Paolo Crippa
Until a few years ago, the history of the CCCXII Mixed Tank Battalion of the Aegean was almost unknown and surrounded by errors. Extensive research led to the publication of the first comprehensive study on tank crews in the Dodecanese in 2022, paving the way for further investigation. In the following years, new data emerged, including the presence of a Tank Battery in Castelrosso, active from 1940 until the Armistice. The role of the unit after 8 September 1943 was also revised: contrary to what was believed, some of its men took part in the fighting against the Germans, despite the obsolescence of their vehicles. A valuable collection of photographs from the collections of Sergeant Michele Morello and Lieutenant Rino Focherini has made it possible to document the symbols and equipment of the armoured vehicles. Finally, the volume offers a summary of the German Armoured Division 'Rhodos', which took over the garrison of the Dodecanese in 1943, accompanied by images of its armoured component.
