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Italian naval memoirs in English?

kolja

New Member
I'm aware of the English translation of Junio Valerio Borghese's memoir Sea Devils. Are there any other memoirs in English from Italian naval personnel, either from the Regia Marina or the RSI naval forces?
 

DrG

Active Member
Franco Maugeri, From the Ashes of Disgrace, edited by Victor Rosen, Reynal and Hitchcock, New York, 1948.
This books is quite problematic because it is not a trustworthy translation of adm. Maugeri's memoirs, because the editor included some remarks not present in the original Italian manuscript, causing a scandal in Italy for some remarks which sounded quite un-patriotic, while probably the editor though they were merely antifascist. Maugeri's memoirs were finally published, posthmously, in 1980 as In guerra e in pace. Un secolo di Marina Militare nei ricordi di un ammiraglio.

Aldo Cocchia, The Hunters and the Hunted, Arno Press, New York, 1980.
 

1089maul

Member
Kolja,
In addition to DrG’s two books, I would put forward Elios Toschi’s ‘Ninth time lucky’ book which is a true memoir. If you don’t know, he was an Italian Naval officer who invented the human torpedos and was subsequently captured after a mission. a lot of his book relates to escape attempts whilst in captivity. It is some time since I read it but I recall that I found it very interesting.
Regards,
Bob
 

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jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
While not a memoir in the strict sense of the word, Admiral Aldo Cocchia's The Hunters and the Hunted is a collection of naval stories from during the war. It reads like a memoir as it gives an 'on the deck' view of these events.

CocchiaHunters.jpg
 

Turbulent98

New Member
I am looking for english versions of these two books-Uomini ombra. Ricordi di un addetto al servizio segreto navale” by Mario De Monte and “La mia guerra fra i codici ed altri scritti” by Eliso Porta Can anybody offer any help please?
 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
I have not found any indication that these two books have been translated into English.

Pista! Jeff
 
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