Johnny.

This is coolbert:

"According to most mainstream and popular histories, the royal Italian military and the overall part played by the Kingdom of Italy in World War II was totally inconsequential. In a way not seen with any other people, the Italian military is widely dismissed as a comic opera operation with cowardly troops, ignorant commanders and useless weapons"

The Italian military enigma again.

Not all Italian senior commanders during WW2 however so incompetent or ignorant. Here the man rated as BEST Italian general the war. As always, the subjective judgment of BEST during wartime of interest to me.

Giovanni Messe.

"Giovanni Messe . . . was an Italian general, politician, and field marshal (Maresciallo d'Italia). He is considered by many to have been the best Italian general of the Second World War."

Giovanni a professional military man and hardly one shirk his duties during a time of war. Having seen service during conflicts such as:

* Libya.
* World War One.
* Abyssinia.
* World War Two.
   Albania.
   Greece.
   Russia.
   Tunisia.
   Italy [allied side].

Messe thoroughly professional competent and having to make the best of a bad situation in all circumstances, ably commanding his soldiers by all accounts.

Messe too having fought for both the Axis and Allied side during the war. A senior commander of the Italian Co-belligerent Army organized in the aftermath of Italian surrender, troops comporting themselves quite well, aiding and abetting the allied side.

coolbert.