15 Facts About Luigi Mascherpa

Luigi Mascherpa was an Italian admiral during World War II.

Luigi Mascherpa led the Italian defense during the Battle of Leros and was later executed by the Italian Social Republic.

Luigi Mascherpa was born in Genoa in 1893 and entered the Naval Academy in Livorno in 1911.

Luigi Mascherpa took part in the Italian occupation of Albania, as part of the crew of the scout cruiser Alessandro Poerio.

In 1926 Mascherpa was promoted to lieutenant commander and given command of the San Marco Battalion; in 1931, after promotion to commander, he served on board the battleship Duilio and then became Chief of Staff of the Pola Naval Command.

Luigi Mascherpa remained in his office in Taranto during the earlier part of World War II; promoted to captain in 1941, in April 1942 he was appointed military commander of the island of Leros, the main naval base in the Italian Dodecanese, and of the nearby islands.

Luigi Mascherpa had about 8,320 men at his orders, three-quarters of them belonging to the Regia Marina, but only about one thousand of them were first-line troops, while the others mainly belonged to technical and service units and to the anti-aircraft defence.

Frictions between the two commanders soon began, when Brittorous published proclamations where the British forces were referred to as "occupiers"; Luigi Mascherpa's protests led to change in the text of the proclamations, and he was confirmed in command of all Italian forces in Leros as well as of the civilian population, but subordinated to Brittorous.

Luigi Mascherpa was not forewarned of the substitution; he was asked to go to Cairo to discuss the situation of the island, but he refused, fearing that he would not be allowed to go back to Leros to lead the defense.

The British even asked for Luigi Mascherpa to be substituted, and Supermarina decided to replace him with Captain Dairetti, but this was never carried out due to subsequent events.

That night, Luigi Mascherpa proposed a counterattack and Tilney approved, but the British troops assigned to this task were exhausted after a day of fighting, and were thus unable to carry out the order.

Luigi Mascherpa asked general Mario Soldarelli in Samos for reinforcements and air cover, but in vain.

Luigi Mascherpa still resisted with his men, but after reiterated requests, even by Tilney, he was persuaded to surrender at 22:00.

Luigi Mascherpa was interrogated and then dictated to order all his forces to surrender, but before being able to do so he was locked in a house and left there for some days without food.

On 22 May 1944 Luigi Mascherpa was tried by a Fascist kangaroo court, along with admiral Inigo Campioni, on charges of "treason" for having resisted the German invasion.