Italian San Marco Marines at Massawa in 1941.

[Hardrada55]

My question is whether San Marco Marines were stationed at Massawa, Eritrea in 1941. When Massaua fell to the British and French in April of 1941 the allies captured about 3500 Italian naval personnel. Accounts of that operation mention marines and that implies that some of these sailors were apparently Italian marines. The Italians had used San Marco Marines for the Battaglione Italiano de Cina stationed in Tientsin, China and a company of marines to protect the Betasom submarine base in Bourdeaux, France. Does anyone have any information about the presence of San Marco Marines in Massaua in 1941?.

[LColombo]

The official USMM history "Le operazioni in Africa Orientale" describes in detail the composition of the garrison of Massawa at the time of its fall, and makes no mention of "San Marco" troops. I think that the "marines" mentioned by the accounts you saw were simply armed sailors used as infantry in the last-ditch defense of the city.

[zaptiè]

And many of these men are Ascari .

[Hardrada55]

Thank you!