Sabotage in 1940

[Andy H]

The British government reported that in mid 1940 that 'unexplained' explosions have occurred in the Fiume-Trieste district. It is considered that they may have been acts of sabotage carried out by the Slovene or Austrian popn. The damage had been officially attributed to the RAF, but no RAF raids were carried out in this area.

Does anyone know more about these 'sabotage' attacks and also about the general level of sabotage within Italy during the early stages of the war?

Regards

Andy
WR47P10/60

[TISO]

There was a Slovene organisation TIGR (Trst, Istra, Gorica, Reka) that did preform sabotage against italians. Organisation was in contact with british SIS.

[Andy H]

Hi Tiso

Many thanks for that.

Was this organisation or its forerunner in existence at this stage of the war?

Regards

Andy H

[TISO]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TIGR

[Andy H]

Thanks. Though it gives no details about there activities at this time, it is with all likelyhood the party responsible for these actions.

Regards

Andy H

[SloveneLiberal]

In spring 1940 TIGR made sabotages on railroads in both Italy and Austria which was already part of Third Reich. Diversion in Austria was carried out on 19. May 1941 at Judenburg. Sabotages were the work of TIGR group Kravanja-Ivancic. After this Gestapo and Italian police joined forces and arrested many members of TIGR.

Slovenski spijoni in SOE 1938-42, book written by dr. Jera Vodusek Staric. Page 152/153.

[SloveneLiberal]

Othervise TIGR was established in 1927 after Italian fascist banned Slovenian political parties, schools and cultural societies. Program for forced italianization of Slovene nation was fully carried out by fascists.

Antifascist groups were widely spread in Primorska which was annexed by Italy after world war one. Some like catholic priestly society of Saint Paul were more oriented toward passive resistance like taking care for Slovenian language under church activities. Yet they were also passing important informations to authorities in Ljubljana.

Other groups like nationalistic TIGR or catholic Black brothers were also doing sabotages and stockpiling weapons for resistance. TIGR was connected also with Italian Partito di Acione and Italian communist party and was demanding the right for self determination for Slovenian people.

Some groups of "patriotic communists" not organized under the banner of communist party were also established and were doing sabotage like in Ocizla for example.

Unfortunately the important members of TIGR were killed
or captured in the battle with Italian police forces on 13. May 1941 at Mala gora. That happened already after Italian occupation and annexation of so called Ljubljanska pokrajina after the short war with kingdom of Yugoslavia.

Later many members of TIGR joined partisans and Liberation Front. Yet some were also killed during the war by stalinistic communists or were persecuted just after the war.

[SloveneLiberal]

I found this. It is in Slovene language but maybe google translate can help. Concerning the question of the sabotage in Reka or Fiume in was done by TIGR in the cooperation with the British secret service. This happened in February 1940 when powder mill in Klana near Reka exploded. There were no casulties in this action.

http://shs.zgodovinsko-drustvo-kovacic. ... 018-09.pdf

( pages 243-245 )

[Andy H]

Hi SloveneLiberal

Firstly apologies for not noticing your posts in 2019 and secondly, thank you for your latest post.
I'll try it through Google translate, though it makes reference in the noteage numbers to SIS files held at TNA
which I can access once its re-opened

Kind Regards

Andy H