Celso Zemella was from Turin.

Zemella served in the 70^a Squadriglia, 18^o Gruppo, 3^o Stormo. This unit was equipped with Fiat CR.42s.

When the war started on 10 June 1940, the 3^o Stormo was sent to the French border to take part in the attacks on southern France.

Zemella took part in the big attack on French airfields on 15 June.

After a very short resettling period at 3^o Stormo’s home base at Mirafiori, the 23^o Gruppo became Autonomo on 9 July and moved to Sicily to take part in the attacks on Malta.

On 13 July 1940 eleven CR.42 of 23^o Gruppo led by the unit commander Maggiore Tito Falconi made a reconnaissance sortie over Malta’s principal ports. During the sortie the unit claimed two Hurricanes shot down. One was claimed by Capitano Guido Bobba and the other was claimed by Capitano Ottorino Fargnoli and Capitano Antonio Chiodi with Sergente Maggiore Celso Zemella and Sergente Maggiore Renzo Bocconi. Their opponents at this occasion had in fact been a single Hurricane and a Gladiator flown by Flight Lieutenant George Burges who had been on readiness when the order to scramble came at around 0200. The Hurricane (P2653), flown by Pilot Officer Dick Sugden of the Hal Far Fighter Flight, was only damaged during the engagement.

On 16 December 1940, the 23^o Gruppo (previously part of 3^o Stormo but now Autonomo) with 20 Fiat CR.42s (70^a, 74^a and 75^a Squadriglie) and three hack Caproni Ca.133s arrived in Tripoli to help trying steam Operation Compass, which was mauling the Italian forces. The Gruppo had experienced brief (and quite unlucky) action at the beginning of the war against France, and then it had moved to Sicily where they had seen extensive action against Malta.
They were led by their CO, Maggiore Tito Falconi (a famous aerobatic pilot that had held the world record in inverted flight going in a Caproni 113 biplane racer from St. Louis to Chicago in 1933 and a veteran of the Abyssinian Campaign where he had gained some ground victories and of the Spanish Civil War where he had claimed many (mostly shared) aerial victories) in a 70^a Squadriglia fighter.
Pilots in the 70^a Squadriglia were Tenente Claudio Solaro (acting CO), Tenente Gino Battaggion, Sottotenente Oscar Abello, Sergente Ubaldo Marziali, Sergente Balilla Albani, Sergente Maggiore Zemella and Sergente Cesare Sironi.
Pilots in the 74^a Squadriglia were Capitano Guido Bobba (CO and already credited with one over Spain and three individual and a probable Hurricanes over Malta, which made him one of the top scoring Italian pilots up to that moment), Tenente Mario Pinna, Sottotenente Sante Schiroli, Sergente Maggiore Raffaele Marzocca, Sergente Emilio Stefani, Sergente Giuseppe Sanguettoli and Sergente Manlio Tarantino.
Pilots in the 75^a Squadriglia were Tenente Pietro Calistri (CO), Tenente Ezio Maria Monti, Sottotenente Giuseppe De Angelis, Sottotenente Renato Villa, Maresciallo Giovanni Carmello and Maresciallo Carlo Dentis.
The pilots in the Ca.133s were Tenente Marino Commissoli, Sergente Pardino Pardini (70^a Squadriglia), Tenente Lorenzo Lorenzoni (74^a Squadriglia), Tenente Milano Pausi, Sottotenente Leopoldo Marangoni (brother in law of Maggiore Carlo Romagnoli) and Sergente Leo Mannucci (75^a Squadriglia)).
The Gruppo landed at Tripoli-Castel Benito at 17:15. Zemella’s fighter was left behind at Pantelleria after an engine breakdown.

On 19 December the 23^o Gruppo moved to Z1 landing ground at Ain el Gazala.

At the beginning of 1942, the 23^o Gruppo joined the 18^o Gruppo to establish the 3^o Stormo again. The units reassembled at Mirafori to be re-equipped with Macchi MC.202s.

The unit returned to North Africa and took part of the Axis offensive into Egypt during the summer and fall of 1942.

Between 09:15-10:30 on 31 July, a formation of 12 MC.202s from the 23^o Gruppo led by Capitano Giorgio Tugnoli flew a free sweep over the lines. Over Bir el Mukheisin they surprised a squadron of Kittyhawks, who were attacking the German lines with a squadron of Spitfires as escort (they reported meeting 20 enemy aircraft). The Italian fighters returned claiming five P-40s destroyed, two probables and many more being damaged (they reported shooting at eleven).
Pilots claiming victories were Capitano Tugnoli (74^a Squadriglia), who also claimed a probable, Capitano Claudio Solaro (70^a Squadriglia), Sergente Maggiore Zemella (70^a Squadriglia), Sergente Maggiore Mario Mantelli (74^a Squadriglia) and Sergente Maggiore Emilio Stefani (74^a Squadriglia). Sottotenente Carlo Brigante Colonna (74^a Squadriglia) claimed the second probable. They didn’t suffer any losses, and all returned even if Sottotenente Brigante Colonna’s MC.202 MM8375 was damaged in the combat, but returned safely.
They seem to have been in combat with Kittyhawk Ias from 250 and 260 Squadrons which only suffered the loss of Kittyhawk AK671, which was shot down and the pilot, Pilot Officer N. E. McKee was wounded in combat. Warrant Officer L. G. Edwards (AK779/Z) and N. P. W. Hancock (ET525/Y) from 250 Squadron returned claiming a shared damaged MC.202 4miles south-west of El Mreir 11:00-11:30. Warrant Officer Edwards returned with his fighter with Cat. 1 damage as did Pilot Officer D. W. M. Rogerson (AK811/V).

At 06:10 on 1 September, two formations of the 23^o Gruppo Macchis, the first of eight led by Maggiore Luigi Filippi, and the second of ten led by Capitano Claudio Solaro, took off to provide cover for the ground troops south-east of El Adem.
At 07:15, Maggiore Filippi and his pilots spotted 24 Bostons south-east of El Alamein and attacked their escorts, claiming two P-40s shot down. These being claimed by Filippi and Capitano Mario Pinna (CO 75^a Squadriglia).
Almost at the same time Capitano Solaro’s pilots joined the attack, claiming two fighters; Maresciallo Balilla Albani (70^a Squadriglia) claiming a P-40 and Sergente Maggiore Zemella (70^a Squadriglia) claiming a Spitfire. Tenente Marco Marinone (70^a Squadriglia) claimed a probable P-40 but was then hit and he force-landed near El Alamein, within Axis line, badly damaging MC.202 MM9060/70-11 but escaping unhurt himself. The Italian fighters landed again at 07:40.

At 10:15 on 5 September, six Hurricane IIds of 6 Squadron took off to attack a reported nine or more tanks. Six Hurricane IIbs of 7 SAAF Squadron gave medium and twelve of 127 Squadron were above. The formation was ordered back due to the presence of hostile fighters, but 127 Squadron was attacked by some 20 or more and Pilot Officer A. L. Rebman was shot down, crash-landing north of Lake Maghra. He was picked up safely by an army unit. He had probably fallen foul of the 15 MC.202s of the 23^o Gruppo which were providing protection to Italian armoured forces. The pilots of these reported meeting a large formation of Spitfires and P-40s at 09:30, claiming four P-40s shot down and one probable south of El Alamein. Three claims were made by Tenente Ezio Monti (75^a Squadriglia), Sergente Aldo Orsucci (75^a Squadriglia) and Tenente Milano Pausi (75^a Squadriglia) while the fourth was claimed as a shared between Capitano Giorgio Tugnoli (74^a Squadriglia) and Sergente Maggiore Zemella (70^a Squadriglia). The probable was claimed by Sergente Maggiore Emilio Stefani (70^a Squadriglia).
Capitano Claudio Solaro (70^a Squadriglia) force-landed with MC.202 MM9059 within Italian lines.

The high number of aircraft flying in the area during these days caused such confusion that the German Freya radar personnel had troubles to identify friend or foe aircraft. So, many times the alarm was delayed, and Axis fighters scrambled late.
This happened on 20 October when at 10:55, 14 MC.202s of the 4^o Stormo hurriedly scrambled to intercept 24 Bostons and Hudsons above Fuka, escorted by 30 P-40s and 20 Spitfires. The bombers were still releasing their cargo over the airfield when the 73^a Squadriglia (Tenente Giuseppe Oblach, Tenente Vittorio Squarcia, Sergente Armando Angelini and Sergente Leonardo Rinaldi), 84^a Squadriglia (Capitano Franco Lucchini, Tenente Alessandro Mettimano and Sergente Maggiore Piero Buttazzi), 91^a Squadriglia (Capitano Carlo Maurizio Ruspoli di Poggio Suasa, Sergente Maggiore Leonardo Ferrulli and Sergente Maggiore Alessandro Bladelli), and 97^a Squadriglia (Tenente Jacopo Frigerio, Tenente Giovanni Barcaro, Sottotenente Leo Boselli and Maresciallo Giovanni Bianchelli), attacked them. The escort intercepted the Italian fighters, and a number of claims were made. Ruspoli, Oblach and Ferrulli claimed two P-40s each, Bladelli, Frigerio, Barcaro and Boselli claimed one P-40 each while Bianchelli claimed one Spitfire. Another Spitfire was claimed as a probable by Bladelli. Mettimano, in his first combat mission, damaged four Hudsons and a P-40 while Angelini, Rinaldi and Squarcia jointly claimed four damaged P-40s. Buttazzi claimed three damaged P-40s and Lucchini claimed a Hudson as a damaged. Lucchini’s MC.202 (MM7905/84-4) was hit when a 20mm shell tore off the aircraft’s spinner and he was forced to make an emergency landing at 11:30.
Totally the 4^o Stormo claimed 25 enemy aircraft shot down during the day, but of the 57 fighters (43 of which were combat-ready) on charge in the morning, only eleven were serviceable in the evening. The 9^o Gruppo reported the mission as between 10:55 and 12:20 while the 10^o Gruppo reported it as between 11:00 and 12:30
The 23^o Gruppo also scrambled (11:00-12:30) and they also made a number of claims. From 70^a Squadriglia, Sottotenente Luigi Bandini and Sergente Maggiore Zemella each claimed a P-40 over El Daba while Tenente Antonio Maccanti claimed a probable P-40 in the same area. 74^a Squadriglia was in combat south of El Alamein, and Sergente Maggiore Felice Papini claimed a Boston and Sergente Maggiore Emilio Stafano claimed a Spitfire while Tenente Giorgio Solaroli claimed a shared Spitfire together with Sergente Maurizio Mandolesi (75^a Squadriglia). Tenente Carlo Moruzzi claimed a probable P-40.

23^o Gruppo flew a mission between 09:05-10:00 on 23 October meeting P-40s north of El Daba. Tenente Marco Marinone (70^a Squadriglia) claimed one damaged, Capitano Claudio Solaro (70^a Squadriglia) claimed two damaged, Sergente Maggiore Zemella (70^a Squadriglia) claimed one damaged, Tenente Giorgio Solaroli (74^a Squadriglia) claimed one probable and Maresciallo Gino Giannelli (75^a Squadriglia) claimed one destroyed.

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 Amleto 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...”

Taking off at 08:45 on 23 March, Tenente Giorgio Solaroli (95^a Squadriglia) led twelve MC.202s from the 3^o Stormo over the Mareth Line. Here they intercepted a British formation and Tenente Solaroli claimed one Spitfire destroyed while Sergente Maggiore Zemella (70^a Squadriglia) claimed a second. Seven more enemy fighters were claimed damaged. The Italian aircraft returned without losses.

Zemella ended the war with at least one shared biplane victory and a total of 5 destroyed.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1940
	13/07/40		1/4	Hurricane (a)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		over Malta	70a Squadriglia
	1942
1	31/07/42	09:15-10:30	1	P-40 (b)	Destroyed	MC.202		Bir el Mukeisin	70a Squadriglia
2	01/09/42	06:10-07:40	1	Spitfire	Destroyed	MC.202		SE El Alamein	70a Squadriglia
	05/09/42	09:30	1/2	P-40 (c)	Shared destroyed	MC.202		S El Alamein	70a Squadriglia
3	20/10/42	11:00-12:30	1	P-40	Destroyed	MC.202		El Daba	70a Squadriglia
	23/10/42	09:05-10:00	1	P-40	Damaged	MC.202		N El Daba	70a Squadriglia
	1943
	09/01/43	12:10-12:30	1/2	Boston	Shared destroyed	MC.202		Tripoli	70a Squadriglia
4	23/03/43	08:45-	1	Spitfire (d)	Destroyed	MC.202		Mareth Line	70a Squadriglia

Biplane victories: At least 1 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 5 and 3 shared destroyed, 1 damaged.
(a) Regia Aeronautic claimed two Hurricanes destroyed; Only one Hurricane (P2653), flown by Pilot Officer Dick Sugden of the Hal Far Fighter Flight, was damaged during the engagement.
(b) Claimed in combat with 250 and 260 Squadrons, which lost 1 Kittyhawk (pilot safe) and got 2 more damaged. 23^o Gruppo claimed 5 and 2 probable P-40s while getting 1 MC.202 damaged.
(c) Probably claimed in combat with Hurricane IIbs from 260 Squadron, which lost 1 Hurricane (pilot safe). 23^o Gruppo claimed 4 and 1 probable P-40s while losing 1 MC.202.
(d) Can’t be verified with any corresponding Allied losses.

Sources:
3^o Stormo, storia fotografica - Dai biplani agli aviogetti - C. Lucchini and E. Leproni, 1990 Gino Rossato Editore kindly provided by Jean Michel Cala with translations kindly provided by Birgitta Hallberg-Lombardi
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 - 1999 Aerofan no. 69 apr.-giu. 1999, kindly provided by Jean Michel Cala
Courage Alone - Chris Dunning, 1998 Hikoki Publications, Aldershot, ISBN 1-902109-02-3
Desert Prelude: Operation Compass - Håkan Gustavsson and Ludovico Slongo, 2011 MMP books, ISBN 978-83-61421-18-4
Elenco Nominativo dei Militari dell' A. M. Decorati al V. M. Durante it Periodo 1929 - 1945 2 Volume M - Z
Malta: The Hurricane Years 1940-41 - Christopher Shores and Brian Cull with Nicola Malizia, 1987 Grub Street, London, ISBN 0-89747-207-1
Additional information kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro and Ludovico Slongo.