Page "Airborne forces" Paragraph 60

In April 1945, Operation Herring, an Italian commando-style airborne drop aimed at disrupting German rear area communications and movement over key areas in Northern Italy, took place.

However the Italian troops were not dropped as a unit, but as a series of small ( 8 – 10 man ) groups.

Another operation, Operation Potato, was mounted by men drawn from the Folgore and Nembo divisions, operating with British equipment and under British command as No 1 Italian Special Air Service Regiment.

The men dropped in small groups from American C-47s and carried out a successful railway sabotage operation in northern Italy.