrons of Hurricanes or Spitfires, attacking respectively the 73^a Squadriglia and the 96^a Squadriglia with the 97^a Squadriglia. A large dogfight started and after 20 minutes of combat many claims were submitted by the Italian pilots
Tenente Vaccari fought alone against four Hurricanes, claiming one destroyed (as a Spitfire) and damaging the others before his Fiat was hit in the fuel tank and in the engine. He crash-landed near Sollum, the aircraft turning over and caught fire; he was burned in the face and hands. Sergente Maggiore Salvatore claimed a Spitfire and several damaged before being wounded in his left arm. He managed however to return to base. Sergente Golino was hit in his back, but managed to claim his attacker before being compelled to evade and land at Amseat A3. Sergente Maggiore Biffani (Fiat CR.42 MM5599/73-9) claimed a Hurricane but was at the same shot down by his victim and was captured. He recalled:

"In the afternoon of 9 December we were flying between Mersa Matruh and Buq-Buq, when my wingman, Sottotenente Alvaro Querci, warned me that we had enemies behind us. I alerted Botto by shooting a burst [Note that the CR.42 had no radio during this period], then I realized they were near my tail, so I made a 180-degree turn and I saw them pass: they were three Hurricanes. I climbed almost vertically and saw the 73^a Squadriglia in front, the three Hurricanes behind it and 96^a and 97^a Squadriglia behind them, all in a vertical line that went down to the ground. Then I discovered a Hurricane that was breaking off from the combat, clearly he had seen the other Italian fighters on its tail. I continued to climb, now I was the highest fighter of them all, then I dived down at full throttle [towards the escaping Hurricane]. I arrived near it and then I reduced speed and put the revolutions between 1850 and 2250 because otherwise I would had cut my propeller as happened to Gon and others, because the airscrew went out of gear and the round was fired when it passed in front of the gun (…) . When I closed to it, I opened fire. I aimed and saw the explosive bullets that exploded on the wing. Why didn’t anything happen? Was there no fuel at all? I fired at the other wing but it was the same, the bullets exploded but nothing happened. I fired into the engine, nothing happened. I saw the tracers very well, and after all, it wasn’t the first time I was shooting. At Gorizia I used to hit the target balloon with ten rounds only. In the meantime, I was losing speed and falling behind, O.K. Goodbye! It passed and turned towards me again -so I hadn’t caused any damage to it- , and I did the same. We found ourselves face to face at a distance of around 500-600 metres. I started firing and saw my tracers hitting it, then its wings lit up and in the same moment my plane caught fire, it was just an instant. My plane was severely damaged and while I was trying to land I saw the Hurricane that dived into the ground and exploded. I saw no parachute. I force-landed among British MTs and was immediately taken prisoner. I went back home after 63 months of POW!"

“The enemy engaged in dogfight. Claim one E a/c for certain (saw it hit the ground). Attacked two in tight vic and was at 200 yards point blank range and fell certain must have killed pilots. Got another good and point blank deflection shot at another. Closed from optimum to point blank range at first. Must (?) have shot down the first two but could not spare time to confirm. 3rd point blank deflection shot likely and fourth adversary saw it hit the ground (claim 1 confirmed and 2 others which I feel certain about but must go down as unconfirmed).”

“The enemy fired back. 1 CR 42 shot down and seen to hit the ground without burning. Several other machines were shot at individually. They can out manoeuvre a Hurricane but one can get away and then come back.”

“The enemy tried to turn inside me. 1 CR 42 shot at short range from above into cockpit. Aircraft turned (unreadable) with sparks from it. Followed it down until attacked by others CR 42s. Using 15^o flap climb (unreadable) but not quite equal to 42. Speed on level far superior. Possible when attacked from above to turn and deliver short head on burst.”

“The enemy dog fought, during dogfight damaged two enemy and sent one down out of control but could not see it crash as another was in my tail. The enemy fairly aggressive.”

“The enemy started a general dogfight. 1 CR 42 shot down and seen to burn out on the ground”.

Between 15:30 and 15:45 on 10 December, a formation from the whole 151^o Gruppo took off from A3 to escort Ba.65s in the Bir Enba – Sidi Barrani area. The 366^a and 367^a Squadriglie flew direct cover of the assault aircraft while the 368^a Squadriglia acted as top cover.
Pilots from 366^a Squadriglia were Capitano Bernardino Serafini, Tenente Guglielmo Chiarini, Sottotenente Amedeo Guidi, Sottotenente Carlo Albertini, Sergente Maggiore Cesare Chiarmetta, Sergente Maggiore Fiorenzo Milella and Sergente Antonio Camerini. Pilots from the 368^a Squadriglia were Capitano Bruno Locatelli, Sergente Maggiore Colauzzi, Tenente Orfeo Paroli (aborted due to mechanical problems), Sergente Ottorino Ambrosi, Tenente Giuseppe Zuffi, Sergente Mario Turchi and Sottotenente Furio Lauri together with Maresciallo Giulio Cesare of the 366^a Squadriglia. Not all the participating pilots from the 367^a Squadriglia are known but included were Capitano Irzio Bozzolan, Sergente Maggiore Rodolfo Benco, Sergente Maggiore Gino Bogoni, Sergente Tolmino Zanarini, (plus possibly other three pilots).
After the attack of the Bredas, the close escort Squadriglie went down to strafe. The 366^a Squadriglia did five passes and then it was the turn of the 367^a Squadriglia. The weather in the meantime was again deteriorating and was not possible to maintain visual contact between the two covering Squadriglie and the strafing one.
Because of this, the 367^a Squadriglia was surprised from astern by a formation of Glosters while intent in strafing. After a short combat the CR.42s were able to disengage, claiming only a probable victory by an unknown pilot but losing Sergente Bogoni’s CR.42 and getting Sergente Maggiore Benco’s (wounded in the right foot) and Sergente Zanarini’s fighters damaged. Capitano Bozzolan had a narrow escape when pursued by two Gladiators that damaged his engine; he was forced to land in the midst of the enemy armoured cars with a stopped engine. Suddenly the Fiat A74 engine restarted and Bozzolan was able to do a touch-an-go, just managing to return to A3.
They had run into Gladiators from 3 RAAF Squadron. Five Gladiators piloted by Squadron Leader Ian McLachlan, Flight Lieutenant Gordon Steege, Flying Officer Alan Gatward, Flying Officer B. L. Bracegirdle and a fight unknown pilot (the ORB only names four pilots but all combat reports states five Gladiators) had taken off from ALG 74 at 15:40 to carry out an offensive patrol over Tummar. They reported encountering twelve CR.42s that were ground strafing Allied troops near Tummar West. The Gladiators attacked the enemy aircraft and in the ensuing battle, Squadron Leader McLachlan shot one down which he saw strike the ground whilst Flight Lieutenant Steege and Flying Officer Gatward each got a possible. These were later confirmed. All Gladiators returned to base at 17:10. According to some sources Steege and Flying Officer Gatward each claimed 1 and 1 probable CR.42 in this combat, but this can’t be verified with 3 RAAF Squadron’s Operations Record Book nor the combat reports.
Flight Lieutenant Steege reported:

”5 Gladiators led by me were flying at 2000 ft [600 meters] on an Westerly Course about 2 Miles [3.2 kilometres] ENE of NEBEIWA at 1645 when Aircraft were observed Dive Bombing The road running N – South beside the West Edge of West Tummar.
E.A. were carrying an orthodox D. B. from about 3000 ft [900 meters].
Own formation climbed into sun. During this, one E.A. climbing from an attack evidently saw our formation as he continued to climb S.E. I climbed after him and saw my incendiaries passing around him. He stalled to the right as I did, about 500 feet [150 meters] below him.
The remained of own formation were then also engaging E.A.
I followed another from astern at 4000 ft [1,200 meters] and got in several good bursts. He was climbing slowly and appeared to attempt to turn into a head on attack. I fired a long burst into him from about 150 yds [140 meters] and he went into a steep spiral dive 3 turns of which I counted. I then lost sight of him.
During the engagement 5 S 79s were seen to pass above W. Tummar on a West Course at about 7000 ft [2,100 meters] but it was not practical to chase them.”

”When diving from [unreadable] towards E.A. I saw one E.A. proceeding WEST low down on my starboard. I dived on him from the beam and followed him round until almost directly astern & slightly above. I opened fire at a range of approx 50 yds [45 meters] and after a short burst E A which was flying straight at about 200 ft [60 meters] slewed right and dived into the ground. I saw E.A. strike the ground in a cloud of dust and then turned away to avoid another E.A. I had not seen E.A. burning. I returned EAST to [incomprehensible].”

”Own formation attacked out of sun and appeared to be observed by two E.A. only.
I arrived over the area to find three E.A. in echelon about 500 ft [150 meters] below me, apparently preparing for another dive bombing attack on target.
By half rolling and diving I came astern the last aircraft at about 150 yards [137 meters] where I opened fire. The aircraft when fired on commenced a very steep climbing turn from which it spun away. I was unable to observe the result of this spin as by this time I was in the middle of a fight and was taking avoiding action. I followed another aircraft out to the NORTH but was quickly outdistanced by his superior speed. I returned to the scene of the fight but the E.A. had gone home and our formation formed up again.”

At 14:55 on 11 December, the 151^o Gruppo was out again to escort Ba.65s bound to attack British troops south of Buq-Buq.
One formation from the 366^a Squadriglia included nine CR.42s (Capitano Bernardino Serafini, Tenente Guglielmo Chiarini, Sottotenente Amedeo Guidi, Sergente Maggiore Dino Carta, Sergente Maggiore Fiorenzo Milella, Sergente Maggiore Roberto Marchi, Sergente Rosario Di Carlo, Sergente Antonio Camerini and Segente Eugenio Cicognani). Twenty-five minutes before this formation, the 367^a Squadriglia (Capitano Simeone Marsan, Capitano Giuseppe Costantini, Sergente Maggiore Rodolfo Benco, Sergente Maggiore Bruno Celotto and Sergente Tolmino Zanarini) had taken off from A3 together with the 368^a Squadriglia (Capitano Bruno Locatelli, Sergente Maggiore Colauzzi, Sergente Stefano Fiore, Sottotenente Furio Lauri and Sergente Ernesto De Bellis), for the same type of mission. It seems that one of the formations escorted Ba.65/A80s from the 159^a Squadriglia, 12^o Gruppo, while the other escorted Ba.65/K14s from the 168^a Squadriglia, 16^o Gruppo.
The Bredas from the 159^a Squadriglia (Tenente Adriano Visconti, Maresciallo Enio Sagliaschi, Sergente Maggiore Paolo Perno and Sergente Maggiore Pietro Scaramucci) were surprised by a bombing attack by reportedly twelve British aircraft while taxiing before take off at A3. The four pilots after a brief consultation decided to remain inside their aircraft and wait for the end of the bombardment and then took off, avoiding the holes in the runway. For this reason they received a written commendation from Colonnello Moresco together with their colleagues from the 16^o Gruppo for their activity on 9-11 December. The attacking aircraft were eight Blenheims Mk.IVs from 55 Squadron led by Squadron Leader Dudgeon (T1995) that arrived over their intended target “a landing ground on the Capuzzo-Bardia road” (obviously Amseat) at 15:00. Weather was very poor and bombs were dropped from 10,000 feet through cloud (6/10 at 7000 feet). Results were difficult to appreciate due to the bad visibility but a fire was seen burning on ground with a long flame of black smoke. While the Blenheims were making out to sea, a reportedly twelve CR.42s were seen climbing below clouds and following the Blenheim formation although they didn’t catch up with it.
Visconti’s four Ba.65s finished the mission attacking the enemy near Buq-Buq and then returned directly to T2 since A3 had to be evacuated. They were all damaged by AA fire.
While the 366^a Squadriglia was climbing over A3, a lone British monoplane came out of the clouds and attacked the last CR.42 in the formation, flown by Sergente Cicognani. The young Sergente was wounded in the leg, in the right arm and in the head and had to bale out. He was immediately taken to Bardia hospital but his arm couldn’t be saved and it was amputated. Later in the campaign, the 151^o Gruppo put a rhomboidal badge on the fin of its CR.42s representing an iron arm drawing a bow made of a naked girl stretching her back, to commemorate Cicognani.
In the meantime, over Bardia, the other CR.42s of the formation were reacting with Sottotenente Guidi and Sergente Maggiore Carta starting in pursuit of the now fleeing Hurricane. After a brief period, Carta abandoned the chase because he was being distanced by the Hurricane but Guidi stubbornly continued. Bernardino Serafini and his men completed the escort and strafed enemy troops after the Breda’s attack.
Some miles away the Bredas escorted by the 367^a and 368^a Squadriglie had finished their attack. While the 367^a Squadriglia returned directly to T2, two CR.42s from the 368^a Squadriglia (Locatelli and Colauzzi) went down to finished the work and destroyed three trucks. While still at low altitude, they were attacked by a lone Hurricane but in a matter of minutes, they were able to turn the tables against their opponent with the help from Sottotenente Guidi, who was already following it and finally shot it down in flames. In the meantime, another Hurricane appeared and Sottotenente Lauri after being heavily damaged by it, succeeded in shooting it down (using 180 rounds of 12,7mm and 300 rounds of 7,7mm ammunition).
It seems that Locatelli, Colauzzi and Guidi had shot down Flying Officer Charles ‘Deadstick’ Dyson DFC (Hurricane P3726) from 33 Squadron. Dyson returned safely six days later with an amazing story. He later retold the ”Egyptian Mail” that while returning from a lone patrol to base at Mersa Matruh, in Egypt:

“I was alone, 12,000 feet up, between Bardia and Sollum, when I saw a flight of six Bread 65s.
I was going to attack the last three when, coming through the clouds, I saw two CR 42s in front of me and three more lower down. They were stepped up, escorting the Bredas. I at once attacked the two CR42s, giving each a burst, and both pilots, turning their aircraft on their backs, “baled out”.
I had dived to the attack and I carried on to the next three. With two bursts I got the leader and the starboard aircraft and each pilot “baled out”. Three of the four aircraft had long trails of smoke coming from them when their pilots jumped. For a moment I lost sight of the last of the three CRs but when I rolled off the top of a loop, I saw him a considerable distance bellow me, and travelling in the same direction as myself.
I dived at him and gave him a long burst. He too “baled out” – the fifth off the reel.”

“I put everything forward and touched 400 miles an hour, and I got away. My dive brought me down to 3,000 feet and I was over Sollum Bay. There I saw two more CRs making their way homeward. The leader saw me manoeuvring and the parted. Both the leader and I stall-turned and we faced each other head on. I don’t think he had much ammunition left as I saw only small bursts of incendiaries pass me. I held my burst to a very short distance and just managed to clear him. Turning back I saw him going down vertically. I then managed to get a quick burst at the other enemy aircraft and I believe my bullets went into him.”

“I opened the hood and hung my head outside. I carried on, still pursued, hoping that my aircraft would not catch fire. I did not know whether I was over enemy or friendly territory. Suddenly we were fired upon from the ground and I believe this saved me, for my pursuers broke off. Owing to the smoke and fumes I had been flying blind for three or four minutes, but I managed to put my aircraft down in a cross wind.”

“The enemy turned over and dived down and then pulled up into cloud. Followed and fired a/c [unreadable] and then flamed. Aircraft seen going down by P/O Godden who was behind me. No damage to own aircraft. Pilot of C.R. 42 showed little or no air nerve (verve) in that he allowed me to approach unobserved on a long chase.”

“…late in the afternoon three of us were on patrol when I saw a speck on the horizon going towards Libya. I chased after it, the other two following, and eventually saw it was a lone CR 42 making for home (probably after ground strafing our own troops). I chased behind him without him noticing me and waited until I was right behind him at point blank range and put a burst into him. The other two saw him going down burning”.

Starting from 09:00 on 19 December, nine Hurricanes from 274 Squadron took off with fifteen minutes intervals during the morning. Then at least seven others took off for a second mission, this time taking off with 25 minutes intervals. Although explicitly ordered to keep clear of fighters they engaged CR.42s on two separate occasions during the day.
Second Lieutenant Talbot (P3721) claimed a confirmed victory over a CR.42. He was flying at 17,000 feet, 30 miles west of Bardia (Great Gambut) when at 13:05 he discovered two formations of six CR.42s stepped up to right and flying one mile to starboard. He approached unobserved and attacked a straggler of the formation. He reported:

“attacked by remainder of formation. 1 CR 42 spiralled down after attack and was later seen burning on the ground by Flying Officer Greenhill. CR 42s where on offensive patrol not escorting bombers.”

“the CR 42s were 11 or 12 in a bunch (no formation). I delivered an attack from astern and the enemy immediately attacked, 1 CR 42 was badly damaged (probably shot down), 6 holes in own aircraft through main spar. Enemy a/c on offensive patrol showing determination. Holes in own aircraft about 303 size (1 e/a seen burning after engagement by 2nd Lieutenant Talbot).”

In the beginning of 1942, the 151^o Gruppo consisted of the 366^a, 367^a and 368^a Squadriglie. They were based at Torino Caselle and were equipped with the Fiat G.50bis.

On 19 August, Sottotenente Colauzzi was killed in a flying accident in Torino.

At the time of his death, Colauzzi was credited with 1 biplane victory.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1940
1	31/10/40	-14:10	1	Hurricane (a)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Mersa Matruh area	368a Squadriglia
	31/10/40	-14:10	½	Hurricane (a)	Shared damaged	Fiat CR.42		Mersa Matruh area	368a Squadriglia
	09/12/40	15:10-16:50	1/10	Hurricane (b)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Buq-Buq	368a Squadriglia
	10/12/40	15:40-	1/5	Hurricane (c)	Shared damaged	Fiat CR.42		Sidi Barrani - Buq-Buq	368a Squadriglia
	11/12/40	14:55-	1/3	Hurricane (d)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Bardia area	368a Squadriglia
	19/12/40	12:15-14:15	1/11	Hurricane (e)	Shared probable	Fiat CR.42		S Sidi Azeiz	368a Squadriglia
	19/12/40	12:15-14:15	1/11	Hurricane (e)	Shared damaged	Fiat CR.42		S Sidi Azeiz	368a Squadriglia
	19/12/40	12:15-14:15	1/11	Hurricane (e)	Shared damaged	Fiat CR.42		S Sidi Azeiz	368a Squadriglia

Biplane victories: 1 and 2 shared destroyed, 1 shared probably destroyed, 4 shared damaged.
TOTAL: 1 and 2 shared destroyed, 1 shared probably destroyed, 4 shared damaged.
(a) Claimed in combat with Gladiators from 112 Squadron and Hurricanes from 33 Squadron. 112 Squadron and 33 Squadron claimed 4 CR.42s, 3 SM 79s, 2 probable SM 79s and 1 damaged SM 79 while losing 4 Gladiators and 2 Hurricanes. The Italian fighters totally claimed 11 victories while the bombers claimed 7, while losing 1 CR.42 and 2 SM 79s (2 more SM 79s being damaged beyond repair).
(b) Probably claimed in combat between 9^o and 151^o Gruppi and 33 and 274 Squadrons. 9^o Gruppo claimed eight shot down, three probables and several damaged while losing two CR.42s and four force-landed. The 151^o Gruppo claimed one Hurricane without losses. 33 and 274 Squadrons claimed seven or eight CR.42s and three probables while one Hurricane (33 Squadron) had to force-land and a second (274 Squadron) was damaged.
(c) Possibly a Hurricane from 33 Squadron; Lieutenant Jacobus George Fischer KIA.
(d) Probably Flying Officer Charles ‘Deadstick’ Dyson DFC from 33 Squadron shot down. Dyson made an emergency landing and returned to his unit safe.
(e) Claimed in combat with Hurricanes from 274 Squadron, which claimed 1 and 1 probable CR.42 without losses. 151^o Gruppo claimed 1 probable and 2 damaged Hurricanes while suffering 1 badly damaged CR.42 and 2 lightly damaged. The 70^a Squadriglia claimed 1 damaged Hurricane while suffering 1 damaged CR.42.

Sources:
53^o Stormo - Marco Mattioli, 2010 Osprey Publishing, Oxford, ISBN 978-1-84603-977-5
Aces High - Christopher Shores and Clive Williams, 1994 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-898697-00-0
Desert Prelude: Early clashes June-November 1940 - Håkan Gustavsson and Ludovico Slongo, 2010 MMP books, ISBN 978-83-89450-52-4
Desert Prelude: Operation Compass - Håkan Gustavsson and Ludovico Slongo, 2011 MMP books, ISBN 978-83-61421-18-4
Diario Storico 366^a Squadriglia kindly provided by Ludovico Slongo.
Diario Storico 368^a Squadriglia kindly provided by Ludovico Slongo.
Elenco Nominativo dei Militari dell’ A. M. Decorati al V. M. Durante it Periodo 1929 - 1945 1 Volume A - L
Fighters over the Desert - Christopher Shores and Hans Ring, 1969 Neville Spearman Limited, London
Hurricanes over Tobruk - Brian Cull with Don Minterne, 1999 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-902304-11-X
Ministero della Difesa
Wings Over Spain - Emiliani Ghergo, 1997 Giorgio Apostolo Editore, Milano.
Additional information kindly provided by Ian Acworth, Stefano Lazzaro and Ludovico Slongo.