Mussolini and the French SMG which killed him

[Webmaster]

Posted 04 August 2004 - 03:37 AM by Lido

--- According with a recently published article, Mussolini was executed in the last days of WW2 with a French submachine-gun [SMG]. The interesting article can be read here. The article doesn't decribe the weapon. I will do that. The "MAS38" SMG was made at "Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Etienne" from Saint-Etienne, France. The weapon fires a pistol cartridge with no substantial power, the 7.65 "Longue" [Long] cartridge also known as 7.65X19.5 round. The cartridge case has a length of 19.5mm. The wellknown 7.65mm round [7.65X17 or .32 Auto] has a cartridge case with the length of only 17mm. This French SMG was manufactured between 1938-1949, it is light and has a wooden stock. Weapon characteristics: - Length: 28.90 inch [734mm]; - Weight: 6 lb 5 oz [2.87 Kg]; - Barrel: 8.82 inch [224mm] with 4 grooves rht [right hand twist]; - Feed system: 32-rds detachable box magazine; - Muzzle velocity: 1151 ft/sec [351 m/sec]; - Rate of fire: 600 rds/min. The weapon fires using the simple "blowback" system. Because of the low-powered cartridge used, the French "MAS38" SMG has a low recoil, it can be controlled easy when is fired and the accuracy is very good. Lido 08/03/04

 

[Webmaster]

Posted 04 August 2004 - 04:14 AM by Lido

--- The article I mentioned in my previous message it looks like was printed in the Italian newspaper named "Corriere della Sera" [July 31st 2004]. A picture of the French "MAS38" SMG can be seen here. Lido 08/04/04

 

[Webmaster]

Posted 04 August 2004 - 08:04 AM by FB

The correct formula, from a strictly historic point of view, is that this SMG is supposedly the weapon that killed Mussolini. But there is no physical proof whatsoever that he was indeed killed by that kind of weapon (nor, for that matter, that he was killed in the circumstances usually described).

Best regards

 

[Webmaster]

Posted 04 August 2004 - 08:37 AM by Lido

--- That article I mentioned supposed to offer the proof you doubt. I didn't write that article. I only considered this topic very interesting to be posted here. Lido 08/04/04

 

[Webmaster]

Posted 04 August 2004 - 01:42 PM by FB

Posted 04 August 2004 - 08:37 AM by Lido

--- That article I mentioned supposed to offer the proof you doubt. I didn't write that article. I only considered this topic very interesting to be posted here. Lido 08/04/04

I know you didn't write the article. I'm sorry if I sounded bad towards you in my previous post, it was not my intention.

What I was saying, though, is that the Duce's body was never thoroughly examined by means of an autopsy (only an external examination was carried on), nor the bullets that killed him were extracted from his body (if still there) and examined, so nobody can objectively say what kind of weapon killed him, or maybe if there were more than one weapon to fire at him.

And this fact that the weapon is in Albania (that is in a place from where it was virtually impossible to get it back), sent there as a gift by Walter Audisio "Colonel Valerio" in order to avoid an examination of it by the authorities can be read in two ways:

1) He sent there the weapon to skip responsibilities (strange because he always went proudly of saying that he himself killed the Duce)

2) He sent the weapon because he perfectly knew that this was NOT the weapon that killed the Duce, and had to avoid that this possibility becomes true.

There are at least 4 "official truths" about the Duce killing and recently some historians (Festorazzi for instance) have placed "Col. Valerio's" version among the less reliable ones. Very probably he was the one chosen by the PCI to officially be the Duce's killer (i.e. an honor).

Best regards

 

[Webmaster]

Posted 05 August 2004 - 04:25 AM by Lido

--- Hi "FB", After I read your message I realized that I had seen once Mussolini's picture showing clear signs of an autopsy. According with this web-site was used to execute Mussolini, I'm sure the 9mm bullets could exit from his body at that range [5-10 meters]. A .45 caliber bullet [11.43mm] from an American SMG would exit too. Somebody at that autopsy HAD TO know much more than we do know now about Mussolini's death. It is also possible that somebody else fired at Mussolini after he was already dead, at that gas station from Milan where his mutilated body was exposed.

 

[Webmaster]

Posted 05 August 2004 - 07:35 AM by FB

You are correct, a post-mortem examination was done. I forgot about it. There's a site in Italian that carries the report of it. Apparently, though, the Duce's body did not retain a single bullet. Unfortunately, the site now has some problems (only the text (in Italian) is showing, the images don't). It's a pity because those images also try a reconstruction of the dynamics of the shooting.

What is interesting to note, though, is that Claretta's body was NOT examined at all (apparently under the direct order of a partisan chief, IIRC Bucalossi).

Best regards.

P.S: as soon as the site of which I wrote above will be completely back online, I'll let you know.