Domenico Santonocito was from Napoli.

On 12 June 1940, the 2^o Stormo’s fighters 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.
At the beginning of the hostilities the 84^a Squadriglia C.T. was composed of the following pilots: Capitano Luigi Monti (CO), Capitano Aldo Lanfranco, Tenente Vincenzo Vanni, Maresciallo Emiro Nicola, Maresciallo Mario Bandini, Sergente Maggiore Ugo Corsi, Sergente Santonocito, Sergente Roberto Steppi, Sergente Giuseppe Scaglioni, Sergente Corrado Patrizi and Sergente Narciso Pillepich. The eleven pilots had only eight Fiat CR.42s. It seems that Sergente Maggiore Corsi and Sergente Pillepich didn’t take part in the move of the unit from Gorizia on 7 June but were however in T2 with the unit from at least 13 June and 15 June.
On 12 June, the first fighter of the 10^o Gruppo to arrive at El Adem T2 was that of Capitano Luigi Monti, who landed in the morning. His Squadriglia’s mates arrived later, obliged to turn back by the bad weather. Then the other Squadriglie followed.

On 11 September, the 9^o and 10^o Gruppo were still employed in standing patrols over the troops. During the second patrol of the day, at 17:45 in the Sidi Omar – Bardia area, a Blenheim was discovered at 6000 metres.
The Italian formation was escorting three CR.32s and was led by Maggiore Carlo Romagnoli. It was composed of seven CR.42s from the 84^a Squadriglia (Capitano Luigi Monti, Capitano Vincenzo Vanni, Tenente Giuseppe Aurili, Sottotenente Paolo Berti, Sergente Roberto Steppi, Sergente Narciso Pillepich and Sergente Santonocito), five CR.42s from the 91^a Squadriglia (Capitano Giuseppe D’Agostinis, Sottotenente Ruggero Caporali, Sergente Maggiore Leonardo Ferrulli, Sergente Elio Miotto and Sergente Alessandro Bladelli) and six CR.42s from the 90^a Squadriglia (Tenente Giovanni Guiducci, Tenente Franco Lucchini, Sottotenente Neri De Benedetti, Maresciallo Omero Alesi, Sergente Maggiore Angelo Savini and Sergente Bruno Bortoletti).
Capitano Vanni, Tenente Aurili and Sergente Steppi attacked first, followed by other pilots of the formation. During the combat Vanni’s aircraft was hit by return fire and with the compressed air piping pierced, he was forced to turn back. His wingmen continued the pursuit and claimed the Blenheim shot down.
The bomber however was assigned as a shared to all the 10^o Gruppo pilots presents (even if , for example, it is known that 90^a Squadriglia pilots totally used only 140 rounds of ammunition so possibly only one of them was able to use his guns).
This claim can’t be verified with RAF sources but it is possible that it was a Blenheim from 113 Squadron since this unit’s ORB is lacking.

On 14 September, the 4^o Stormo continued to protect the ground forces. A mixed formation of 23 CR.42s from the 9^o Gruppo commanded by Maggiore Ernesto Botto with 15 CR.42s from the 10^o Gruppo as high cover, took off at 10:25. At 11:00, over Sollum some 10^o Gruppo pilots discovered a formation of four Bristol Blenheims. They attacked and claimed one shot down in flames. The bomber was credited as a shared to the whole formation from the 10^o Gruppo (Tenente Giovanni Guiducci, Sottotenente Luigi Prati, Tenente Franco Lucchini and Sergente Bruno Bortoletti of the 90^a Squadriglia and Maggiore Carlo Romagnoli, Capitano Giuseppe D’Agostinis, Sottotenente Andrea Dalla Pasqua, Sottotenente Ruggero Caporali, Sottotenente Carlo Albertini and Sergente Maggiore Leonardo Ferrulli of the 91^a Squadriglia and Capitano Luigi Monti, Capitano Vincenzo Vanni, Tenente Giuseppe Aurili, Tenente Paolo Berti and Sergente Santonocito of the 84^a Squadriglia).
Sottotenente Albertini later told that that the Blenheim had been left behind by its squadron and he fired at it all the rounds he had, but he could not destroy it. At the beginning, the bomber returned fire, but after being hit several times, they stopped and no sign of life could be noticed. He followed the bomber for a while, once finished his rounds, but nothing happened, and the Blenheim continued on the same route.
This clam can’t be verified with RAF records. The only known British actions for the day were a couple of afternoon bomber raids. Four Blenheims of 55 Squadron with others from 211 Squadron were ordered to attack Italian troops in the Sollum area in the first afternoon. The 55 Squadron quartet came back at 16:45 without suffering losses. Its pilots reported slight and ineffective AA fire and the presence of Italian fighters (but no interception occurred). Eight machines of 211 Squadron led by Gordon-Finalyson also attacked, claiming many hits in the target area. However, no Italian fighters were seen and all the bombers were back at around 17:10.

On 23 December, 17 CR.42s from the 10^o Gruppo took off at 08:30 to escort ten bombers from the 15^o Stormo, which had taken off from T4 and bound to attack armoured vehicles around Sidi Azeiz. The escort included five fighters from the 91^a Squadriglia (Maggiore Carlo Romagnoli, Capitano Vincenzo Vanni, Maresciallo Giorgio Di Giulio, Sergente Maggiore Giovanni Casero and Sergente Luigi Ferrario), four from the 90^a Squadriglia (Tenente Giovanni Guiducci, Tenente Franco Lucchini, Sergente Alfredo Sclavo and Sergente Luigi Contarini) and eight from the 84^a Squadriglia (Capitano Luigi Monti, Tenente Antonio Angeloni, Sottotenente Luigi Prati, Sottotenente Bruno Devoto, Sergente Santonocito, Sergente Roberto Steppi, Sergente Corrado Patrizi and Sergente Piero Buttazzi).
The formation was attacked by six Hurricanes and the Italian pilots claimed one confirmed shot down, another as a probable and a third was obliged to force-land among its own armoured vehicles (the 90^a Squadriglia’s pilots expended 455 rounds of ammo). The three victories were credited as shared among all the participating pilots. The Italian fighters landed back at Z1 at 11:05 with Sergente Ferrario’s aircraft damaged. The bombers (led by Colonnello Napoli) landed back at base at 10:30, with only one machine damaged by the Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes were from 274 Squadron, which was out on a morning patrol to cover a line Sidi Omar-Sollum-Buq-Buq with twelve machines taking off with 15 minutes intervals. From the reports of the returning pilots, it seems that fighters from 73 Squadron were present even if this is not reported in 73 Squadron documents.
Pilots taking part were Pilot Officer Stanley Godden (P2638) (06:15-09:15), Pilot Officer Ernest Mason (P3722) (06:30-09:30), Second Lieutenant Bester (N2624) (06:45-09:35), Flying Officer Thomas Patterson (P2544) (07:00-09:45), Flight Lieutenant John Lapsley (V7293) (07:20-09:50), Sergeant Dean (V7423 (07:30-10:30), Second Lieutenant Robert Talbot (P3721) (07:45-11:05), Pilot Officer Garland (P 3977) (08:10-11:15), Sergeant John Clarke (N2627) (08:20-11.00), Flying Officer C. F. Greenhill (P5176), Pilot Officer Strange (N2628) (09:50-12:50) and Flight Lieutenant Peter Wykeham-Barnes (P2638) (10:00-13:00).
Pilot Officer Mason had a field day; firstly, he intercepted ten SM 79s in two vics of five at 07:30 (strangely enough he wrote 09:30 in his CFR) when he was 10 miles south-west of Gambut at the height of 12,000 feet. He discovered the ten bombers 2000 feet below and dived from above, past the escort on no. 4 of the rear vic. He reported:

“ no4 of rear vic dropped back but later observed to rejoin formation. Small a/c seen burning on ground (unreadable) miles south of Bir Chleta. Believed to be CR 42 claimed by 2nd Lieutenant Talbot. 12 CR 42s in 4s and 2s were on port flank 1000 feet above and behind. After carrying out this attack I climbed above and carried out another attack.”

“enemy aircraft damaged. Unable to observe further as I got involved with the escort and was also fired on by our own troops. Burning S79 observed on ground in this approximate position by Pilot Officer McFadden no 73 Squadron. 12 CR 42s in 2s and 4s were 1000 feet above on port flank. The escort had observed my approach as this was my second attack and closed in on main force that jettisoned bombs. After breaking off attack I got involved with 2 of the escort at 1000 feet and was considerably embarrassed by tracers and pom-pom fire from our own troops.”

“port engine caught fire a/c climbed to 200 feet and then hit ground with wheels and flaps up. Bounced twice and went on nose. I circled a/c (E) and only one man (pilot) emerged from front exit.”

“1 CR 42 shot down later burst in flames 1 S79 initial attack dropped out of formation and did not rejoin. Determined attacks from escort prevented me from observing results of combats with S 79. While the CR 42s attacked immediately the main formation increased speed but kept formation and opened fire.”

At 09:15 on 26 December, eight Gladiators from 3 RAAF Squadron took off from the LG south-west of Sollum to escort a Lysander doing artillery reconnaissance over Bardia. The Lysander failed to appear. At approximately 14:05 (obviously during a third patrol) two flights of five SM 79s escorted by a number of CR.42s were observed a few miles north-east of Sollum Bay. A separate formation of 18 CR.42s was following the bomber formation and escort 2,000 feet higher as top cover. Two Gladiators attacked the bomber formation whilst the remainder climbed to meet the higher formation. The attack on the bombers was broken off when the higher formation attacked the Gladiators. In the ensuing combat, Flight Lieutenant Gordon Steege and Flying Officer Wilfred Arthur each claimed a destroyed (seen to fall into the sea) and a damaged CR.42. Flying Officer Peter Turnbull, Flying Officer John Perrin and Flying Officer Alan Rawlinson each claimed one probable.
The CR.42s were 14 fighters from the newly arrived 23^o Gruppo led by the CO, Maggiore Tito Falconi and 22 CR.42s from the 10^o Gruppo. The CR.42s from the 23^o Gruppo included three from the 70^a Squadriglia (Tenente Claudio Solaro, Sergente Pardino Pardini and Tenente Gino Battaggion), five from the 74^a Squadriglia (Capitano Guido Bobba, Tenente Lorenzo Lorenzoni, Sottotenente Sante Schiroli, Sergente Maggiore Raffaele Marzocca (forced to return early due to a sudden illness) and Sergente Manlio Tarantino) and five from the 75^a Squadriglia (Tenente Pietro Calistri, Tenente Ezio Monti, Sottotenente Renato Villa, Sottotenente Leopoldo Marangoni and Maresciallo Carlo Dentis). The fighters from the the 10^o Gruppo included seven from the 91^a Squadriglia (Maggiore Carlo Romagnoli, Capitano Vincenzo Vanni, Capitano Mario Pluda, Sottotenente Andrea Dalla Pasqua, Sottotenente Ruggero Caporali, Sergente Maggiore Lorenzo Migliorato and Sergente Elio Miotto), nine from the 84^a Squadriglia (Capitano Luigi Monti, Tenente Antonio Angeloni, Sottotenente Luigi Prati, Sottotenente Bruno Devoto, Sergente Santonocito, Sergente Corrado Patrizi, Sergente Piero Buttazzi, Sergente Luciano Perdoni and Sergente Mario Veronesi) and six from the 90^a Squadriglia (Tenente Giovanni Guiducci, Tenente Franco Lucchini, Sottotenente Alessandro Rusconi, Sottotenente Neri De Benedetti, Sergente Luigi Contarini and Sergente Giovanni Battista Ceoletta), which had taken off at 13:00.
They were escorting ten SM 79s from the 41^o Stormo under Tenente Colonnello Draghelli and five SM 79s 216^a Squadriglia, 53^o Gruppo, 34^o Stormo, led by Tenente Stringa. The SM 79s had taken off from M2 at 12:25 and attacked Sollum harbour’s jetty (reportedly hit) and two destroyers inside Sollum Bay (with poor results because of the heavy AA fire). AA from the ships hit four bombers from the 34^o Stormo; one of them, piloted by Sottotenente Bellini had to force land close to Ain El Gazala with the central engine out of action. Returning pilots reported an attempt to intercept by some Gladiators but the escort repulsed the British fighters. They landed without further problems at 15:15.
Over the target, immediately after the bombing, the Italian fighters reported the interception of “enemy aircraft” alternatively “many Glosters” or “Hurricanes and Glosters”. The 70^a Squadrigli pilots claimed a shared Hurricane, this was possibly an aircraft from 33 Squadron. This unit’s ORB reported that during the day’s patrols many SM 79s and CR.42s were intercepted with one CR.42 believed damaged. Two Gladiators confirmed and two probables were shared between the whole 10^o Gruppo. Another Gladiator was assigned to the 23^o Gruppo (in the documents of 75^a Squadriglia but this is not confirmed by the other two Squadriglie). Many Glosters were claimed damaged by Tenente Lorenzoni, Sottotenente Schiroli, Sergente Tarantino, Sottotenente Marangoni, Tenente Calistri, Tenente Monti and Sottotenente Villa. The CR.42s were back between 14:30 and 15:05.
No Gladiators were lost even if three of them were damaged (all repairable within the unit). The Australians had done a very good job indeed, facing a formation four times more numerous (even if it seem improbable that all the Italian fighters were able to join the combat). From the Italian reports it seems that only the front sections of the escort (including the 74^a, 75^a and the 84^a Squadriglie) were engaged in a sharp dogfight with the Gladiators. The Australians were able to shot down the CO of the 74^a Squadriglia, Capitano Guido Bobba, who was killed when his fighter fell in flames into the sea and damaged Tenente Lorenzoni’s fighter, who landed at T2 (and came back to Z1 the day after). Three more CR.42s were damaged when Tenente Angeloni was forced to land at T5 before reaching Z1, Sergente Veronesi’s fighter was damaged and Sottotenente Prati was forced to make an emergency landing short of T2 (his fighter was reportedly undamaged and only suffering for a slight engine breakdown). Maggiore Falconi’s fighter was also heavily damaged but managed to return. The morning after Angeloni was able to return to Z1 with his aircraft.
Capitano Guido Bobba was awarded a posthumously Medaglia d’Argento al valor militare. He was replaced as CO of the 74^a Squadriglia by Tenente Mario Pinna.

The last Italian bombing mission of the day on 27 December was again against Sollum. Four SM 79s from the 41^o Stormo under Tenente Colonnello D’Ippolito and four bombers from the 216^a Squadriglia, 34^o Stormo, led by Tenente Romanini took off from Tmini at 14:30.
They were escorted by fighters from the 23^o Gruppo and 10^o Gruppi. Maggiore Tito Falconi was at the head of the formation of the first unit, which also included Tenente Claudio Solaro, Sottotenente Oscar Abello and Sergente Ubaldo Marziali from the 70^a Squadriglia, Tenente Mario Pinna, Sottotenente Milano Pausi and Sergente Giuseppe Sanguettoli from the 74^a Squadriglia and Tenente Pietro Calistri, Tenente Ezio Maria Monti, Maresciallo Giovanni Carmello, Sergente Leo Mannucci and Sottotenente Leopoldo Marangoni from the 75^a Squadriglia.
It seems that the bomber formation split and the 41^o Stormo attacked British mechanized units in Halfaya and Gabr Bu Fares under heavy AA that damaged, although slightly, all the aircraft. The SM 79s of the 34^o Stormo attacked ships in Sollum harbour and were intercepted by many Hurricanes. The SM 79s were totally unable to defend themselves because of icing on all the guns and one of them was shot down. This was Sottotenente Aldo Peterlini’s bomber and Peterlini was killed together with three of his crew (Sergente Maggiore Arturo Scagnetti (second pilot), Aviere Scelto Motorista Alcide Frizzera and Aviere Scelto Radiotelegrafista Gioacchino Scuderi). The other two members of the crew (Primo Aviere Armiere Ciancilla and Primo Aviere Montatore Fiore) where able to bale out. Tenente Pandolfi’s aircraft was riddled by enemy bullets (probably RD) while the other two SM 79s were less seriously damaged although suffering some wounded among their crews.
They had been intercepted by 33 Squadron which claimed three SM 79s and one probable and probably two CR.42s during offensive patrols performed by pairs of Hurricanes over Sollum. They also claimed one SM 79 and one CR.42 damaged. Vernon Woodward claimed one of the probable CR.42s and the damaged CR.42.
Falconi’s pilots recorded combat with many Hurricanes, one of which was claimed as probable by the 70^a Squadriglia and six more were damaged. Tenente Solaro and Sottotenente Abello returned with damaged fighters. Solaro had been hit by AA fire and Sottotenente Abello by British fighters. Calistri and his men claimed a shared Hurricane and four more damaged. They landed back at 16:55. A shot down Hurricane was also recorded by the 74^a Squadriglia, which also recorded a SM 79 shot down by AA fire.
The CR.42 escort from the 10^o Gruppo was composed of seven fighters from the 90^a Squadriglia (Tenente Giovanni Guiducci, Tenente Franco Lucchini, Sottotenente Alessandro Rusconi, Sottotenente Neri De Benedetti, Sergente Alfredo Sclavo, Sergente Bruno Bortoletti and Sergente Enrico Botti), six from the 84^a Squadriglia (Capitano Luigi Monti, Tenente Antonio Angeloni, Sottotenente Bruno Devoto, Sergente Maggiore Salvatore Mechelli, Sergente Santonocito and Sergente Piero Buttazzi) and six from the 91^a Squadriglia (Maggiore Carlo Romagnoli, Capitano Vincenzo Vanni, Sottotenente Andrea Dalla Pasqua, Sottotenente Orlando Mandolini, Sottotenente Ennio Grifoni and Sergente Elio Miotto). Tenente Guiducci reported that the heavy AA immediately hit one of the SM 79s, which was shot down. Then five monoplanes (Hurricanes and Spitfires(!)) tried to attack but were immediately counterattacked and one of them was shot down. Later, another attempt by a lone British fighter failed after the intervention of the Italian escort. The 90^a Squadriglia pilots expanded 320 rounds of ammunition and it seems that in the end the victory was assigned to the whole formation as a Gruppo victory. It seems that it was the same aircraft claimed independently by the two Squadriglie of the 23^o Gruppo.

At 12:30 on 9 July 1942, Capitano Franco Lucchini (MM7789/84-5) led 12 MC.202s from the 10^o Gruppo to cover CR.42s active in the Kalakh area. Near El Alamein 12 fighter-bombers were encountered; these were protected by a strong formation of about 35 fighters. Capitano Lucchini and his pilots attacked and claimed a P-40 shared among four of the pilots from 84^a Squadriglia after a 15-minute combat. Claimants in this shared was Lucchini, Sergente Livio Barbera (MM7933/84-10), Tenente Paolo Berti (MM7803/84-1) and Santonocito (MM7805/84-2).
Tenente Giuseppe Ferazzani, a pilot just arrived from Italy, was hit and wounded.
It seems that no Allied fighters were lost in this combat.

On 14 July, Capitano Carlo Ruspoli led eleven MC.202 from the 10^o Gruppo on a free sweep over El Alamein between 07:45-09:35. A formation of twelve Bostons escorted by about 20 P-40s, twelve Hurricanes and six Spitfires, flying at higher altitude, was econtered. A long and confused combat followed during which five P-40s were claimed destroyed, plus two probables without losses to the Italian fighters. Maresciallo Luigi Bignami (MC.202 MM7896), Sergente Maggiore Luciano Perdoni (MM7805) and Sergente Maggiore Santonocito (MM7815) (all from the 84^a Squadriglia) claimed a P-40 destroyed each. Capitano Ruspoli (91^a Squadriglia) claimed a probable Hurricane and Maresciallo Leonardo Ferrulli (91^a Squadriglia) claimed a destroyed P-40. The remaining two claims were made by unstated pilots from the 91^a Squadriglia.
It seems that they had been in combat with at least twelve Hurricane IIbs from 238 Squadron, which flew a mission between 09:15-10:25. They reported combat with half a dozen of MC.202 over El Alamein at 09:45 and the British pilots claimed four damaged; three by Flight Sergeant G. H. Borham (Hurricane IIb ‘X’) and one by Pilot Officer B. Nordon (‘V’). One Hurricane was shot down and Pilot Officer E. Winterbottom was declared MiA but he returned the next day.

1 SAAF Squadron took off at 10:05 on 5 August as top cover to 127 Squadron, followed 50 minutes later by 80 Squadron, which provided top cover for the whole formation. Eight Bf 109s reportedly attacked the latter unit near El Alamein, which lost one aircraft which crash-landed; 29-year-old Pilot Officer Peter Douglas Keeping (RAF No. 134508) in Hurricane IIc BP187 was badly wounded and died later in the l8th Field Hospital. Pilot Officer E. Hill (BN870) attacked one fighter, but this turned on him and he was shot down also, carrying out a force-landing. Sergeant Christopher House (BE350) was cut off from the squadron and forced out over the sea by four fighters but managed to return safely, claiming one shot down and one damaged. His Hurricane received Cat. I damaged in the wing during the combat. The South Africans reported that near the end of the patrol a lone MC.202 dived on the squadron and this was claimed to have been damaged by Lieutenant Barry Haynes (Hurricane BP350/Z). It seems that there was some confusion during this engagement as to whether the Axis fighters were Messerschmitts or Macchis - or both. A Kittyhawk Ia was also badly damaged by reportedly MC.202s over El Alamein during the day but Pilot Officer E. G. Aitchison was safe.
After an alarm from the Freya radar in the morning, Capitano Franco Lucchini (CO 84^a Squadriglia) and Capitano Ranieri Piccolomini (CO 90^a Squadriglia) scrambled at 09:40 with twelve MC.202s to intercept bombers. The fighters were radio-guided eastward over the sea, until 20 km from Alexandria, without having found any aircraft. On the way home, they met fifteen Hurricanes and P-40s at 4000 meters in the El Hammam - El Amirya area and attacked them. Capitano Lucchini (MC.202 MM7905), Capitano Piccolomini and Sottotenente Paolo Berti (84^a Squadriglia in MM7803/84-1) claimed a P-40 each. A fourth was claimed as a shared between Sergente Natale Molteni (90^a Squadriglia in MM7803), Tenente Luigi Giannella (84^a Squadriglia in MM7815), Sergente Maggiore Santonocito (84^a Squadriglia in MM7805/84-2), Sergente Maggiore Corrado Patrizi (84^a Squadriglia in MM7919) and Sergente Livio Barbera (84^a Squadriglia in MM7789). Tenente Luigi Giannella also claimed a P-40 as a probable. 10^o Gruppo landed back at 11:20 without suffer any losses in this combat.
Meantime, two Bf 109s of 4./JG 27 had scrambled to intercept 12 bombers and 20 fighters near Alam el Halfa, Oberfeldwebel Karl-Heinz Bendert claiming one P-40 shot down at 10:08.

At 15:30 of 9 October, the 84^a Squadriglia scrambled eight MC.202s led by Tenente Luigi Giannella (MC.202 MM7815). Over Qotaifiya, they intercepted a formation of 42 Bostons and later another formation of twelve ‘Hurribombers’ flying at very low altitude. Tenente Giannella claimed a P-40 with a Spitfire as a probable while Sergente Maggiore Santonocito (MM7928) claimed two Spitfires damaged.
The same enemy formations were also engaged by nine MC.202s from the 97^a Squadriglia, which had taken off at 15:45, led by Tenente Jacopo Frigerio. In this combat a Hurribomber and another probable were claimed by Maresciallo Gianni Bianchelli, while a P-40 was credited to Sottotenente Leonardo Boselli. An MC.202 returned severely damaged.
At 15:55, seven MC.202s from the 91^a Squadriglia led by Capitano Carlo Maurizio Ruspoli took off and joined this combat during which Ruspoli claimed a Spitfire. Sottotenente Alvaro Bondi, possibly hit in the tail, baled out owing to severe vibrations and landed safely.

Between 14:45-15:20 on 26 October, a patrol from the 84^a Squadriglia led by Tenente Luigi Giannella scrambled to intercept seven ”P-46s” (probably P-40Fs) strafing Abu Haggag. Two of the were claimed damaged by Sergente Maggiore Santonocito.

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 re-joined 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 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 Amleto 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.

Santonocito ended the war with 6 shared biplane victories and a total of 1.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1940
	11/09/40	17:45-	1/19	Blenheim (a)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Sidi Omar - Bardia area	84a Squadriglia
	14/09/40	11:00-	1/15	Blenheim (b)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Sollum area	84a Squadriglia
	23/12/40	08:30-11:05	1/17	Hurricane (c)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Sidi Azeiz area	84a Squadriglia
	23/12/40	08:30-11:05	1/17	Hurricane (c)	Shared probable	Fiat CR.42		Sidi Azeiz area	84a Squadriglia
	23/12/40	08:30-11:05	1/17	Hurricane (c)	Shared damaged	Fiat CR.42		Sidi Azeiz area	84a Squadriglia
	26/12/40	13:00-15:05	1/22	Gladiator (d)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Sollum area	84a Squadriglia
	26/12/40	13:00-15:05	1/22	Gladiator (d)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Sollum area	84a Squadriglia
	26/12/40	13:00-15:05	1/22	Gladiator (d)	Shared probable	Fiat CR.42		Sollum area	84a Squadriglia
	26/12/40	13:00-15:05	1/22	Gladiator (d)	Shared probable	Fiat CR.42		Sollum area	84a Squadriglia
	27/12/40	14:30-	1/19	Hurricane (e)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Sollum area	84a Squadriglia
	1942
	09/07/42	12:30-14:00	1/4	P-40 (f)	Shared destroyed	MC.202	MM7805/84-2	El Alamein	84a Squadriglia
1	14/07/42	07:45-09:35	1	P-40 (g)	Destroyed	MC.202	MM7815	El Alamein	84a Squadriglia
	05/08/42	09:40-11:20	1/5	P-40 (h)	Shared destroyed	MC.202	MM7805/84-2	El Hammam - Amirya	84a Squadriglia
	09/10/42	15:15-16:50	1	Spitfire	Damaged	MC.202	MM7928	S Qotaifiya	84a Squadriglia
	09/10/42	15:15-16:50	1	Spitfire	Damaged	MC.202	MM7928	S Qotaifiya	84a Squadriglia
	26/10/42	14:45-15:20	1	P-46 (i)	Damaged	MC.202	MM7928	Abu Haggag	84a Squadriglia
	26/10/42	14:45-15:20	1	P-46 (i)	Damaged	MC.202	MM7928	Abu Haggag	84a Squadriglia

Biplane victories: 6 shared destroyed, 3 shared probably destroyed, 1 shared damaged.
TOTAL: 1 and 8 shared destroyed, 3 shared probably destroyed, 4 and 1 shared damaged.
(a) This claim can’t be verified with RAF sources.
(b) This clam can’t be verified with RAF records.
(c) Claimed in combat with Hurricanes from 274 Squadron, which claimed one CR.42 while suffering one damaged Hurricane. 10^o Gruppo claimed one, one probable and one damaged Hurricanewhile suffering one damaged CR.42.
(d) Claimed in combat with Gladiators from 3 RAAF Squadron, which claimed 2 and 3 probables without any losses, and possibly Hurricanes from 33 Squadron, which claimed a damaged CR.42 during the day. The 23^o Gruppo claimed 1 Hurricane and 1 Gladiator and the 10^o Gruppo claimed 2 and 2 probable Gladiators while losing one CR.42 and getting five more damaged.
(e) Claimed in combat with Hurricanes from 33 Squadron, which claimed two probable CR.42s and one damaged without losses. The 10^o and 23^o Gruppi claimed 3 Hurricanes and 1 probably shot down with another 10 damaged while suffering 3 damaged CR.42s.
(f) This claim can’t be verified with Allied records.
(g) Claimed in combat with Hurricanes from 238 Squadron, which claimed 4 damaged MC.202s while losing 1 Hurricane. The 10^o Gruppo claimed 5 P-40s destroyed, 1 probable and 1 probable Hurricane without losses.
(h) Claimed in combat with Hurricanes from 1 SAAF and 80 Squadrons and Kittyhawks from 260 Squadron, which lost 2 Hurricanes and got 1 more Hurricane and 1 Kittyhawk damaged while claiming 1 enemy fighter destroyed, 1 probably and 4 damaged. 10^o Gruppo and 4./JG 27 claimed 5 P-40s and 1 probably without losses.
(i) Probably P-40F.

Sources:
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
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 84^a Squadriglia kindly provided by Ludovico Slongo
Diario Storico 90^a Squadriglia kindly provided by Ludovico Slongo
Diario Storico 91^a Squadriglia kindly provided by Ludovico Slongo
Elenco Nominativo dei Militari dell' A. M. Decorati al V. M. Durante it Periodo 1929 - 1945 2 Volume M - Z
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
Additional info kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro and Ludovico Slongo.