Folgore! ...and died Diary of a Parachutist

El Alamein, 23 October 1942. The British forces of the 8ᵃ army commanded by General Montgomery, after a massive artillery bombardment, began the attack against the Italian-German lines, which defended themselves strenuously until 4 November, when Field Marshal Rommel was forced to order a retreat. Among the units that distinguished themselves for courage and spirit of sacrifice was the 'Folgore' paratrooper division. This book is the diary-record written by a paratrooper from the 9th battalion of the 3rd regiment deployed in the southern sector of the front against an adversary that had an overwhelming superiority in men and means. Doronzo describes with simplicity and realism his experiences in the unit from 6 June 1942, the date of his first training drop, until 22 April 1943, the day he embarked in Tunis on a hospital ship that brought him, wounded, back to Italy. In these pages we find great humanity and esprit de corps, but above all valour as a soldier. Because, among the sands of the African desert, there was the intimate conviction that at the cry of 'Folgore' one must always attack, never suffer, and that in the end one must also sacrifice oneself to the last man.