MOLINARI, Mario (#217)

Alan Pollock’s Rough Notes:

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PARTISAN Lieutenant Mario MOLINARI, earlier in the ITALIAN ARMY, here as one of the first 4 more effective units, for the largely FORGOTTEN 200.000 enrolled, PARTISAN ITALIANS, who fought on the ALLIED SIDE, in Army Divisions 4 in the air, after the Armistice, many being killed.

Mario was with the PARTISANS’ 38th GARIBALDI BRIGADE (38 BRIGATA Inzani Petro AQUILA NERA, 1 DIVIZIONE VAL D’ARDA) “VALDARDA” (near PIACENZA) under Comandante PRATI from Comune di MORFASSO, which, on 23May44, was the very first municipality occupied (announced on the BBC 26May44, where, post-war, he would work) by PARTISANS – mainly in the upper Valley of ARDA, he was useful, as he had been trained in demolition & been with the Engineers.

His wife’s ZUCCOLINI family also helped in the RESISTANCE, being formally thanked for SHELTERING escaped ALLIED PRISONERS and acting in support of US 5th & BRITISH 8th ARMIES ;as from other witnesses, it was the less urban, often poor, upland ITALIAN PEASANTS, who stood out as the reliable and loyal supporters of PARTISAN ACTIVITY, even when suffering the consequences.