Amleto Monterumici was from Bologna.

When Italy declared war on the Great Britain and France on 10 June 1940, Sergente Amleto Monterumici served in the 90^a Squadriglia, 10^o Gruppo, 4^o Stormo C.T.

On 12 June, the 2^o Stormo’s fighters in North Africa were joined by those of the 10^o Gruppo (84^a, 90^a and 91^a Squadriglie) of the Gorizia based 4^o Stormo C.T.. The Gruppo was commanded by Tenente Colonnello Armando Piragino and started the war at Tobruk T2 with 27 CR.42s.
The 90^a Squadriglia was composed of the following pilots: Capitano Renzo Maggini (CO), Tenente Franco Lucchini, Tenente Giovanni Guiducci, Sottotenente Neri De Benedetti, Sottotenente Alessandro Rusconi, Maresciallo Omero Alesi, Sergente Maggiore Angelo Savini, Sergente Monterumici, Sergente Silvio Crociati, Sergente Giovanni Battista Ceoletta, Sergente Alfredo Sclavo, Sergente Bruno Bortoletti, Sergente Paolo Guillet and Sergente Ernesto Keller. The last three pilots didn’t take part in the move to T2. The Squadriglia had nine Fiat CR.42s on strength.

At 17:12 on 28 June, a formation of fifteen Blenheims consisting of nine from 55 Squadron (led by Flight Lieutenant R. B. Cox) and probably six from 211 Squadron made a surprise attack on Tobruk T2 with very good results. The aircraft of the 90^a Squadriglia suffered worst and even if only one CR.42 was burnt out completely, not a single plane of the Squadriglia escaped unscathed. Two aircraft of the 84^a Squadriglia and some of the 91^a Squadriglia were damaged to (RS). It seems that some Ro.37s were damaged (RS) as well in this attack and many fuel drums burned. In fact 55 Squadron’s returning crews reported that one or more bombs hit what was probably a bulk petrol store as dense smoke rose to a height of 1000 feet.
A 90^a Squadriglia trio of pilots (Capitano Renzo Maggini, Sergente Monterumici and Sergente Silvio Crociati) was on alarm duty and, notwithstanding the bombing, tried to take off. The three pilots were showered a rain of splinters. Maggini was seriously wounded in the leg while he was trying to jump into his aircraft and wounded with him was Aviere Scelto Francesco Macina, who was following his commander with the compressed air bottle necessary to start the Fiat A.74 RC38 engine of the CR 42. Crociati was wounded by a splinter and sprayed with burning fuel. Taken to Tobruk hospital in critical condition he died during the night. Together with him five personnel of the 90^a Squadriglia died (Primo Aviere Martino Cardascia, Aviere Scelto Rocco Madri, Aviere Giuseppe Bassanini, Aviere Pietro Cappelletti, Aviere Nando Fuini) and six soldiers of the Army. Monterumici was also wounded and didn’t succeed in taking off. Together with him two personnel of the 90^a Squadriglia were wounded (Primo Aviere di Governo Ugo Nante and Aviere Alessandro Balistro) and one from the 84^a Squadriglia (Aviere Armiere Fausto Mainardis).
Capitano Renzo Maggini was replaced by Tenente Giovanni Guiducci as CO of the 90^a Squadriglia.
This bombing attack represented the end of operations for the 10^o Gruppo because together with the destruction of the 90^a Squadriglia, the Blenheims also destroyed all the spare parts for the CR.42s of the Gruppo that just had arrived in T2. With aircraft already worn out by the first twenty days of operations and no spare parts at all left, the Gruppo had to withdraw.

During the morning on 4 August, 80 Squadrons ‘B’ Flight received a signal from the headquarters to provide four Gladiators to escort a Lysander from 208 Squadron flown by Pilot Officer Burwell, which was to observe enemy troops movement at Bir Taieb el Esem on the other side of the Libyan border. 'Pat' Pattle (Gladiator Mk.I K7910) decided to lead the escort and took with him Flying Officer Peter Wykeham-Barnes (L8009), Pilot Officer Johnny Lancaster (K7923) and Sergeant Kenneth George Russell Rew (RAF no. 526687) (Gladiator K7908). They took off at 17:15 and reached the rendezvous point in ten minutes where they found the Lysander circling at 6000 feet. Wykeham-Barnes and Rew took up a position about 3000 feet above and immediately behind the Lysander, whilst Pattle and Lancaster climbed 1000 feet higher on the starboard flank. The aircraft crossed the border a few miles south of Sidi Omar twenty minutes later and followed the sand tracks leading to their target.
During the same morning eleven CR.42s of the 97^a Squadriglia went from Benghazi-Berka to El Adem T3 to participate, together with twelve other CR.42s from the 96^a Squadriglia, which had arrived the previous day, and with nine CR.42s of the 10^o Gruppo, in an aerial covering flight of the 2^a Divisione Libica of Regio Esercito. This Division was marching from Bir el Gobi to Gabr Saleh.
In the meantime, a concentration of British armoured vehicles was discovered in the Bir Sheferzen area, around 30 kilometres south-west of Sollum, near the border where a logistic outpost of the Western Desert Force was located and consequently an air attack was planned.
At 16:50, a formation of assault aircraft of the 50^o Stormo took off together with an escorting group of Fiat CR.42 fighters of the 4^o Stormo heading for it. The assault aircraft took off from Tobruk T2bis and were twelve aircraft of the resident 12^o Gruppo Assalto. They included six Breda Ba.65/A80s of the 159^a Squadriglia, armed with 2kg bombs (the Bredas could carry up to 168 of these small calibre bombs) commanded by the Squadriglia Commander Capitano Antonio Dell’Oro and flown by Tenente Adriano Visconti, Tenente Fioravante Montanari (who led the second section), Sergente Maggiore Giovanni Bianchelli, Sergente Maggiore Gianni Pappalepore and Sergente Maggiore Paolo Perno. The other six were Fiat CR.32quaters of the 160^a Squadriglia, armed with eight 2kg bombs and divided in two groups of three. The first group led by Capitano Duilio Fanali (Squadriglia CO) included Sottotenente Giuseppe Mezzatesta and Sergente Maggiore Corrado Sarti as wingmen while the second group was lead by Sottotenente Giuseppe Rossi with Sottotenente Mirko Erzetti and Maresciallo Romolo Cantelli as wingmen.
The Italian fighter escort took off from El Adem T3 and was composed of 31 CR.42s (ten from the 97^a Squadriglia, eleven from the 96^a Squadriglia, one from the 73^a Squadriglia and nine from the 10^o Gruppo). At the head of the two formations were Maggiore Ernesto Botto (in the aircraft from the 73^a Squadriglia) and Maggiore Carlo Romagnoli. Pilots from the 97^a Squadriglia were Capitano Antonio Larsimont Pergameni, Sottotenente Giovanni Barcaro, Sergente Franco Sarasino, Sottotenente Riccardo Vaccari, Sergente Angelo Golino, Sottotenente Jacopo Frigerio, Sergente Maggiore Otello Perotti, Maresciallo Vanni Zuliani, Sergente Maggiore Raffaele Novelli and Sergente Maggiore Massimo Salvatore. Pilots from the 10^o Gruppo were apart from Maggiore Romagnoli, Capitano Giuseppe D’Agostinis, Tenente Enzo Martissa, Sottotenente Ruggero Caporali and Sergente Maggiore Lorenzo Migliorato from the 91^a Squadriglia, Capitano Luigi Monti and Tenente Giuseppe Aurili from the 84^a Squadriglia and Tenente Franco Lucchini and Sergente Monterumici from the 90^a Squadriglia.
The two Italian formations met at a rendezvous point twenty kilometres east of El Adem and then headed for the target. The 4^o Stormo’s aircraft flew at heights between 3500 and 4500 meters, the Fiat CR.32s at 1000 meters and the Bredas at 300 meters.
On the way towards the frontline, at 5000 m over Ridotta Capuzzo, they spotted a formation of nine Blenheims heading to El Adem, escorted by many Glosters Gladiators. Aircraft of the 96^a Squadriglia and the 10^o Gruppo attacked the bombers and then chased the fighters. In the fierce combat that followed, Tenente Lucchini claimed a Gladiator with the use of 385 rounds of ammunition. Pilots from the 91^a Squadriglia claimed two Gladiators and three Blenheims as shared, with two additional Gladiators as shared probables (one of the Glosters was most probably the same claimed by Lucchini). Capitano Monti and Tenente Aurili claimed to have damaged two Blenheims each and then reported being credited with the three Blenheims shot down by the Stormo’s formation as shared. The pilots from the 90^a Squadriglia claimed the same three Blenheims and a Gladiator jointly with the 96^a Squadriglia and other pilots of the 10^o Gruppo plus the individual victory of Lucchini and recorded “other Glosters shot down by pilots of 9^o and 10^o Gruppi”. At the end of the combat, Maggiore Botto, who personally claimed a damaged British bomber with the use of 200 rounds of ammunition, recorded ten enemy aircraft shot down together with other units. Apart from the five confirmed and two probables already detailed, the remaining victories should be those of the 50^o Stormo, more prudently the 10^o Gruppo’s Diary claimed only three Blenheims and a single Gloster shot down.
The 97^a Squadriglia, covering at a higher altitude, spotted first six Blenheims, which were attacked by the other Squadriglie and then three other Blenheims that were heading towards Egyptian territory and dived to pursue them. Capitano Larsimont Pergameni and Sergente Sarasino chased them for a while, claiming hits on them.
The fighters from the 97^a Squadriglia had most probably attacked a trio of Blenheim Mk.Is (L8667, L8391 and L8530) from 55 Squadron, which had been ordered on short notice to bomb up and meet two other flights from other squadrons over Ma’aten Bagush at 17:00 to attack an Italian M. T. convoy, 13 miles east of Bir El Gobi (obviously the Libyan division). Commanded by Pilot Officer T. O. Walker in L8667, they missed the rendezvous with the other Squadrons over Ma’aten Bagush and headed alone towards the front. After crossing the frontier, the trio spotted a big formation of about 25 CR.42s (4^o Stormo’s formation). Twelve of these fighters started in pursuit as the Blenheims turned for home (the 97^a Squadriglia formation). A running engagement, which lasted seven minutes started after which the Italian fighters broke off without having caused or suffered any damage. The other RAF Squadrons involved in this combat were 211 Squadron and most probably 112 and 113 Squadrons. 211 Squadron was up with two Blenheims piloted by Squadron Leader Bax (L8533) and Flight Lieutenant G. D. Jones (L8532), which were intercepted by a reportedly 40-50 fighters. Sergeant J. McIntosh, gunner of L8532, was wounded in the forearm and it seems that it was badly damaged and forced to land before reaching its base since it was salvaged by 51 RSU at Sidi Barrani on 10 August but Struck off Charge on 20 September. The total lack of records of 113 Squadron and the high level of incompleteness of those of 112 Squadron makes it quite difficult to reconstruct their contribution to the combat. It seems however probable that at least three Gladiators of 112 Squadron were around this area at the time, because it is known that Pilot Officers Robert Hugh Clarke, Homer Cochrane and B. B. E. Duff left Maaten Gerawla during the day for Sidi Barrani, with the task of patrolling over Sidi Omar (extremely close to the area where the evening combat developed). No encounters with the enemy are however recorded in the fragmentary reconstructed ORB of the unit.
The formation from the 50^o Stormo continued alone towards the border, arriving over Bir Sheferzen (around thirty kilometres south and slightly east of the position where the escort left it) at 17:20, where they discovered numerous British vehicles that were immediately attacked by the Bredas and Fanali’s trio of CR.32s while Rossi’s stayed at 1000 meters as cover. The Italian aircraft performed two passes over the vehicles and while they were preparing the third the 208 Squadron Lysander and 80 Squadron Gladiators came into the area. The crew of the Lysander spotted the Italians first and alerted the escort with a red Very light before heading due east at low altitude to reach safety. Pilot Officer Burwell carried some bombs that he tried to aim at Italian transports that he saw in the vicinity but missed, then he was forced to return by the strong opposition encountered.
Pattle and Lancaster dived down but failed to spot any enemy aircraft. Wykeham-Barnes and Rew had also disappeared but a few seconds later Pattle heard Wykeham-Barnes over the radio ordering Rew to attack. Immediately afterwards Pattle saw a reported seven Breda Ba.65s in two separate flights - one containing three aircraft in vic formation and the other made up of two pairs, heading east hunting the Lysander.
Wykeham-Barnes and Rew attacked the formation of four Bredas before they could reach the Lysander and Wykeham-Barnes shot down one of them in flames immediately but at the same time was Rew shot down and killed. Pattle and Lancaster meanwhile attacked the other three Italians from astern. The Bredas dispersed and all four Gladiators separated as they each selected a different enemy machine as a target. Pattle attacked two aircraft, which kept close together and turned in a complete circle. The Bredas dropped to around 200 feet and each released two bombs. This reduced weight meant that they slowly began to creep away from Pattle’s slower Gladiator. Suddenly they however turned north towards the fighter base at El Adem. Pattle quickly cut inside their turn and closed in to 150 yards. He delivered a quarter attack on the nearest Breda but his two port guns almost immediately ceased firing. His aim had been good however and he had hit one of the Italians who slowed down considerably. He swung in directly astern of it and, after a few more bursts from his remaining two guns, saw a puff of white smoke from the starboard side of the engine. He continued to attack the Breda, which dropped lower and lower and finally force-landed on good grounds five miles further on. The second Breda got away. Lancaster had also been having trouble with his guns. After his initial burst, all four guns jammed and he spent the next ten minutes frantically pulling his Constantinescu gear pistons and aiming at various enemy aircraft, but without any further bullets leaving his guns. Eventually he was forced to go on to the defensive and got an explosive bullet in the left arm and shoulder. Because he feared the loss of blood would cause him to lose consciousness, he wriggled out of the fight and with his right thumb pressed tightly against his left radial artery, held the stick between his knees and waggled his way home. In spite of his wounds and the serious damage to his Gladiator, he made quite a smooth landing before losing consciousness. It is reported, that the fitter who came to examine the aircraft shortly afterwards pronounced it too damaged to repair in situ and ordered it to be burned forthwith! However, in fact it seems that even if 80 Squadron didn’t fly it any more, Gladiator Mk.I K 7923 was repaired and later in the year passed to the Greek Air Force.
After claiming the Breda, Wykeham-Barnes was attacked by the CR.32s. He claimed one of them before another, attacked him, which hit his Gladiator, in his Combat Fighter Report he recorded: “The left side of the instrument panel and most of the windscreen went and two bullets came through the back of the seat before I could close the throttle, and the CR 32 passed under me. My machine then fell into a dive and I abandoned it, landing me by parachute.” He had received a shrapnel wound. He was also to receive a swollen tongue and a pair of very painful blistered feet before being rescued by a detachment of 11th Hussars, who brought him back to Sidi Barrani.
Four of the Bredas were damaged and in particular that of Sergente Maggiore Perno, which was hit fifty times and the pilot was slightly wounded in the leg, before Fanali’s Fiats were able to intervene. In the meantime, it was the section of Sottotenente Rossi, which was waiting higher up for its turn to attack, that first fell over the RAF fighters, taking them by surprise. After the sharp initial attack of the Fiats the combat developed into a WW I style dogfight which lasted fifteen minutes. At the end all the Italian aircraft returned to base claiming three of the enemies; one by Fanali (probably Wykeham-Barnes) and two by Cantelli (probably Rew and Lancaster).
One of the damaged Bredas was piloted by Tenente Adriano Visconti who pressed home his attacks against the enemy armoured vehicles notwithstanding the enemy’s fighter opposition. The behaviour of Visconti in this particular combat deeply impressed his commander Capitano Dell’Oro who proposed him for a Medaglia d’argento al valor militare. The motivation of this award that Visconti received “in the field” stated that: ”During a strafing attack against enemy’s armoured vehicles he pressed home his attacks careless of an enemy fighter that was following him shooting at him from short distance (…) and with its last ammunitions he succeeded in burning one of the armoured cars of the enemy(…)”.
After Pattle had claimed the Breda he broke away while attempting, without much success, to clear his port fuselage gun. Immediately, he was attacked by five biplanes (identified as CR.42s) diving towards him from the direction of El Adem, which was approximately 10 miles north-west. He flew on, pretending that he had not seen the Italians, until they were almost in position to open fire and then, with a flick of the wrist and a sharp prod of the foot, shot up and away from the Fiats. The Italians split up and attacked him independently from all directions. The Fiats made repeated attacks simultaneously from the quarter and beam, using the speed they gained in the dive to regain altitude. After each attack Pattle was forced on to the defensive and turned away from each attack, occasionally delivering a short attack on the most suitably target as it dived past. One Fiat on completing its attack turned directly in front of his Gladiator, presenting him with an excellent deflection shot at close range. He fired a long burst with his remaining two guns, which caused the Italian fighter to turn slowly onto its back and then spin down towards the desert. Pattle last saw it spinning at 200 feet and didn’t claim it for sure, but was later credited with this victory. Soon after his starboard wing gun also jammed but fortunately, at the same time the remaining Italian fighters broke away. He was now 40 miles behind enemy lines with only one gun operational and he turned for home at 1000 feet altitude.
When some miles north-west of Bir Taieb El Essem, he was again spotted and attacked by twelve CR.42s and three Breda Ba.65s. The Bredas broke away after a few dives while the CR.42s attacked. They used the same tactics as the five earlier had used with quarter and beam attacks. Within a few seconds Pattle’s remaining gun jammed because of an exploded round in the breach, so he attempted to make the border by evasive tactics and heading east at every opportunity. He soon discovered that one of the Italian pilots was an exceptional shot who made repeated attacks using full deflection with great accuracy. Each time this particular Italian came in, he had to use all his skill and cunning to keep out of the sights of the Fiat. The remainder of the Italians as a whole lacked accuracy and did not press home their attacks to a decisive range. Nevertheless, their presence and the fact that he had to consider each attack made the work of the more determined pilot very much easier. He managed to keep this up for fully fifteen minutes before the determined Italian came out of a loop directly above Pattle’s Gladiator and opened fire. Pattle turned away to avoid the bullets, but flew straight into the line of fire from another Fiat. The rudder controls were shot away, so he could no longer turn. He pulled back on the control column, climbed to about 400 feet and jumped. As he fell the pilot parachute caught his foot, but he managed to kick it free and the main chute opened just in time for him to make a safe landing off the first swing. The time was now around 19:00. He started to walk towards what he thought was Egypt during the night but found out at dawn to his horror that he had actually walked in the opposite direction, deeper into Libya. He turned around and crossed the border at around midday. At 16:00 on 5 August, he was rescued by a detachment from 11th Hussars, which brought him back to Sidi Barrani.
It is possible that Pattle was shot down by Tenente Franco Lucchini.

On 20 August, Tenente Giovanni Guiducci, Sergente Maggiore Angelo Savini and Sergente Monterumici (all from the 90^a Squadriglia) scrambled against enemy intruders signalled over Tobruk but they failed to make contact. They were, however, almost shot down by the Italian AA defences, in particular the batteries of the cruiser San Giorgio.

In early May 1942, the 4^o Stormo (equipped with Macchi MC.202 Folgores) was in Sicily with the duty of bomber escort over Malta.
On 22 May the 10^o Gruppo returned to North Africa and to Martuba 4 airfield.

Between 16:15-17:45 on 15 June, the 10^o Gruppo flew a free sweep. Capitano Ranieri Piccolomini’s section (four MC.202s from the 90^a Squadriglia) sighted what seemed to be enemy planes and moved away from the leading patrol. Therefore, south-west of Tobruk, they came up against a formation of enemy bombers covered by about 30 P-40s at an altitude of 2000 metres. The Macchis attacked and a P-40 was claimed shot down, credited to Sergente Maggiore Monterumici. Four bombers were machine-gunned, two of them by Capitano Piccolomini.
The other two pilots who participated were Sergente Maggiore Mario Veronesi and Tenente Italo Alessandrini. Strangely enough, it was reported that only 150 rounds were expended.
They had met a formation of nine Bostons of 12 SAAF Squadron (17:35-18:40) out to attack motor transports and tanks from 7000 feet. Top cover was provided by eight Kittyhawks (four each from 2 SAAF Squadron and 260 Squadron) while four Tomahawks of 4 SAAF Squadron were close cover.
The faint-hearted attack of at least two MC.202s, which were easily driven off, was reported by 2 SAAF Squadron flying at 7000 feet 4 miles west of El Adem. 260 Squadron engaged a single Bf 109 with no positive results. 4 SAAF Squadron noted that three MC.202s jumped on the bombers from out of the sun, and then the Tomahawks closed in. And so, the enemy aircraft went up and were engaged by 2 SAAF Squadron acting as top cover. 12 SAAF Squadron did not report any attack.

On 1 July, the 10^o Gruppo transferred to Fuka.

Next day, on 2 July whilst leading the 90^a Squadriglia, Capitano Ranieri Piccolomini encountered nine Bostons from 12 SAAF Squadron escorted by twenty P-40s north of Fuka. The Italian fighters attacked and Piccolomini claimed a Boston while the other bombers hid in a cast of clouds.
The escorting fighters engaged the Italians and Sottotenente Virgilio Vanzan claimed one and one probable P-40s while Sergente Monterumici claimed a second P-40. A third P-40 was claimed as a shared by all the pilots of the 90^a Squadriglia (Capitano Piccolomini, Sottotenente Vanzan, Sergente Monterumici, Sergente Elio Trevisan and Tenente Italo Alessandrini). Several more aircraft were claimed machine-gunned by Vanzan, Monterumici, Trevisan and Alessandrini (MC.202 MM7792/90-12). The latter was subsequently hit by P-40s, made an emergency landing on the desert, and was captured to become a POW.
At the same time five Bf 109F-4 trops from III./JG 27 were on an early Freie Jagd and reported meeting 20 bombers and 30 fighters west of El Daba. They encountered what the identified as 11 Wellingtons (highly unlikely), nine Bostons and 20 fighters south-east of El Alamein, claiming three escorting fighters shot down; two by Leutnant Werner Schroer (one at 07:00 SE El Alamein and one at 07:05 E El Alamein) and one by Unteroffizier Hans Fahrenberger (one at 07:03 SE El Alamein).
The Boston hit by Capitano Piccolomini was Boston III Z2198 (take-off 09:19), which crash-landed on return to LG 99 with Captain Bernieux (Belgian) and crew safe.
It seems that the pilots engaged Hurricanes from 33 Squadron, shooting down the Hurricane flown by Flight Lieutenant ‘Jim’ Hayter. The MC.202 flown by Tenente Alessandrini then overshot Hayter’s stricken Hurricane, allowing the New Zealander to shoot down one of his attackers in turn and both aircraft crash-landed within Allied territory. Hayter was wounded in this engagement.

On 10 July, the 9th Australian Division launched an attack in the northern sector of the El Alamein line. This was backed by all the Commonwealth Wings that targeted ground targets and the airfields of LG 20, LG 21 and LG 102, which resulted in heavy aerial fighting.
At 08:25, six CR 42s of 50^o Stormo took off to attack enemy vehicles in the Bir Abu Gorya area. They were escorted by eleven MC.202 from the three Squadriglie of 10^o Gruppo (take off 08:55 - landing 10:10) led by Capitano Franco Lucchini (84^a Squadriglia). The MC.202s where then to continue on a free hunt mission.
In the target area, Capitano Lucchini (MC.202 MM7901) spotted a formation of 15 P-40s approaching from the east at 2,600 meters. After a short attack made with height advantage (the Italian fighters were at 4,000 meters), the P-40s went into a ’Lufberry’ circle. The combat ended after 30 minutes when the ammunition was exhausted and they were low on fuel.
The pilots from the 10^o Gruppo returned claiming eight P-40s destroyed. Lucchini, Sottotenente Luigi Giannella (84^a Squadriglia in MM7815), Tenente Virgilio Vanzan (90^a Squadriglia) and Sergente Monterumici (90^a Squadriglia) claimed one P-40 each while four more were claimed by the pilots from the 91^a Squadriglia; two by Maresciallo Leonardo Ferrulli and one each by Sergente Elio Miotto and Sergente Maggiore Lorenzo Migliorato. Monterumici remained to defend the CR.42s from the attacks from the P-40s and this he made so successfully that the formations leader, Capitano Torquato Testerini (CO 236^a Squadriglia) later visited them at Fuka to show his gratitude.
It seems that they have clashed with the Hurricane IIcs from 274 Squadron on their second mission of the day 09:15-11:15 when they performed a free sweep over El Alamein with eight planes covering nine machines of 1 SAAF Squadron. 15 miles south-west of El Alamein they were attacked by a reportedly at least twelve Messerschmitts and Macchis (probably only the latter) and they formed a defensive circle. They were attacked from all sides but didn’t suffer any loss and with only BP398/NH-H flown by Sergeant P. G. Hemmer being damaged and the pilot slightly wounded. The pilots of 274 Squadron claimed a Macchi and a Bf 109 probably shot down and five Macchis and two Bf 109s damaged. Claiming pilots were:
Flight Sergeant H. Garwood (BD750/NH-W) one probable Bf 109 and one damaged
Flight Lieutenant Walter Conrad (BF698/NH-J) one damaged MC.202
Squadron Leader James Hayter (BE487/NH-F) one probable MC.202
Sergeant R. W. Henderson (BE826/NH-G) one damaged MC.202
Flight Lieutenant G. C. Keefer (BN111/NH-D) two damaged MC.202
Sergeant B. Ott (BN107/NH-B) one damaged Bf 109
Flight Lieutenant from 123 Squadron (BG949/Y) one damaged MC.202
Four pilots of 1 SAAF Squadron were able to fire some rounds but were unable to appreciate any result.

4^o Stormo MC.202s were on patrol in the early morning period on 15 July. Capitano Luigi Mariotti led twelve MC.202s of both 9^o and 10^o Gruppi on an escort to four Ju 88s over the front, between 09:05-10:25. They engaged a formation of a reported 15 P-40s covered by ten Spitfires patrolling at higher altitude, claiming two P-40s shot down (one by Tenente Vittorio Squarcia from the 73 Squadriglia) plus three probables.
Just as they landed, twelve more MC.202s, led by Capitano Carlo Ruspoli, took off at 10:30 to carry on the escort. Ruspoli had to make an early return due to engine trouble and the experienced Maresciallo Luigi Bignami (84^a Squadriglia) took his place as formation leader. They too encountered a formation of P-40s, this time estimated to be 48 strong, and claimed two shot down after a 15-minute combat by Sergente Maggiore Piero Buttazzi (84^a Squadriglia in MM7919/84-12) and Sergente Maggiore Monterumici (90^a Squadriglia) with a third claimed as a probable by Maresciallo Dante Labanti (96^a Squadriglia).
Sergente Maggiore Elio Trevisan was hit and forced to land near El Daba in MM7900/90-11. Sergente Maggiore Monterumici saw him getting out of the cockpit and sitting down, leaning against his aircraft. On return to Fuka at 11:40, Monterumici took off in the Ca.133 ‘hack’ to recover Trevisan. He landed nearby but discovered that his comrade who had appeared to be asleep was actually dead. Trevisan’s aircraft was later recovered by Capitano Ranieri Piccolomini, who flew it back to Fuka.
Hurricane IIbs from 238 Squadron reported intercepting the Ju 88s during a mission between 11:20-12:30, one being claimed as a damaged by Pilot Officer B. Nordon (Hurricane KC-V) and a second shared as a damaged between Sergeant W. E. G. Cordwell (KC-P) and Flight Lieutenant Peter Olver (KC-U). Hurricane KC-F flown by Squadron Leader R. G. A. Barclay was damaged.
Some at least of the Macchis were engaged with Hurricane IIcs of 33 and 213 Squadron between 10:25-11:30, the pilots of the latter unit reporting meeting six MC.202s and four Bf 109s in the northern sector of the El Alamein line. They claimed one Macchi shot down by Warrant Officer R. J. ‘Wally’ Wallace (Hurricane IIc BP338), who also claimed a second as a damaged. Sergeant H. A. Aitken (BN357) claimed a damaged MC.202 and Pilot Officer L. J. Barnes (BP197) claimed a damaged Bf 109E. Flying Officer James Wooler (BE172/T) from 33 Squadron claimed a damaged Bf 109E. 213 Squadron suffered two Hurricanes damaged by the MC.202s when Sergeant J. D. Newick force-landed slightly wounded with BP189 and Pilot Officer Barnes returned with Barnes returned with BP197 damaged (Cat. I).
Ten Bf 109F-4 trops of I./JG 27 were also in the area at this time, providing top cover to Ju 87s. The pilots of this unit reported meeting 18 Hurricanes, Leutnant Hans-Arnold Stahlschmidt of 2./JG 27 attacking one which crash-landed a 17km miles west of El Hammam. This was possibly Sergeant Newick.

Between 10:35-12:00 on 16 July, Capitano Franco Lucchini (84^a Squadriglia) led ten MC.202s of the 84^a Squadriglia (Sottotenente Luigi Giannella (MM7805/84-2), Sottotenente Paolo Berti, Sergente Maggiore Mario Veronesi (MM7928/84-9), Maresciallo Luigi Bignami and Sergente Corrado Patrizi), the 90^a Squadriglia (Capitano Ranieri Piccolomini, Sottotenente Renato Baroni, Sottotenente Sforza Libera, Sergente Maggiore Monterumici and Sergente Giambattista Ceoletta) and the 91^a Squadriglia (Tenente Paolo Benedicti) to escort CR.42s from the 50^o Gruppo.
With their mission carried out, they intercepted ten Hurribombers over Deir el Qattara flying at 500 m, covered by ten P-40s at 2000 m, 15 P-40s at 5000 m and six Spitfires at 6000 m. A 20-minute running fight followed and the returning Italians claimed four P-40s; Sottotenente Berti and Sergente Maggiore Veronesi one each, one shared by Capitano Lucchini, Sottotenente Giannella, Sottotenente Berti and Tenente Benedicti while the fourth was claimed as a shared by Maresciallo Bignami, Sergente Maggiore Veronesi, Capitano Piccolomini, Sottotenente Baroni and Sergente Maggiore Monterumici. Many others were damaged. Four MC.202s returned damaged and Baroni was wounded in the combat and with his MC.202 damaged, made an emergency landing at El Daba (MM7906/90-8 was later recovered). Bignami (MM7896/84-8) was hit in the wings and on the windscreen. Berti (MM7803/84-1) was attacked by P-40s while returning home, but escaped. Lucchini’s aircraft was hit by five bullets, one of them piercing a fuel tank in left wing root but he was able to land at Qotaifiya, although stunned by fuel vapour (MM7901/84-3 was later recovered). He returned to Fuka in the afternoon in a car.
At 11:10 eight Hurribombers and four fighters of 274 Squadron took off to strafe vehicles, but during this attack two were shot down by Flak. At the same time, other Hurricanes of 213 Squadron took off on a sweep. 33 Squadron was supposed to provide top cover, together with some Spitfires of 601 Squadron, but on take-off from LG 154 Hurricane BP179 and Spitfire V BR479 collided. 19-year-old Canadian Pilot Officer Erle Walter Ollen-Bittle (RCAF no. J/6495) from 33 Squadron and 22-year-old Canadian Flight Sergeant Querino Di Persio (RCAF no. R/76376) from 601 Squadron were both killed. The wreckage then blocked the runway, preventing any further aircraft taking off. Consequently, 213 Squadron was bounced by one MC.202 and one Bf 109, one Hurricane BN378 being shot down at 11:35 and Flight Sergeant John Fernie Cullen Ballantyne (RAF no. 777890) being killed.
At 11:50 1 SAAF and 238 Squadrons took off with 238 Squadron as top cover. At 12:15, four Bf 109s and two MC.202s were seen below but were deemed by the South Africans to be decoys, and were left alone by them. 238 Squadron’s pilots also spotted them, “tally-ho”-ed, and dived straight through 1 SAAF Squadron’s formation to get at them. Several South Africans then peeled off and followed them. “Shambles! ” recorded the squadron diary. 238 Squadron reported that west of El Alamein, Squadron Leader R. G. A. Barclay claimed a Bf 109 and Flight Sergeant G. H. Borham (Hurricane IIb ‘X’) a Macchi probable, but during the return flight Barclay’s Hurricane (‘F’) was attacked and damaged. L. R. S. Waugh (BG764/AX-W) from 1 SAAF Squadron claimed a probable Bf 109F north-west of El Alamein.
Eight Kittyhawks of 250 Squadron on a mission at 11:45 were jumped by four MC.202s at 12:15, one of the British fighters being shot-up when Kittyhawk Ia AK824 was badly damaged south-west of El Alamein but Pilot Officer J. E. Collier returned safely. Sergeant D. W. Cairns (Kittyhawk Ia ET513/A) claimed to have shot down one of the attackers north-west El Mreir.

Between 06:45-08:15 on 18 July, eight MC.202s; four of the 84^a Squadriglia (Capitano Franco Lucchini, Sottotenente Luigi Giannella, Sergente Maggiore Mario Veronesi and Sergente Piero Buttazzi) and four of the 90^a Squadriglia (Capitano Ranieri Piccolomini, Sottotenente Virgilio Vanzan, Sergente Maggiore Angelo Savini and Sergente Maggiore Monterumici), led by Lucchini, flew a “free hunt” mission off from Bu Amud. Over the front at 12,000 feet, they spotted nine P-40s escorted by eleven Hurricanes. The P-40s jettisoned their bombs over the El Qasaba area and tried to escape home eastward. The Italian fighters caught the Allied aircraft over Burg el Arab, 50 km east of El Alamein. After a 15-minute combat a P-40 was claimed as a shared destroyed by Lucchini (MC.202 MM7803/84-1) and Buttazzi (MM7896/84-8), a second was claimed as a shared by Giannella (MC.202 MM7805/84-2) and Veronesi (MM7928/84-9), a third was claimed by Savini and a fourth was claimed jointly by Piccolomini, Vanzan and Monterumici. All Italian fighters returned safely to base.
It seems that they had been in combat with Hurricane IIcs from 274 and 80 Squadrons, which reported that between 07:21-09:45 twelve Hurricanes of 274 Squadron, covered by others of 80 Squadron, patrolled north and south over El Alamein. Two Bf 109s jumped the top cover, followed by six more and some MC.202s. Claims for five fighters damaged were submitted by the two RAF units:
Squadron Leader James Hayter (Hurricane IIc BE487/F) from 274 Squadron claimed one damaged Bf 109E
Pilot Officer R. H. Hunter (BE229/S) from 274 Squadron claimed one damaged MC.202
Sergeant S. Lerche (BE683/O) from 274 Squadron claimed one damaged Bf 109
Flight Lieutenant Russell Foskett (BP235/J) from 80 Squadron claimed two damaged Bf 109s at 08:00.
Hurricane Z5064/Z from 274 Squadron was shot down by a Macchi but Flight Sergeant T. B. Hamilton was safe while BN348 from 80 Squadron received a bullet in the cooling system which caused the pilot to crash-land.

At 09:35 on 26 October, seven MC.202s of the 9^o and 10^o Gruppi (Tenente Giulio Reiner (leader), Tenente Vittorio Squarcia (73^a Squadriglia), Sottotenente Giorgio Bertolaso (91^a Squadriglia), Sergente Maggiore Alessandro Bladelli (91^a Squadriglia), Sergente Ferruccio Terrabuio (91^a Squadriglia), Sottotenente Vittorino Daffara (91^a Squadriglia) and Sergente Monterumici (90^a Squadriglia)) took off to intercept a reportedly 18 Bostons, escorted by 30 P-40s and ten Spitfires, heading to bomb Fuka.
A little earlier, at 08:50, twelve MC.202s of the 23^o Gruppo, 3^o Stormo, (four from the 70^a Squadriglia, three of the 74^a Squadriglia and five of the 75^a Squadriglia) led by Capitano Mario Pinna (CO of the 75^a Squadriglia) had taken off from Abu Aggag for a patrol mission (one of the aircraft was flown by Sottotenente Franco Bordoni-Bisleri of the 83^a Squadriglia, 18^o Gruppo).
At 4500 meters altitude, both Italian formations spotted the enemy bombers at the same time and the attack of the 4^o Stormo and the 23^o Gruppo made the bombers aiming inaccurate, so most of the bombs fell out of the target. Daffara claimed the left wingman of the head formation of Bostons, and damaged two more. Reiner strafed the bomber leader, which began to slip out of formation sideways. He then climbed and found a Spitfire in front of him, fired and hitting it. The Spitfire exploded when hitting the ground 20 kilometers south-east Fuka. Another Spitfire was claimed as a probable by Bertolaso, who also damaged two Bostons. Squarcia, after having damaged several Bostons and a P-40, pursued another Curtiss together with pilots of the 23^o Gruppo, and forced it to make a wheels-up landing south of Daba (the pilot, Sergeant J. G. Meredith (Kittyhawk IIa), was subsequently rescued by the same Squarcia together with Tenente Colonnello Armando François in the Stormo's Fiesler Storch). Bladelli (MC.202 MM7805/84-2) damaged four Bostons and a P-40, but was hit and had to made an emergency landing at Fuka. Another P-40, shared by many, was seen to explode when hitting the ground. Sergente Monterumici (MM7933/84-10), after having fired at the bombers, was hit by three rounds from a P-40; one stopped against the head armour, one hit the armoured windshield and one destroyed the instrument panel. Monterumici recalled:

“On that day I scrambled to intercept 18 Bostons, escorted by approximately 30 Curtiss P-40s and about ten Spitfires, heading to our airfield. I attacked the bombers before they could deliver their charge on our aircraft on the ground, while the escorting fighters were still far enough off, giving me a chance to disengage. In reality, on that occasion our adversaries employed larger calibre guns, still unknown to us, and opened fire unexpectedly at a 500 meters range. A burst hit my cockpit, shattering the canopy and blistering my face with glass chips. I quickly rolled away to evade this difficult situation but as soon as I gained speed the windscreen smashed, hurting my forehead. I was left with no protection in the violent airflow and I felt like my head was coming off. I reduced speed but the enemy fighter was again getting on my tail. I had no more altitude to lose and, trying to dodge a burst, I touched the ground with the propeller, crash-landing at excessive speed. In the sandy desert plain, my plane kept on dragging, engaged in a never-ending run, while in those seemingly endless moments I was saying: Tm still alive, I'm still alive, I'm still alive...
When at last the plane carne to rest, I climbed out of my cockpit, bleeding; then, fearful that the damaged aircraft could catch fire, I went further away, and made my way northbound, with the help of a small compass that I carried with me. After a few hours walk, the real troubles started: large minefield, marked with many pegs, was just in front of me, apparently endless. I made a detour, because I couldn't stop: I had just a half-filled water-bottle and the flies, attracted by the blood that was still dripping from the wounds on my face, kept on annoying me. After some time, I heard an aircraft engine noise far away: it was a Storch, piloted (as I was told afterwards) by my Stormo CO T.Col Armando François and by Ten Vittorino Daffara. Unfortunately they didn't notice me, although I waved my life-vest for a long time, trying to draw their attention.
I carefully resumed my march among the mines, hoping to meet with someone or something. Some time later, I carne across the wreck of a shot-down aircraft. I approached to see what type it was: it was a P-40 whose pilot was lying on a wing with his head on his hands and a parachute not so far way. The body was intact but sort of mummified. Not very far away there was another aircraft, this time a Spitfire, whose pilot was sitting still on his 'chute near to the tailwheel, with to back leaning against the fuselage, holding his knees with his arms. He looked as if he was sleeping, but he too had been already transformed into a statue. I gently knocked my knuckles against his cheek-bone and a sort of dried wood sound replied. I then thought to myself: 'This will be also my destiny, but... never mind, let's continue until there’s energy to do so...
After many more hours of walking, I noticed what I hoped so much to see: a thin dust cloud moving towards me. I started again to wave my life-vest, but I wasn't able to make clear what it really was: was it just the wind raising some sand or something moving in my direction? As a matter of fact, my eyes were filled with clotted blood, while the right part of my face, from the nose to the cheek, was a just a congealed wound. It was 7 o’clock p.m. already, the sunset was soon to come and by then I’d been walking for ten hours. The dust cloud kept on getting closer and at last I managed to recognise a motorbike. The driver was Ten Carlo Tommasi, of 3^o Stormo, wandering around in the desert looking for souvenirs to be brought back to his villa in Naples...”

After the battle of El Alamein in 1942, the Axis forces gradually retreated. In early December, the 10^o Gruppo was at Castelbenito to be sent back to Italy.
During the period January 1942 – January 1943, the 4^o Stormo flew 7202 hours on missions, took part in 133 combats, claimed 289 aircraft destroyed (totally 501 from the beginning of the war) and lost 24 pilots KIA or MIA with 29 wounded and 2 POWs.

After a period of rest, on 24 February 1943, pilots of the 10^o Gruppo rejoined to reorganize the unit at Bresso airfield, under the command of Maggiore Giuseppe D’Agostinis.
Pilots in the 84^a Squadriglia were Capitano Franco Lucchini (CO) (hospitalized), Tenente Luigi Giannella, Tenente Alessandro Mettimano, Sottotenente Francesco De Seta, Sottotenente Ugo Picchiottini, Maresciallo Luigi Bignami, Sergente Maggiore Domenico Santonocito, Sergente Maggiore Corrado Patrizi, Sergente Maggiore Piero Buttazzi, Sergente Maggiore Luciano Perdoni and Sergente Livio Barbera.
Pilots in the 90^a Squadriglia were Capitano Ranieri Piccolomini (CO), Sottotenente Sforza Libera, Sottotenente Renato Baroni, Sottotenente Luigi Cima, Sergente Maggiore Massimo Salvatore, Sergente Maggiore Bruno Bortoletti, Sergente Maggiore Giovanni Battista Ceoletta, Sergente Maggiore Monterumici and Sergente Maggiore Natale Molteni.
Pilots in the 91^a Squadriglia were Capitano Luigi Mariotti (CO), Tenente Giuseppe Ferazzani, Tenente Alvaro Bondi, Sottotenente Leonardo Ferrulli, Sottotenente Elio Miotto, Sottotenente Guerriero Silvestri, Sottotenente Vittorino Daffara, Maresciallo Alessandro Bladelli, Maresciallo Lamberto Martelli, Sergente Maggiore Ferruccio Terrabuio, Sergente Ambrogio Rusconi and Sergente Giulio Fornalé.
On 20 April, the Gruppo transferred to Ciampino Sud for the defence of Rome.

Monterumici ended the war with 3 shared biplane victories and a total of 5.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1940
	04/08/40	16:50-	1/?	Blenheim (a)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Ridotta Capuzzo area	91a Squadriglia
	04/08/40	16:50-	1/?	Blenheim (a)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Ridotta Capuzzo area	91a Squadriglia
	04/08/40	16:50-	1/?	Blenheim (a)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Ridotta Capuzzo area	91a Squadriglia
	04/08/40	16:50-	1/?	Gladiator (a)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Ridotta Capuzzo area	91a Squadriglia
	1942
1	15/06/42	16:15-17:45	1	P-40	Destroyed	MC.202		El Adem	90a Squadriglia
2	02/07/42	08:10-09:40	1	P-40 (b)	Destroyed	MC.202		N Fuka	90a Squadriglia
	02/07/42	08:10-09:40	1/5	P-40 (b)	Shared destroyed	MC.202		N Fuka	90a Squadriglia
3	10/07/42	08:55-10:10	1	P-40 (c)	Destroyed	MC.202		El Alamein area	90a Squadriglia
4	15/07/42	10:30-11:40	1	P-40 (d)	Destroyed	MC.202		El Alamein	90a Squadriglia
	16/07/42	10:35-12:00	1/5	P-40 (e)	Shared destroyed	MC.202		Deir el Qattara area	90a Squadriglia
	18/07/42	06:45-08:15	1/3	P-40 (f)	Shared destroyed	MC.202		Burg el Arab area	90a Squadriglia
5	??/??/4?		1	Enemy aicraft	Destroyed				90a Squadriglia

Biplane victories: 4 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 5 and 4 shared destroyed.
(a) Claimed in combat with bombers probably from 55 and 211 and/or 113 Squadrons and probably Gladiators from 112 Squadron. One Blenheim from 211 Squadron seems to have force-landed and was lost in this combat. None of other RAF units reported any losses or claims. The Italian fighters from the 9^o and 10^o Gruppi totally claimed 3 Blenheims and 2 and 2 probable Gladiators.
(b) Claimed in combat with Hurricanes from 33 Squadron, which claimed 1 MC.202 while losing 1 fighters (pilot WIA). The 10^o Gruppo claimed 3 P-40s while losing 1 MC.202 (pilot PoW).
(c) Claimed in combat with Hurricane IIcs from 274 Squadron, which claimed 2 probable fighters and 7 damaged with one Hurricane damaged. The 10^o Gruppo claimed 8 P-40s without losses.
(d) Probably claimed in combat with Hurricanes from 33, 213 and 238 Squadron, which claimed 1 MC.202, 3 damaged, 2 damaged Bf 109Es and 2 damaged Ju 88s while suffering 3 damaged Hurricanes. 9^o and 10^o Gruppi and I./JG 27 claimed 5 fighters destroyed and 4 probables while suffering 1 damaged MC.202 (pilot KIA).
(e) Claimed in combat with fighters from 213, 238, 250 and 1 SAAF Squadrons, which claimed 2 destroyed and 2 probables while losing 1 Hurricane (pilot KIA) and getting 2 fighters damaged. 10^o Gruppo claimed 4 fighters destroyed while suffering 4 damaged MC.202s.
(f) Claimed in combat with Hurricanes from 80 and 274 Squadrons, which claimed 5 damaged fighters while losing 2 Hurricanes. 10^o Gruppo claimed 4 fighters destroyed without losses.

Sources:
2^o Stormo - Note storiche dal 1925 al 1975 - Gino Strada, 1975 USSMA, Rome, kindly provided by Ludovico Slongo
55 Squadron Operations Record Book
Ace of Aces: M T StJ Pattle - E C R Baker, 1992 Crécy Books, Somerton, ISBN 0-947554-36-X
Aces High - Christopher Shores and Clive Williams, 1994 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-898697-00-0
Aces High Volume 2 - Christopher Shores, 1999 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-902304-03-9
A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940-1945: Volume Two – Christopher Shores and Giovanni Massimello with Russell Guest, Frank Olynyk & Winfried Bock, 2012 Grub Street, London, ISBN-13: 9781909166127
Assi Italiani Della Caccia 1936-1945 - Giovanni Massimello, 1999 Aerofan no. 69 apr.-giu. 1999, Giorgio Apostolo Editore, Milan
Desert Prelude: Early clashes June-November 1940 - Håkan Gustavsson and Ludovico Slongo, 2010 MMP books, ISBN 978-83-89450-52-4
Diario Storico 90^a Squadriglia kindly provided by Ludovico Slongo
Diario Storico 91^a Squadriglia kindly provided by Ludovico Slongo
Eagles over Gazala: Air Battles in North Africa May-June 1942 – Michele Palermo, IBN Editore, ISBN (10) 88-7565-168-X
Elenco Nominativo dei Militari dell’ A. M. Decorati al V. M. Durante it Periodo 1929 - 1945 2 Volume M - Z
Fiat CR.42 Aces of World War 2 - Håkan Gustavsson and Ludovico Slongo, 2009 Osprey Publishing, Oxford, ISBN 978-1-84603-427-5
Fighters over the Desert - Christopher Shores and Hans Ring, 1969 Neville Spearman Limited, London
Quelli del Cavallino Rampante - Antonio Duma, 1981 Editore Dell'Ateneo, Roma, kindly provided by Ludovico Slongo
Stormi d'Italia - Giulio Lazzati, 1975 Mursia, Milan, ISBN 88-425-1946-4, kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Additional information kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro and Ludovico Slongo