Rosa Dainelli
Encyclopedia
Rosa Dainelli was an Italian
doctor who was working in Ethiopia
during World War II, when the British conquered (in 1941) the Italian Empire
in the Horn of Africa
. She actively participated in sabotage actions against the British Army.
) fought a guerrilla war in the "Africa Orientale Italiana", after the surrender at Gondar
of the last regular Italian forces in November 1941.
They fought in the hope of an Italian victory with the help of Rommel
in Egypt and in the Mediterranean (called in 1942 by Mussolini "the Italian Mare Nostrum"), that would originate a possible return of the Axis in Eastern Africa.
in the Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia
from December 1941 until the summer of 1943.(http://www.storiain.net/arret/num80/artic4.asp in Italian).
In August 1942 she managed to enter inside the main ammunition depot of the British Army
in Addis Abeba and blow it up, somehow surviving the huge explosion. This act of sabotage destroyed the ammunition for the new British sten
machine gun and delayed the deployment of this "state of the art" weapon for many months.
Doctor Dainelli was famous as one of the few Italian woman who participated actively in the Italian guerrilla operations against the British troops after the East African Campaign (World War II)
.
She was nominated, after the end of the war, for the Italian iron medal of honor ("croce di ferro").
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
doctor who was working in Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
during World War II, when the British conquered (in 1941) the Italian Empire
Italian Empire
The Italian Empire was created after the Kingdom of Italy joined other European powers in establishing colonies overseas during the "scramble for Africa". Modern Italy as a unified state only existed from 1861. By this time France, Spain, Portugal, Britain, and the Netherlands, had already carved...
in the Horn of Africa
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in East Africa that juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. It is the easternmost projection of the African continent...
. She actively participated in sabotage actions against the British Army.
Historical background
Many Italians (like Amedeo GuilletAmedeo Guillet
Amedeo Guillet was an officer of the Italian Army. He was born in Piacenza. Descended from a noble family from Piedmont and Capua, he graduated from the Academy of Infantry and Cavalry of Modena in 1930 and began his career in the Italian Army. Dying at the age of 101, he was one of the last men...
) fought a guerrilla war in the "Africa Orientale Italiana", after the surrender at Gondar
Gondar
Gondar or Gonder is a city in Ethiopia, which was once the old imperial capital and capital of the historic Begemder Province. As a result, the old province of Begemder is sometimes referred to as Gondar...
of the last regular Italian forces in November 1941.
They fought in the hope of an Italian victory with the help of Rommel
Rommel
Erwin Rommel was a German World War II field marshal.Rommel may also refer to:*Rommel *Rommel Adducul , Filipino basketball player*Rommel Fernández , first Panamanian footballer to play in Europe...
in Egypt and in the Mediterranean (called in 1942 by Mussolini "the Italian Mare Nostrum"), that would originate a possible return of the Axis in Eastern Africa.
Dainelli guerrilla action
She became an active member of the Fronte di Resistenza (Front of Resistance), an Italian organization which fought the AlliesAllies
In everyday English usage, allies are people, groups, or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out between them...
in the Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia
Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia
The Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia was as an armed struggle fought from the summer of 1941 to the autumn of 1943 by remnants of Italian troops in Italian East Africa, following the Italian defeat during the East African Campaign of World War II.-History:...
from December 1941 until the summer of 1943.(http://www.storiain.net/arret/num80/artic4.asp in Italian).
In August 1942 she managed to enter inside the main ammunition depot of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in Addis Abeba and blow it up, somehow surviving the huge explosion. This act of sabotage destroyed the ammunition for the new British sten
Sten
The STEN was a family of British 9 mm submachine guns used extensively by British and Commonwealth forces throughout World War II and the Korean War...
machine gun and delayed the deployment of this "state of the art" weapon for many months.
Doctor Dainelli was famous as one of the few Italian woman who participated actively in the Italian guerrilla operations against the British troops after the East African Campaign (World War II)
East African Campaign (World War II)
The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....
.
She was nominated, after the end of the war, for the Italian iron medal of honor ("croce di ferro").