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When Germany invaded Poland, Balbo rushed to Rome to show his disappointment and disagreement with the warmongering policy of the Duce. Balbo said that the Fascist hierarchy had become the German’s shoe-shiners, and Mussolini struck back saying that Balbo was a “democratic pig”. As Italy entered the war, his opposition to the regime became open, going so far as saying “It is necessary to get rid of Mussolini before it’s too late”, and “Hitler will have a bad ending.”
His life ended tragically on 28th June 1940, when his SM.79 was shot down in the skies of Tobruk by bullets fired by the anti-aircraft guns of the San Giorgio cruiser, riding at anchor in the harbor.
Friendly fire or murder? The Italian government always sustained the thesis as an accident. Balbo’s wife, the countess Emanuela Florio, stated that Mussolini wanted him dead. The truth may never be known, but the following are three testimonies that shed some light on the event:
What order to execute, what conjuration? On that day there wasn’t any officer in battery, I was twenty, and I was a young boy frightened by the war. We were suffering attacks from British airplanes [Bristol Blenheims] since daybreak. They followed closely and swept the sky every fifteen minutes. We saw two planes on the same course used by the enemy, they could hardly be recognised and there were no markings, so we opened fire. I ordered to shoot a burst with our Breda with 20mm tracer, explosive and perforating bullets. The first rounds gave us the certainty to have hit one, and only when it approached leaving a trail of smoke I recognized the silhouette of the S.79. It was done for, it flew over us, crashed nearby and caught fire. When we recovered a few jackets, we recognized it and discovered that we had killed Balbo. It was a tragedy. The state murder? A silly thing, a nonsense. -(Declaration of Claudio Marzola, Navy veteran)
The wreckage of Italo Balbo's S.79
We on the first plane managed to swerve towards the sea, while Balbo’s went downwards. We saw it peeling off and going towards the ground, where it caught fire after the crash. It was observed on the spot that the aircraft had been hit by an artillery bullet. [It is demonstrated that the Navy shot 280 rounds and even submarines fired some ammo].
On 10th June 1940 we entered the war with the British Empire and France. The military situation wasn’t favorable at all; Balbo had tried till the end to dissuade the Duce from declaring war. In the afternoon of 28th June we were on the hills around Tobruk – we had been at war for only eighteen days – suddenly a plane came from West and started to fly over the city and the bay. In the harbor there was the San Giorgio cruiser that immediately opened a deadly anti-aircraft fire. After a few seconds the plane, riddled with shots, went down behind our positions. All together, we clapped our hands for a while, we had seen the first war action in our life. We later learned that it was an Italian aircraft not recognized by the Italian artillery and that on board it there was the commander of the African Army and Air Marshal Italo Balbo. The troops talked for long about this accident: Balbo was very popular, his aversion to the war against the English and his devotion to the Princess of Piedmont Maria José, fierce opponent of Mussolini’s policy were well known. -(Testimony of Tenente Salvo Messina, artilleryman of the Cirene Division)
Written By: Gianmaria Spagnoletti
Sources:
La seconda Guerra Mondiale Enzo Biagi, Fabbri ed.; Cronologia (for the notes in square brackets and the testimonies)
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Growing up in the Chicago area, I have many times been on Balbo Drive where is passes through Grant Park. As for the friendly fire issue, I have no problems believing that the shooting down of his aircraft was strictly accidental. Friendly fire incidents between aircraft and ground forces were a frequent occurrence during the war.
One of the more serious cases of friendly fire involving the Allies also occurred in the Mediterranean during the invasion of Sicily. On the night of 11 July, part of the 504th Parachute Regiment, US Army, was being flown from North Africa to Sicily to drop as reinforcements for the 503rd Regiment that had dropped on 9 July. The route of the 144 C-47 transports brought them over the area of the invasion and front line of the Allied forces near 2230. Despite being informed of the projected air drop, Allied anti-aircraft gunners opened fire. While one C-47 was believed to have been shot down by enemy fire, 22 others were shot down by Allied fire, and 37 aircraft were damaged, out of the 144 aircraft involved. Total casualties to the paratroops were 81 dead, 132 wounded, and 16 missing.
My Grandfather, Antonio Lauricella, was at the landings of he air group when it visited Chicago before the war. He visited the aviators when they had an improptu reception in Grant Park, and shook hands with Balbo. When I was young (a long time ago) he used to tell me stories about the acheivement. He even had wood carved models of the aircraft he let me play with……but when the war came in earnest, my father (Santo Lauricella) and all of his brothers(Angelo and Salvatore) joined the US Navy in support of the country and my Grandfather and Grandmother took the oath of US citizenship in late 1941. So, I and my family have a connection to Balbo and the Century of Progress…..
I remember reading an article as a child of 6 or 7 years old maybe, as classwork, and it was all about Balbo’s flight to Chicago for the ‘Century of progress’. It made a deep impression on me as it was as impressive to the U.S. and the rest of the world as Lindbergh’s flight was at the time. Only in the U.K. he was completely unknown, and it seems to the rest of the world too. On reading more about him many years later, I find him to be one of the most enigmatic and heroic men of 20th century Italian history. I am truly surprised a film hasn’t been made about his life story. -It should be. A man of true inspiration and a real hero. Balbo as ‘Il Duce’? one can only wish and wonder; ‘If only’………………..
Howdy guys, does anybody know if Balbo had actually piloted those aircraft, or he was aboard only as a commander? And if he did, what types of aircraft did he fly himself? Was he actually the pilot of the leading S.55s on the large formation flights as well as of the S.79 he was killed with? What other types did he fly and was he involved in combat, and if he was which unit did he serve with?
He certainly was one of the greatest statesmen of the 20th century and one of the greatest pioneering adventurers, a true hero. I am an aviation enthusiast but I was unable to find the answers to my questions mentioned above, not a source had mentioned if he was actually the pilot or not and that I’d like to know. If he was, it would further add to his fame and my respect towards him.
I don’t know the answer to your questions, but know who could satisfy your query: Folco Quilici, the Italian reporter. His Father was Balbo’s co-pilot when he was brought down by an Italian anti-aircraft. From what I’ve read of his narrative, I think Balbo did pilot his Savoja Marchetti; but of course I’m not sure. I think you can contact Folco Quilici through internet.
Godd luck!
First of all, I would like to say that I have a great admiration for Marshal Balbo. He was an authentic man, clever, rouhg when it was necessary, a man who took the name of Italy and the fascist regime very high all over the world. Balbo was also a great politician, he early had the perception that the Axis Roma-Berlino was a tremendous error,the anti-semitical politics imposed by Musolini only to please Hitler was another one, and the italian war declaration was suicide, cause Italy was not ready and the italian army was great for colonial warfare, but not prepared for a modern conflict. Balbo, much more than any other one, knew perfectly the italian weakness, the problems about lack of power and heavy armor of the italian aircrafts, and the deficiences of the Regio Esercito and the Regia Marina. He also knew that italian people would not agree for fighting as a german partner. Italy had fought against the austrians, who are germans too, to get united and afterwards, fought against them once more in WWI. As a popular and loved leader, Balbo was a danger for Il Duce cause he was the only fascist leader who could be the head of a victorious conspiration to get rid of Mussolini.
Unfortunatedly, we will never know the truth about Balbo’s death, but we must agree that his accident or murdering was very, very usefull for Mussolini.
Italo Balbo, a great commander, a great politician, a great pilot, a great italian, a graet man.
SALUTO AL MARESCIALLO D’ITALIA BALBO!!