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Englishman Abroad - SOE Agent Dick Mallaby's Italian Missions, 1943-45, An

By: Osprey

Type: Hardcover

Product Line: General Military - World War II

MSRP old price: $25.00


Product Info

Title
Englishman Abroad - SOE Agent Dick Mallaby's Italian Missions, 1943-45, An
Publisher
Category
Author
Gianluca Barneschi
Publish Year
2019
Pages
336
Dimensions
5.75x8.75x1.5"
NKG Part #
2147752738
MFG. Part #
OSPGM353
Type
Hardcover
Series
GM353

Description

Based on 20 years of research, Gianluca Barneschi has uncovered the true story of a real-life James Bond. The debonair Special Operations Executive agent Richard 'Dick' Mallaby was the first Briton to be sent to Italy as an SOE operative, parachuted unceremoniously into Lake Como in August 1943. Arrested and initially tortured by the Italian authorities, he managed to sweet-talk his way out of trouble, and helped Marshal Pietro Badoglio and King Victor Emmanuel III escape to the Allied lines. He also helped negotiate the armistice with Italy, for which he was awarded the Military Cross.

He was back in action in 1945, when he crossed into Fascist-controlled northern Italy from Switzerland but was swiftly captured and interrogated by the SS. Narrowly avoiding a firing squad once again, he helped to secure the surrender of 800,000 German forces in Italy in May 1945.