Giovanni D’Alauro

Giovanni, a paratrooper in the Italian Army stationed in Sardinia, abandoned his unit at the time of the Armistice and flew to Pistoia. From there, he headed south on foot, reaching the Allied forces on September 23, 1943. After being interrogated in Campobasso, he became a liaison agent for the A-Force^[1].

Officially recruited on October 18, he immediately took part in a mission behind Allied lines, from which he returned two months later, on December 22, bringing back nearly fifty former prisoners. He left again in May 1944, this time parachuted in alongside two other agents, and returned with two soldiers he had helped rescue. In July 1944, D’Alauro was sent to Liguria, in the area around La Spezia.

The Allied Commission, regarding his actions during that mission, stated:

He set up a base and recruiting local agents, he collected all the ex- prisoners of war for miles around into his base, where he fed, clothed, housed and completely maintained them. […] During his stay from July 1944 until liberation of the area in May-June 1945, he maintained over 200 Allied ex -prisoners of war and airmen, having them guided out in organized parties cross Allied lines to safety. […] many times the area which he was in was menaced by German rastrellamento, but he continued to care for his charge with complete disregard for his personal safety, operating his wireless at least once a day, arranging reception of supply drops, building a small runway to permit a plane to land and take out any injured escapers, and carrying out his assignment to such a high degree of efficiency that he earned unstinting praise from all that he assisted.
[…] Liutenant D’Alauro’s great gallantry, constant cheerfulness, and his acceptance without demur of every demand make of him was an inspiration to all with whom he came in contact.

After the war, D’Alauro collaborated with the Allied Screening Commission.

Note:

^[1] The A-Force, a department of Section 9 of British Military Intelligence [M.I.9], was established to facilitate the evacuation of former prisoners of war and other Allied escapees—usually pilots and aircrew members who had not been captured—from behind enemy lines. Numerous Allied officers operated within it. After the Armistice, A-Force also recruited members of the Royal Italian Army, particularly paratroopers, who were now engaged in fighting against Fascist and German forces.