Polacchini, Romolo

Operation Frankton

Date of birth:: May 20th, 1897 (La Spezia/Ligury, Kingdom of Italy)
Date of death:: October 16th, 1968 (Venice, Veneto, Italy)
Nationality:: Italian

Biography

Romolo Polacchini graduated from the Italian Naval Academy in 1914 and served on battleships during World War I, later transitioning to submarine command.

During the Spanish Civil War, he led covert submarine missions. In 1940, he commanded the light cruiser Luigi Cadorna, earning a War Cross for Military Valor. He later oversaw submarine operations at BETASOM, achieving major successes in the Battle of the Atlantic. Headquarters were based in Bordeaux. Polacchini immediately responded and aided German forces at the start of Operation Frankton.

In 1943, he managed supply convoys during the Tunisian campaign, earning a Silver Medal of Military Valor. After the armistice, he resisted German forces in Livorno but was forced into hiding. Arrested in 1944, he was imprisoned for five months before resuming naval duties in Venice.

Retiring in 1950 due to illness, he was promoted to full admiral in 1958. He spent his final years in Venice Lido, passing away in 1968.

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Medaglia interalleata della vittoria

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:: 1920

Ordine di Vittorio Veneto

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:: 1920

Nishan al-Ismail - Officer

Awarded on:: 1931

Croce Al Valore di Guerra

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: 1940

"As commander of a unit which remained isolated and was subjected to intense and sustained air attacks, he responded effectively with fire and maneuvers and succeeded in repulsing the enemy attack."

Croce Al Valore di Guerra

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: 1941

Ordine Militare di Savoia -Knight

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: March 3rd, 1942

"With the outbreak of hostilities against Greece, as the commander of a group of units assigned to protect maritime traffic with Albania, he carried out the arduous task with absolute dedication and a strong sense of responsibility, overcoming significant challenges with exceptional determination and skill. These difficulties stemmed from the intensity of the traffic, the scarcity of resources, enemy threats, and extraordinarily adverse weather conditions. Later, first as Chief of Staff of the High Command of Italian Submarine Forces in the Atlantic, and then as the leader of the submarine group stationed at that base, he contributed through his actions to asserting the prestige of Italian arms against the enemy."

Medaglia d'argento al Valore Militare

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: 1943

"Commander of a naval base of strategic importance, exposed to relentless and violent aerial attacks that caused massive destruction and heavy losses in the port and surrounding areas, he intervened everywhere even while the attacks were ongoing, overcoming all dangers to ensure the highest efficiency of services. During the fire and explosion of a tanker and the detonation of munitions on another ship, he displayed admirable composure, unwavering courage, and disregard for personal safety—an inspiring example and motivation for his subordinates, who found in him a reliable leader, especially in the most critical and demoralizing emergencies."

Medaglia mauriziana

Awarded on:: April 30th, 1956

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Ordine della Corona d'Italia - Commendatore

Ordine della Corona d'Italia - Cavaliere Commendatore

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro - Cavaliere

Croce al Merito di Guerra

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Croce al Merito di Guerra

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Croce al Merito di Guerra

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Croce al Merito di Guerra

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Croce al Merito di Guerra

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Medaglia commemorativa della Guerra Italo-Turca 1911-1912

Medaglia Commemorativa della Guerra Italo-Austriaca 1915–18

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)

Medaglia di benemerenza per i volontari degni di encomio della guerra italo-austriaca del 1915-1918

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)

Medaglia commemorativa delle operazioni militari in Africa Orientale Italiana, 1935-36

Medaglia commemorativa della campagna di Spagna

Period:: Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

Medaglia commemorativa della spedizione in Albania

Medaglia Commemorativa della Guerra 1940-1943

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Campagna di Liberazione

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Croce per anzianità di servizio militare in Gold with Crown (40 anni)

Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Cruz Roja Del Merito Militar

Period:: Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

Medalla de la Campaña de España 1936-1939

Period:: Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)

Sources

Photo 1: Bild 101II-MW-6267-20 (CC Attribution Share Alike 3.0)
- Ashown, P., A Brilliant Little Operation - The Cockleshell Heroes and The Most Courageous Raid of World War 2 (2013)
- Alberini,P., Prosperini, F., Uomini della Marina, 1861-1946. Dizionario biografico (2015)