A warm greetings to All from Sardegna (Italy). I am particularly interested in the fortifications of the twentieth century in terms of technical, historical and sightseeing. With friends, we have a community on Facebook called "Sardegna bunker archeologia". In fact, many fortifications (1940-43) prepared by the Italian Army to counter a possible Allied landing still survive on the island. In the north-east, there are many fortified structures of the former naval base of La Maddalena. Today - in theory - these buildings are protected by local laws, but will hopefully also be included in itineraries for tourists, close to famous monuments such as the ancient "Nuraghe" ... Ciao
Hello there, Interesting stuff: Sardegna Bunker Archeologia. Memoria e futuro | Facebook Sardegna - Bunker Archeologia - Memoria e futuro. | Facebook (And a Pith Helmet shot - splendid.) Keep up the good work. ~A
Welcome, do you have any information on the coastal batteries that engaged the RM destroyers Da Noli and Vivaldi after 8/9/1943 at Bocche di Bonifacio? The info I've found up to now is very confused, some sources state German field batteries, other captured Italian coastal guns without stating if they were on the Sardinia or Corsica side of the straits, some talk of gunboats so info is very confused, having a map of the batteries protecting the straits in 1943 could help a lot. BTW I once did a trek along the East coast of Sardinia from Golfo Aranci to Arbatax but saw no modern fortifications, did I miss them?
Thank you all . Sardinia, unfortunately, is one of the "forgotten fronts"of the war, but even in August 1943, the Italian command feared an attack by the Allies... The history of the ww2 fortifications of Sardinia is influenced by the person of General Mario Caracciolo di Feroleto, commander of the 5th Armata (Florence). He, by the summer of 1942, reduced the number of planned concrete bunkers and introduced the standard small type (pillbox), as well as the open positions (similar to desert Tobruk fortifications). In fact, the east coast of the island is little or no fortified with concrete, because the coasts are high, with no major ports, and even the roads to the interior are easy to make it impassable. For the "battle of La Maddalena", informations are often controversial. I ask a friend who has wartime documentation and hope to be able to share a correct answer. The main 1940-43 fortifications against landship were at Cagliari, Quartu S. Elena, Capoterra Sulcis Iglesiente, Mussolinia (from 1944 called Arborea), Oristano, Alghero and Porto Torres. There are also fortifications at Olbia and Golfo Aranci, but the tourist expansion has destroyed many, in the past. Most of the defensive works with the use of concrete were conducted between spring 1942 and May-June 1943. The commander of the island (General Antonio Basso) would have built more fortifications, but as i wrote, General Caracciolo was a partisan of the more "light" fortification... However, were built over 1,200 concrete works. Fortunately, there are some systems ("stop-line") in the south that are worth visiting. I hope also to meet in this forum Users who have any kind of war-related memories of our island. Ciao
Welcome to the forum difecost43! My wife and I holidayed in Sardinia for the first time in June 2009 at Oliena - Hotel Su Gologone. A wonderful hotel, on wonderful Island and with wonderful people; we will be back; especially as I now have WWII sites to visit!! Best, Steve.
Hello Steve and thanks for appreciating our island. Unfortunately, along the east coast there is really little to see of ww2, but they are very beautiful places. On the Arbatax promontory there are remains of a ww2 battery, recently i heard that the City should make here a public park. Let's hope so .. Although they are protected by law, bunker & pillboxes are still abandoned and in private land, but usually there is no problem for the visit, except for normal care. Together with friends we have cleaned up some bunkers in the territory of Quartu Sant'Elena for "open-day" in May and October. YouTube - Lavori in trincea.wmv p.s. The only dangerous animal here is the Argia (black widow) a small black spider with red spots on its back. Inside the bunker, however, can meet the harmless "geckos"..
Hello again difecost43, The YouTube pictures of the pillbox in Quartu Sant'Elena are very good and the pillbox itself appears to be in a very good condition. Keep up the good work! By the way, the Sardinian flag (I think that's what it was) - red cross on a white background - is the same as the English flag (as opposed to the British flag - the Union Jack). The only difference is there are heads on your flag; what do they represent? Best, Steve.
A hearty welcome from The Dark Side (TM) Now, what do you people eat over there? Porceddu and filu e' ferro are fond memories though I never dared to try the "special" cheese (dont' ask). My father used to work at the Capo San Lorenzo missile test range and they believed letting the trucks come back empty to Rome would be a waste ... so they loaded them up with all sorts of nice things .
The four heads are the Quattro Mori - the four Moors. Both Corsica (one Moor's head on its flag) and Sardinia lived in fear of Saracen invasions for centuries.
