Uniform Patch of XIII Corps, British 8th Army 'Desert Rats', The Red Leaping Gazelle of The British Trieste Force, F Recce Squadron, Anti-Fascist Italian Paratroopers. From The Relief Of Tobruk and Battle of El Alamein, Advance Through Libya, Tunisia

XIII Corps was formed in the North African Western Desert (natural home of the gazelle) and was the first Corps to operate in this battle theatre. As part of the 8th Army it was involved in the hard fighting of the winter of 1941-1942, including the relief of Tobruk. It participated in the Battle of El Alamein and the advance through Libya and Tunisia. Subsequently XIII Corps landed in Sicily and was involved in the clearance of the island of Catania. In September 1943 it landed in the toe of Italy and remained on the Italian mainland until the end of the war, participating in the final campaign in the Po Valley.

Also worn by those Italians in XIII Corps who had opted to fight on the allies side as F Recce Squadron. Formed in Autumn 1943 by British Intelligence Officer Capt. "Kym" Isolani, F Recce Squadron was a specialist unit of anti-fascist Italian paratroopers (primarily from the Folgore Division). Operating under the British XIII Corps, they conducted behind-the-lines sabotage and intelligence operations.
After the Italian Armistice, Isolani found disaffected Italian paratroopers in Calabria who wanted to fight alongside the Allies. Starting as a dozen men, it grew to over 100 dedicated volunteers.
They operated aggressively behind enemy lines, including operating behind German lines in occupied Florence.
Operation Herring: In April 1945, the unit participated in Operation Herring—the last Allied airborne combat drop in Europe during World War II. Alongside Italian Nembo paratroopers, they jumped into the area between the Apennine Mountains and the Po River, causing chaos for retreating German forces.

Commanded in the field by Italian Captain Carlo Gay, they earned high praise from British Gen. Sir John Harding, who noted they were the first Italian unit to take up arms against their common enemy

Code: 26289