Pietro Morlotti was from Almeno (Bergamo).

In October 1940, Sergente Morlotti served in the 412^a Squadriglia Autonoma Caccia in the Italian East Africa (Africa Orientale Italiana - AOI).

Having known since 13 October, by aerial reconnaissance, that a Flight of 47 Squadron had been detached to Al Qadarif (Gadáref), pilots of Regia Aeronautica planed a strafing attack on that field. Thus, on the evening of 15 October, the Italian Northern Sector Command transferred three S.79s and several CR.42s to Barentù, in addition to those already present at the base, bringing the total number of available fighters to nine.
Also during the night, infiltrators cut the tele-phone link between the secondary camp and the city of Gedáref, from where the alarm could be transmitted by radio to the 'Azaza camp, Gladiator base of the 1 SAAF Squadron detachment.
At 06:00 on 16 October, a S.79 of the 19^a Squadriglia, piloted by Tenente Edmondo Carlucci and Tenente Colonnello Luigi Klinger (CO of the 28 Gruppo), with Generale Pietro Piacentini (CO of Settore Aeronautico Nord AOI) also on board took off together with at least eight of the nine CR.42s available. The figther pilots from the 412^a Squadriglia were Capitano Antonio Raffi, Tenente Mario Visintini, Tenente Carlo Canella, Tenente Raimondo Di Pauli, Sottotenente Fiorindo Rosmino, Sottotenente Giovanni Levi, Sergente Maggiore Lugi Baron, and Sergente Morlotti. Some sources states that nine CR.42s were involved in this strike, but possibly the ninth pilot, newly arrived Sergente Carlo Scarselli, was left to protect Barentu.
The formation headed for Càssala and from there followed the railway line to Gedáref. What happened is vividly described by Vittorio Beonio-Brocchieri, correspondent of the Corriere della Sera:

“Imagine that you see in front of you, from an aerial perspective, a quadrangular polygon surrounded by a clearing of small woods and bushes. British equipment appears scattered partly in the centre and partly on the edges of the range.”

“At this moment, our pilots were able to observe a very curious scene on the field: the mad flight of the British soldiers and officers who were at the defensive positions of the airfield. Rarely does one witness such a funny spectacle: seeing the entire airfield staff abandon their machine gun emplacements and anti-aircraft guns during an attack in order to save their legs and jump into the armoured "fifaus"!”

“As the first columns of smoke rose from the stricken machines on the northwest side of the airfield, two large explosions detonated at the other end, showing that three of the British aircraft were not refuelled but were already loaded with bombs. About three minutes into the action, columns of smoke began to rise, stretched obliquely by a south-westerly wind. In the fourth minute, while the chain of assailants in pursuit repeated the attack without giving the enemy the material time to attempt a sufficient reaction, a larger explosion erupted at the ammunition depot, which was blown up at three consecutive times, at intervals of a few seconds. Even a lorry loaded with petrol at one end of the field caught fire and gave off a smear of smoke which, in the photograph, looks like a torrent in flood. Before our aircraft had moved away, the smoke from the fires had invaded all the vicinity of the range and was spreading far and wide. The pilot of one of the aircraft responsible for photo-graphically documenting the feat, having descended to within a few metres of the ground, was able to recognise and ascertain that the destruction of the enemy's war material had been completely, utterly and exhaustively successful.”

“[...] I wish I knew how to express to you the impression of the fires caused at Ghedaref: you know, between night and dawn, when the blackness of the night has not completely gone and the first light has not succeeded in overcoming the darkness, tongues of fire of a colour between carmine and violet burst from the ground, emanating from a dense envelope of smoke, and in between you see the great wings of the aircraft crucifying themselves on the ground, now useless, lost. And the carousel of fighter planes spiralling in that air of tragedy and triumph. And the descents at very low altitude, amidst the stupefaction of the adversary who can no longer even decide to retaliate against the offence: and the pale dawn, which little by little widens and overcomes the darkness, and then a triumph of dazzling sunlight which eats up the fires of the earth and only in the still air are scarves of smoke left to reach the clouds.”

“The first warning the 1st Squadron detachment had of the attack was the billowing clouds of black smoke visible in the distance from the burning bombers. By this time, the Regia Aeronautica was on its way home after a successful day.”

“At dawn bombing and fighter formation attacked at low altitude the new Gedaref airfield by surprise, where previous day and night reconnaissance had discovered and ascertained an important concentration of enemy aircraft, probably a base for offensive action against our north-western array: in repeated passages all the aircraft (11 Wellesley and Gloster types) present and decentralised on the field were set on fire with fragmentation and machine-gun fire; an ammunition depot was blown up and several trucks set on fire; troops were observed fleeing hastily amidst fires and columns of smoke; all our air-craft returned unharmed to base. […]”

04.05 [GMT]. The airfield is attacked by an S.79, 4 CR.32s and 3 CR.42s. The S.79 releases a salvo of bombs, apparently to no effect. Then the CR.32s break away from the formation and machine-gun the 8 Wellesleys and 2 Vincents on the ground while the S.79 and CR.42s circle above. All our aircraft are burnt out and completely destroyed. There were a considerable number of personnel on the airfield at the time, but all were miraculously unharmed.
08.00 [GMT]. Two S.79s flew over the field, apparently on reconnaissance. There was an exchange of machine gun fire, but no casualties.
It was decided to evacuate the area, the camp was disman-tled and all personnel left by train for Khartoum at 1200 [GMT].”

“In October 1940, a detachment of 47 Squadron moved from Khartoum to an airfield near Gedaref, some 230 miles south-east of the capital and which - appropriately enough - was located near the railway system from Port Sudanto Khartoum itself. The unit was skeleton staffed, meaning that everyone had two jobs - which can work well if you have the right people - and consisted of eight Wellesleys and four Vincents. The idea was to be able to operate closer to our targets, taking a calculated risk, thus saving a lot of flight time for both machines and crews.
Within a few days our hideout was discovered by a Savoia Marchetti SM.79, which was indeed a bird of ill omen. At dawn the next day, it returned, carrying six Fiat CR.42s. It was the moment of despair, the one that "Digger" Magill and I had feared, but thought would not happen. We had underestimated the Italian commander, General Piacentini; we were later told that he had accompanied the attack in person, exercising command from the front line. A smart guy!
With no ground defence against air attacks - albeit with an Indian Brigade quartered nearby - and no communications with a Gladiator squadron whose job it was to give us adequate cover, the Italians had a field day. In no time at all, CR.42s set fire to all our planes, and the General no doubt smacked his lips in satisfaction from his vantage point 3,000 feet [910m] above us. Within minutes it was all over, and for the first time in living memory the sun was eclipsed on that side of the world by dense columns of black smoke rising thousands of feet above us. It was an absolutely depressing sight: burning planes scattered all around the field. I felt like crying.
The only distraction came with Black Mac's telegram, which simply said, "Do you want your horse?" I didn't feel like answering. So, back to Khartoum by train - what else could we do? We had learnt our lesson the hard way; this I must repeat to myself, as the idea had been all mine. In other words: if you're going to get close to the enemy, you've got to be damn sure you can defend yourself adequately against air attacks.”

On the 6 November, the British forces in Sudan launched an offensive to capture the Italian fort at Gallabat as well as occupy Metema, which was just across the frontier. All that the RAF could provide in way of support was six Wellesleys, two Vincents, six Gauntlets, ten Gladiators (drawn from ‘K’ Flight and 1 SAAF Squadron) and four Hawker Hardys (from the Rhodesian Air Force). The Wellesleys were first into action bombing Gallabat, with the Gladiators requested to over fly the area in large formations. Three Gladiators of ‘K’ Flight arrived over the advancing troops at low level. They were patrolling to the east of Metema when a formation of an estimated six or seven CR.42s from 412^a Squadriglia led by the unit commander Capitano Antonio Raffi attacked them from out of the sun. The Gladiator pilots were taken by surprise; 24-year-old Flight Lieutenant Kenneth Howard Savage (RAF no. 37483) (L7614) was shot down and killed while Pilot Officer H. B. Kirk (K7969) was forced to take to his parachute; neither pilot saw their attacker. Pilot Officer Kirk was wounded in the leg and became a PoW. Pilot Officer Jack Hamlyn evaded the initial onslaught but his aircraft (L7612) was badly damaged and he force-landed, returning later on foot. These three victories were claimed by Capitano Raffi, Tenente Niso Provinciali and Sergente Morlotti.
Meanwhile, Major Schalk van Schalkwyk (N5855) of 1 SAAF Squadron had also taken off from Azzoza, but on arriving over the front was also attacked by the CR.42s. Observers on the ground at once rang the strip at ‘Heston’ to report the lone Gladiator in combat with eight opponents, and despite thick mud caused by an unexpected downpour during the night, Captain Brian Boyle at once took off, arriving just in time to see the commanding officer’s Gladiator going down in flames, the pilot taking to his parachute with his clothes on fire; he did not survive. Immediately Boyle was also attacked, bullets entering the cockpit and wounding him in hands and legs; desperately he fought on until the engine of N5852 stopped, and he had to crash-land between the lines. Boyle was brought in by Indian troops and sent by ambulance to Wadi Seidna where he was hospitalised for some weeks. He was subsequently warded a DFC (1 SAAF Squadron’s first) on 7 January 1941 for his gallant action in going single-handed to van Schalkwyk’s assistance.
It seems that Captain Boyle was credited to Sottotenente Fiorindo Rosmino.
Capitano Raffi reported that four victories were claimed as a result of these engagements, but Sottotenente Rosmino’s aircraft was hit and he returned with his parachute pack riddled with bullets.
During the morning another ‘K’ Flight Gladiator was flown up to the front, and shortly after midday Flying Officer Jack Maurice Hayward (RAF no. 40111) joined four Gladiators of 1 SAAF Squadron from ‘Heston’, which took off at 13:20 in another patrol over the front. There, five Ca.133s were seen at 7,000 feet, 2,000 feet lower than the Gladiators, approaching the battle area. As the fighters prepared to attack, they were bounced from above by six CR.42s and 21-years-old Hayward’s aircraft (K7977) was seen to crash in flames, the pilot being KIA (possibly shot down at 15:30 by Tenente Mario Visintini of the 412^a Squadriglia). The South Africans at once split up into pairs, Lieutenants John Coetzer and Robin Pare taking on the fighters while Lieutenants Andrew Duncan and John Hewitson went after the bombers. The Caproni attacked by Duncan crashed on the Metema-Gondar road, while Hewitson’s fell out of control after he’d fired three burst and crashed; he also damaged a third bomber on the ground. The crew of one of the shot-down bombers survived, and was to return on foot several days later.
While this was going on, the two pilots fighting the CR.42s had managed to drive them off, each claiming one of the fighters shot down; no losses of CR.42s were recorded however, although either or both of those attacked may have been damaged, and force-landed.
By the end of the day, despite the loss of air superiority by the British forces, Gallabat Fort had been captured and the garrison virtually annihilated, only to be lost again the following day, under Italian ground counter-attacks supported by continuous hammering by Caproni and SIAI bombers, as in that moment the Regia Aeronautica had the main control of the air space.

At dawn on 9 February 1941, Capitano Mario Visintini led an attack on Akordat airfields and its satellite airfield with Tenente Carlo Canella, Tenente Raimondo Di Pauli, Sergente Aroldo Soffritti and Sergente Morlotti (all from the 412^a Squadriglia).
The attack was repeated in the same evening on Akordat and Bisha airfields.
A total of 16 aircraft were claimed by Italians in these two missions: 11 burned and 5 damaged including 5 Hurricanes, 5 Hawker biplanes, 2 Gladiators, 2 Wellesleys, 1 Valentia and 1 ‘Martin’ Lysander.
The 203 Group diary admitted 6 destroyed and 4 badly damaged in the morning, 1 burned and 4 damaged in the evening, for a total of 15 out-of-use aircraft. Destroyed aircraft included two Wellesleys (K7713 and L2665) of 47 Squadron, two Hardys (K5921 and K4319) and two Lysanders L1026 and R2044) of 237 Squadron.
At this point, Mario Visintini was granted with a Medaglia d’oro al valor militare for his outstanding combat record, while the other four pilots each gained a Medaglia d’argento al valor militare for the daring missions.

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 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. Lugi 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.

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

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1940
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Wellesley (a)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Wellesley (a)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Wellesley (a)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Wellesley (a)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Wellesley (a)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Wellesley (a)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Wellesley (a)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Wellesley (a)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Wellesley (a)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Gladiator (a)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
	16/10/40	07:00-07:20	1/8	Gladiator (a)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Al Qadarif	412a Squadriglia
1	06/11/40		1	Gladiator (b)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		E Metema	412a Squadriglia
	1941
	09/02/41	Dawn	1/5	Hurricane (c)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Akordat	412a Squadriglia
	09/02/41	Dawn	1/5	Hurricane (c)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Akordat	412a Squadriglia
	09/02/41	Dawn	1/5	Valentia (c)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Akordat	412a Squadriglia
	09/02/41	Dawn	1/5	Hardy (c)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Akordat	412a Squadriglia
	09/02/41	Dawn	1/5	Hardy (c)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Akordat	412a Squadriglia
	09/02/41	Dawn	1/5	Hardy (c)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Akordat	412a Squadriglia
	09/02/41	Dawn	1/5	Hardy (c)	Shared damaged on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Akordat	412a Squadriglia
	09/02/41	Dawn	1/5	Gladiator (c)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Akordat	412a Squadriglia
	09/02/41	Dawn	1/5	Wellesley (c)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Akordat	412a Squadriglia
	09/02/41	Dawn	1/5	Wellesley (c)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Akordat	412a Squadriglia
	09/02/41	Dawn	1/5	Lysander (c)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Akordat	412a Squadriglia
	09/02/41	Evening	1/5	Hurricane (c)	Shared damaged on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Akordat	412a Squadriglia
	09/02/41	Evening	1/5	Hurricane (c)	Shared damaged on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Akordat	412a Squadriglia
	09/02/41	Evening	1/5	Hurricane (c)	Shared damaged on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Akordat	412a Squadriglia
	09/02/41	Evening	1/5	Gladiator (c)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Bisha	412a Squadriglia
	09/02/41	Evening	1/5	Hardy (c)	Shared damaged on the ground	Fiat CR.42		Bisha	412a Squadriglia

Biplane victories: 1 destroyed, 22 shared destroyed on the ground, 5 shared damaged on the ground.
TOTAL: 1 destroyed, 22 shared destroyed on the ground, 5 shared damaged on the ground.
(a) According to British sources eight Wellesleys of 47 Squadron (L2650, L2675, L2677, L2688, K7742, K7762, K7779 and K7781) and two Vincents of 430 Flight (K4657 and K4731) were burned on the ground, against claims for nine Wellesley destroyed on the ground and two Gladiators shot down during take-off. The latter were unofficially credited to Capitano Raffi.
(b) Claimed in combat with Gladiators from 1 SAAF Squadron and ‘K’ Flight, which this day lost six aircraft while claiming two CR.42s and two Ca.133s. 412^a Squadriglia claimed six Gladiators during the day with no losses, although at least the CR.42 of Sottotenente Rosmino was damaged. Flight Officer Hayward (Gladiator II K7797) of ‘K’ Flight shot down and killed in the action.
(c) 412^a Squadriglia claimed 11 aircraft destroyed and 5 damaged on the ground (i.e. 2 Hurricanes, a Valentia, 3 Hardys, 2 Gladiators, 2 Wellesleys and a Lysander burned, 3 Hurricanes and 2 Hardys damaged). Actual losses were: in the morning, two Wellesleys (K7713 and L2665) of 47 Squadron, two Hardys (K5921 and K4319) and two Lysanders (L1026 and R2044) of 237 Squadron all burned, and four not specified aircrafts damaged at Akordat; in the evening, a Hurricane burned and two more damaged at Akordat, and a Vincent and a Gladiator damaged at Bisha, for a grand total of 15 destroyed or damaged aircrafts.

Sources:
Luciano Cacciavillani's personal logbook courtesy of Cacciavillani family (Luciano jr and Alberto)
Giovanni Levi’s personal logbook, courtesy of Michele Palermo
Fiorindo Rosmino’s personal logbook, courtesy of Rossella Baron
Aroldo Soffritti’s personal logbook, courtesy of Ariella Soffritti
Various documents belonged to Luigi Baron, courtesy of Rossella Baron
Various documents belonged to Antonio Raffi, courtesy of Alide Comba
Collection of Comando Aeronautica AOI War Bulletins, USSMA, Rome, kindly provided by Michele Palermo
410^a Squadriglia war diary (1940) kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro.
Comando Aeronautica Africa Orientale war diary (June 1940) kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro.
Dust Clouds in the Middle East - Christopher Shores, 1996 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-898697-37-X
Elenco Nominativo dei Militari dell’ A. M. Decorati al V. M. Durante it Periodo 1929 - 1945 2 Volume M - Z
Fiat CR.32 Aces of the Spanish Civil War – Alfredo Logoluso, 2010 Osprey Publishing, Oxford, ISBN 978-1-84603-983-6
Fiat CR.42 Aces of World War 2 - Håkan Gustavsson and Ludovico Slongo, 2009 Osprey Publishing, Oxford, ISBN 978-1-84603-427-5
Guerra di Spagna e Aviazione Italiana – Ferdinando Pedriali, 2nd ed., 1992 Ufficio Storico Stato Maggiore Aeronautica, Rome, kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro
In cielo e in terra - F. Pagliano, 1969 editore Longanesi, Milan, kindly provided by Alfredo Logoluso.
Mario Visintini. Storia e Leggenda di un Asso Italiano – Gianni Bianchi, Associazione Culturale Sarasota, kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro
Le Vittorie Aeree di Mario Visintini in Africa Orientale – Eugenio Eusebi, Stefano Lazzaro, Ludovico Slongo, in: Storia Militare no. 246 (XXII), March 2014, Albertelli Edizioni Speciali, Parma, ISSN 1122-5289
Spanish Republican Aces – Rafael A. Permuy López, 2012 Osprey Publishing, Oxford, ISBN 978-1-84908-668-4
Springbok Fighter Victory: East Africa Volume 1 1940 – 1941 – Michael Shoeman, 2002 African Aviation Series No. 11, Freeworld Publications CC, ISBN 0-958-4388-5-4
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Story of no. 1 Squadron SAAF – Vivian Voss, 1952 Mercantile Atlas (Pty.) Ltd., Cape Town, kindly provided by Ludovico Slongo.
Visintini, il Pilota Solitario - Silvio Platen, 1942 editore Rizzoli, Rome, kindly provided by Alfredo Logoluso.
Additional info kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro, Alfredo Logoluso and Ludovico Slongo.