Carmelo Borg Pisani
Encyclopedia
Carmelo Borg Pisani was a Maltese
-born Italian Fascist
who was found guilty by a Maltese war tribunal established by the Government under British
rule and executed for treason
against His Majesty's Government.
family in Senglea
, Pisani enrolled as a student at the Umberto Primo art lyceum, where he won a scholarship to study in Rome
. In Italy he showed support for fascism and Italian irredentism
.
When war was declared on June 10, 1940, Pisani was still attending the Accademia di Belle Arti ("Academy of Fine Arts") in Rome.
soul was being destroyed by British
rule. He also believed that the best opportunity to restore Malta to its original state was to expel the British. To this end, Pisani, along with many other Maltese students in Italy, joined the National Fascist Party
. After the outbreak of the war, he volunteered for service in the Italian army, but was refused because he was myopic. This led him to join the MVSN (Blackshirts
). He decided to obtain Italian citizenship in 1940 and gave up the British citizenship. He returned the British passport through the American embassy in Rome. He participated in the Italian occupation of Kefallinia in Greece
with the Compagnia Speciale del Gruppo CC.NN. da sbarco della 50a Legione. He joined also the SIM (Servizio Informazioni Militari
, i.e. Military Intelligence Service)
On May 18, 1942, Pisani volunteered for a recon/spying mission to Malta, preliminary to the planned invasion. Pisani disembarked at the Dingli Cliffs in Ras id-Dawwara, and transferred all his rations to a cave, which he knew well from his youth. The unusually inclement weather and the rough sea, however, washed all his possessions away within 48 hours and he was forced to wave down a British patrol boat
. Upon rescue, he was brought to the Military Hospital at Mtarfa
.
There, Pisani was recognized by one of his childhood friends, Cpt. Tom Warrington. He was transferred to Corradino prison, interrogated, and accused of treason
. On November 12, 1942, he stood trial. His plea, that he had renounced British citizenship and passport on his acquisition of Italian citizenship was not upheld. On November 19, 1942, he was sentenced to death for conspiring against His Majesty's government and for treason. His execution followed nine days later.
Borg Pisani was posthumously awarded the Gold Medal of Military Valor
, the highest Italian military award, by King Victor Emmanuel III a few days after his death. Requests have been made by his family and the Italian government to exhume his body and give it a burial outside prison grounds, which request has never been acceded to.
Benito Mussolini
called him a "Maltese Martyr" and created in his honor in Liguria
the "Battaglione Borg Pisani" in November 1943, in which other Maltese irredentists fought.
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
-born Italian Fascist
Italian Fascism
Italian Fascism also known as Fascism with a capital "F" refers to the original fascist ideology in Italy. This ideology is associated with the National Fascist Party which under Benito Mussolini ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 until 1943, the Republican Fascist Party which ruled the Italian...
who was found guilty by a Maltese war tribunal established by the Government under British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rule and executed for treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
against His Majesty's Government.
Early life
Born into a very well respected MalteseMaltese people
The Maltese are an ethnic group indigenous to the Southern European nation of Malta, and identified with the Maltese language. Malta is an island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea...
family in Senglea
Senglea
Senglea is a fortified city in the east of Malta, mainly in the Grand Harbour area. It is one of the Three Cities in the east of Malta, the other two being Cospicua and Vittoriosa. The city of Senglea is also called Civitas Invicta, because it managed to resist the Ottoman invasion at the Great...
, Pisani enrolled as a student at the Umberto Primo art lyceum, where he won a scholarship to study in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. In Italy he showed support for fascism and Italian irredentism
Italia irredenta
Italian irredentism was an Italian Irredentist movement that aimed at the unification of all ethnically Italian peoples....
.
When war was declared on June 10, 1940, Pisani was still attending the Accademia di Belle Arti ("Academy of Fine Arts") in Rome.
During World War II
Pisani believed that Malta's LatinItalian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
soul was being destroyed by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rule. He also believed that the best opportunity to restore Malta to its original state was to expel the British. To this end, Pisani, along with many other Maltese students in Italy, joined the National Fascist Party
National Fascist Party
The National Fascist Party was an Italian political party, created by Benito Mussolini as the political expression of fascism...
. After the outbreak of the war, he volunteered for service in the Italian army, but was refused because he was myopic. This led him to join the MVSN (Blackshirts
Blackshirts
The Blackshirts were Fascist paramilitary groups in Italy during the period immediately following World War I and until the end of World War II...
). He decided to obtain Italian citizenship in 1940 and gave up the British citizenship. He returned the British passport through the American embassy in Rome. He participated in the Italian occupation of Kefallinia in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
with the Compagnia Speciale del Gruppo CC.NN. da sbarco della 50a Legione. He joined also the SIM (Servizio Informazioni Militari
Servizio Informazioni Militari
The Italian Military Intelligence Service was the military intelligence organization for the Royal Army of the Kingdom of Italy from 1900 until 1946, and of the Republic of Italy until 1949...
, i.e. Military Intelligence Service)
On May 18, 1942, Pisani volunteered for a recon/spying mission to Malta, preliminary to the planned invasion. Pisani disembarked at the Dingli Cliffs in Ras id-Dawwara, and transferred all his rations to a cave, which he knew well from his youth. The unusually inclement weather and the rough sea, however, washed all his possessions away within 48 hours and he was forced to wave down a British patrol boat
Patrol boat
A patrol boat is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defense duties.There have been many designs for patrol boats. They may be operated by a nation's navy, coast guard, or police force, and may be intended for marine and/or estuarine or river environments...
. Upon rescue, he was brought to the Military Hospital at Mtarfa
Mtarfa
Imtarfa, or Mtarfa is a small town close to Rabat and Mdina in the north of Malta, with a population of 2,430 people .-History:...
.
There, Pisani was recognized by one of his childhood friends, Cpt. Tom Warrington. He was transferred to Corradino prison, interrogated, and accused of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
. On November 12, 1942, he stood trial. His plea, that he had renounced British citizenship and passport on his acquisition of Italian citizenship was not upheld. On November 19, 1942, he was sentenced to death for conspiring against His Majesty's government and for treason. His execution followed nine days later.
Borg Pisani was posthumously awarded the Gold Medal of Military Valor
Gold Medal of Military Valor
The Gold Medal of Military Valor is an Italian medal established on 21 May 1793 by King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia "....per bassi ufficiali e soldati che avevano fatto azioni di segnalato valore in guerra" .The face of the medal displayed the profile of the king, and on its reverse was a flag...
, the highest Italian military award, by King Victor Emmanuel III a few days after his death. Requests have been made by his family and the Italian government to exhume his body and give it a burial outside prison grounds, which request has never been acceded to.
Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
called him a "Maltese Martyr" and created in his honor in Liguria
Liguria
Liguria is a coastal region of north-western Italy, the third smallest of the Italian regions. Its capital is Genoa. It is a popular region with tourists for its beautiful beaches, picturesque little towns, and good food.-Geography:...
the "Battaglione Borg Pisani" in November 1943, in which other Maltese irredentists fought.