Italian Africa Police
Encyclopedia
The Italian Africa Police (Italian: Polizia dell'Africa Italiana, or PAI), was the Police of "Italian Africa" from 1 June 1936 and 1 December 1941.
) and it started issuing its own license plates in Mach 1938. The unit was created as a result of the reorganization of public safety
units operating in Italian North Africa
(Africa Settentrionale Italiana, or ASI) and to later garrison Ethiopia
and the rest of Italian East Africa
(Africa Orientale Italiana, or AOI).
In 1939 it became "Polizia dell'Africa Italiana" (Police of Italian Africa), or P.A.I. and received armoured cars, light tanks (tankette
s), motorcycles, motor-tricycles and cars, in totaling they were about 1,000 vehicles and as many motorcycles.
When the Italian empire fell, the P.A.I. forces were moved in Rome with duties of public order until the liberation of the city on 4 June 1944 when the corps was disbanded and all its vehicles and equipment were taken by the police (Polizia). The new corps was initially subordinated to the Ministry of the Colonies
and then to the Ministry of Italian Africa (then held by Alessandro Lessona). This was the first case in Italy of an Armed Force put under a civil ministry.
The PAI had a reputation for discipline and high training levels, and for being provided with good equipment. Even after the collapse of AOI, the PAI were able to keep the peace in Addis Ababa
, the capital of Ethiopia.
, with functions of political, judicial and administrative police.
s. It was located in police headquarters of major cities like Tripoli
, Benghazi
, Asmara
, Addis Ababa
, Mogadishu
, Gondar
, or in small commissariats otherwhere.
The PAI training school was in Tivoli
.
Part of the PAI personnel was mounted on Moto Guzzi
motorcycles, with many armed with the Beretta M1938A 9 mm sub-machine gun.
). The bulk of the force consisted of indigenous personnel who were trained and equipped to the same standard as Italian personnel. There were 5,142 indigenous personnel, 4,414 from AOI and 732 from ASI.
, the PAI fought as a combat unit alongside with the Italian Army
. For the garrison of the Libyan littoral way, at the outbreak of the conflict two companies on motorcycles and armored car were assigned to the Exploring Unit of the CAM (Corpo armato di manovra) Battalion “Romolo Gessi
”. they had little fortune since, after a sudden enemy attack, numerous soldiers were hit by friendly fire
from German aircraft. The battalion repaired in Tripolitania
and was converted into a mixed company. Several units participated to war actions, at Tripoli, Benghazi
, Barce, but the details regarding the effective employment are insufficient.
engaging the first conflict with the Germans at Mezzocammino, near Castelfusano, with troops of Carabinieri
, in aid to a garrison of Grenadiers of Sardinia. On the other side of Rome
, at the same time, some troops protected the escape of the King
Victor Emmanuel III along the via Tiburtina
, the King and the Prime Minister of Italy
Pietro Badoglio
; once accomplished the task they were sent along the Via Laurentina
. On 9 September the PAIRS, with the Bersaglieri
and cadet police officers, forced for a while the Germans to retreat from the Magliana
area; however, after some hours they had in turn to withdraw in direction of Fort Ostiense, which was later stormed by the Germans.
The commander and founder of the PAI, General Marraffa, was captured by the nazis and deported to the Dachau concentration camp, where he died.
in the autumn of 1943. However, the troops were absorbed by the Republican Police Force of the Italian Social Republic
, and finally by the Republican National Guard
.
with enlisted rank being the older style larger pattern of red chevrons worn on both upper sleeves.
to the second button down the front of his tunic
. Personnel also wore a small gold PAI badge on the front of their headgear and small brass fasces
pinned directly to their collars. Motorcycle mounted personnel wore a brown leather crash helmet, light khaki breeches with brown leather boots and leather leggings to protect the lower legs.
Characteristics
After the end of the war in Ethiopia in late 1936 early 1937, the Corps of "Polizia Coloniale" (Colonial Police) was created to be the police in the colonies in Africa (LibyaLibya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
) and it started issuing its own license plates in Mach 1938. The unit was created as a result of the reorganization of public safety
Public Safety
Public safety involves the prevention of and protection from events that could endanger the safety of the general public from significant danger, injury/harm, or damage, such as crimes or disasters .-See also:* By nation...
units operating in Italian North Africa
Italian North Africa
Italian North Africa was the aggregate of territories and colonies controlled by Italy in North Africa from 1911 until World War II...
(Africa Settentrionale Italiana, or ASI) and to later garrison Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
and the rest of Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa
Italian East Africa was an Italian colonial administrative subdivision established in 1936, resulting from the merger of the Ethiopian Empire with the old colonies of Italian Somaliland and Italian Eritrea. In August 1940, British Somaliland was conquered and annexed to Italian East Africa...
(Africa Orientale Italiana, or AOI).
In 1939 it became "Polizia dell'Africa Italiana" (Police of Italian Africa), or P.A.I. and received armoured cars, light tanks (tankette
Tankette
A tankette is a tracked combat vehicle resembling a small tank roughly the size of a car, mainly intended for light infantry support or reconnaissance. Colloquially it may also simply mean a "small tank"....
s), motorcycles, motor-tricycles and cars, in totaling they were about 1,000 vehicles and as many motorcycles.
When the Italian empire fell, the P.A.I. forces were moved in Rome with duties of public order until the liberation of the city on 4 June 1944 when the corps was disbanded and all its vehicles and equipment were taken by the police (Polizia). The new corps was initially subordinated to the Ministry of the Colonies
Ministry of the Colonies (Italy)
The Ministry of the Colonies was the ministry of the government of the Kingdom of Italy responsible for the government of the country's colonial possessions and the direction of their economies. It was set up on 20 November 1912 by Royal Decree n. 1205, turning the Central Direction of Colonial...
and then to the Ministry of Italian Africa (then held by Alessandro Lessona). This was the first case in Italy of an Armed Force put under a civil ministry.
The PAI had a reputation for discipline and high training levels, and for being provided with good equipment. Even after the collapse of AOI, the PAI were able to keep the peace in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
, the capital of Ethiopia.
Origin
The Royal Decree of 10 June 1937, n. 1211, established its organic regulations, for which it was a militarily organized civil body and making it part of the Italian Armed ForcesMilitary of Italy
The Italian armed forces are the military of Italy, they are under the command of the Italian Supreme Council of Defence, presided over by the President of the Italian Republic. The total number of active military personnel is 293,202...
, with functions of political, judicial and administrative police.
Organization
The force was a racially mixed organization, made up of Italian agents and many native askariAskari
Askari is an Arabic, Bosnian, Urdu, Turkish, Somali, Persian, Amharic and Swahili word meaning "soldier" . It was normally used to describe local troops in East Africa, Northeast Africa, and Central Africa serving in the armies of European colonial powers...
s. It was located in police headquarters of major cities like Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
, Benghazi
Benghazi
Benghazi is the second largest city in Libya, the main city of the Cyrenaica region , and the former provisional capital of the National Transitional Council. The wider metropolitan area is also a district of Libya...
, Asmara
Asmara
Asmara is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of around 579,000 people...
, Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
, Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
, Gondar
Gondar
Gondar or Gonder is a city in Ethiopia, which was once the old imperial capital and capital of the historic Begemder Province. As a result, the old province of Begemder is sometimes referred to as Gondar...
, or in small commissariats otherwhere.
The PAI training school was in Tivoli
Tivoli, Italy
Tivoli , the classical Tibur, is an ancient Italian town in Lazio, about 30 km east-north-east of Rome, at the falls of the Aniene river where it issues from the Sabine hills...
.
Part of the PAI personnel was mounted on Moto Guzzi
Moto Guzzi
Moto Guzzi is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer. It is one of seven brands owned by Piaggio.Established in 1921 in Mandello del Lario, Italy, the company is noted for its central historic role in Italy's motorcycling manufacture, its prominence worldwide in motorcycle racing, and a series of...
motorcycles, with many armed with the Beretta M1938A 9 mm sub-machine gun.
Strength
At the outbreak of World War II the PAI had 7,672 men, of which 6,345 were in AOI (Eritrea, Ethiopia and Italian Somalia) and 1,327 were in ASI (Italian LibyaItalian Libya
Italian Libya was a unified colony of Italian North Africa established in 1934 in what represents present-day Libya...
). The bulk of the force consisted of indigenous personnel who were trained and equipped to the same standard as Italian personnel. There were 5,142 indigenous personnel, 4,414 from AOI and 732 from ASI.
Africa
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the PAI fought as a combat unit alongside with the Italian Army
Italian Army
The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
. For the garrison of the Libyan littoral way, at the outbreak of the conflict two companies on motorcycles and armored car were assigned to the Exploring Unit of the CAM (Corpo armato di manovra) Battalion “Romolo Gessi
Romolo Gessi
Romolo Gessi , also called Gessi Pasha, was an Italian soldier and an explorer of north-east Africa, especially Sudan and the Nile River....
”. they had little fortune since, after a sudden enemy attack, numerous soldiers were hit by friendly fire
Friendly fire
Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...
from German aircraft. The battalion repaired in Tripolitania
Tripolitania
Tripolitania or Tripolitana is a historic region and former province of Libya.Tripolitania was a separate Italian colony from 1927 to 1934...
and was converted into a mixed company. Several units participated to war actions, at Tripoli, Benghazi
Benghazi
Benghazi is the second largest city in Libya, the main city of the Cyrenaica region , and the former provisional capital of the National Transitional Council. The wider metropolitan area is also a district of Libya...
, Barce, but the details regarding the effective employment are insufficient.
Defense of Italy
After the Armistice of Cassibile, the evening of 8 September 1943 the PAI participated to the defense of RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
engaging the first conflict with the Germans at Mezzocammino, near Castelfusano, with troops of Carabinieri
Carabinieri
The Carabinieri is the national gendarmerie of Italy, policing both military and civilian populations, and is a branch of the armed forces.-Early history:...
, in aid to a garrison of Grenadiers of Sardinia. On the other side of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, at the same time, some troops protected the escape of the King
King of Italy
King of Italy is a title adopted by many rulers of the Italian peninsula after the fall of the Roman Empire...
Victor Emmanuel III along the via Tiburtina
Via Tiburtina
Via Tiburtina is an ancient road in Italy leading east-northeast from Rome to Tivoli . It was built by the Roman consul Marcus Valerius Maximus around 286 BC and later lengthened to the territories of the Marsi and the Equi, in the Abruzzo, as Via Valeria. Its total length was approximately...
, the King and the Prime Minister of Italy
Prime minister of Italy
The Prime Minister of Italy is the head of government of the Italian Republic...
Pietro Badoglio
Pietro Badoglio
Pietro Badoglio, 1st Duke of Addis Abeba, 1st Marquess of Sabotino was an Italian soldier and politician...
; once accomplished the task they were sent along the Via Laurentina
Via Laurentina
Via Laurentina, an ancient road of Italy, leading southwards from Rome. The question of the nomenclature of the group of roads between the Via Ardeatina and the Via Ostiensis is somewhat difficult, and much depends on the view taken as to the site of Laurentum...
. On 9 September the PAIRS, with the Bersaglieri
Bersaglieri
The Bersaglieri are a corps of the Italian Army originally created by General Alessandro La Marmora on 18 June 1836 to serve in the Piedmontese Army, later to become the Royal Italian Army...
and cadet police officers, forced for a while the Germans to retreat from the Magliana
Magliana
The Magliana neighborhood or ward is located on the South-West periphery of Rome, Italy along the Tiber River. The neighborhood dates back to the mid 1900's and is home to a diverse group of people of all ages and ethnicities. About 40,000 people reside in Magliana; housing is made up of mostly...
area; however, after some hours they had in turn to withdraw in direction of Fort Ostiense, which was later stormed by the Germans.
The commander and founder of the PAI, General Marraffa, was captured by the nazis and deported to the Dachau concentration camp, where he died.
Salò Republic
Later, there was a reorganization attempt in northern Italy, with the opening of a PAI school at Busto ArsizioBusto Arsizio
Busto Arsizio is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy, in northern Italy, 25 km north of Milan in the province of Varese.The economy of Busto Arsizio is mainly based on industry and commerce.-History:...
in the autumn of 1943. However, the troops were absorbed by the Republican Police Force of the Italian Social Republic
Italian Social Republic
The Italian Social Republic was a puppet state of Nazi Germany led by the "Duce of the Nation" and "Minister of Foreign Affairs" Benito Mussolini and his Republican Fascist Party. The RSI exercised nominal sovereignty in northern Italy but was largely dependent on the Wehrmacht to maintain control...
, and finally by the Republican National Guard
Italian National Republican Guard
The Italian National Republican Guard was a paramilitary force of the Italian Social Republic created by decree on December 8, 1943, replacing the Carabinieri and the National Security Volunteer Militia . General Renato Ricci appointed as its commandant...
.
Ranks
Ranks were as for the Italian ArmyItalian Army
The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
with enlisted rank being the older style larger pattern of red chevrons worn on both upper sleeves.
PAI Rank
|
Italian Army Rank
|
Uniform
Personnel wore the standard Italian khaki tropical uniform but with a blue aiguilette fixed from the right shoulder strapShoulder strap
A shoulder strap is a strap over a shoulder. They are often affixed to women's dresses to support its weight or as part of its style. The term is also applied to carrying bags and to epaulettes.-Carrier shoulder strap:...
to the second button down the front of his tunic
Tunic
A tunic is any of several types of clothing for the body, of various lengths reaching from the shoulders to somewhere between the hips and the ankles...
. Personnel also wore a small gold PAI badge on the front of their headgear and small brass fasces
Fasces
Fasces are a bundle of wooden sticks with an axe blade emerging from the center, which is an image that traditionally symbolizes summary power and jurisdiction, and/or "strength through unity"...
pinned directly to their collars. Motorcycle mounted personnel wore a brown leather crash helmet, light khaki breeches with brown leather boots and leather leggings to protect the lower legs.
See also
- CarabinieriCarabinieriThe Carabinieri is the national gendarmerie of Italy, policing both military and civilian populations, and is a branch of the armed forces.-Early history:...
- gendarmerieGendarmerieA gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military force charged with police duties among civilian populations. Members of such a force are typically called "gendarmes". The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary describes a gendarme as "a soldier who is employed on police duties" and a "gendarmery, -erie" as...
- constabularyConstabularyConstabulary may have several definitions.*A civil, non-paramilitary force consisting of police officers called constables. This is the usual definition in Britain, in which all county police forces once bore the title...
- military policeMilitary policeMilitary police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...
- paramilitaryParamilitaryA paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
- ZaptieZaptiéZaptié was the designation given to locally raised gendarmerie units in the Italian colonies of Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, Eritrea and Italian Somaliland between 1889 and 1942....
- DubatsDubatsDubats was the designation given to armed irregular bands employed by the Italian Regio Corpo Truppe Coloniali in Italian Somaliland from 1924 to 1941...
- Law enforcement in Italy
- Polizia
- East African Campaign (World War II)East African Campaign (World War II)The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....