The battle of Leros - 22 November 1943
After the Italian collapse of the 8th September, the soldiers of the
Italian division "Regina", commanded by Ammiraglio Mascherpa, stationed 
on the isle of Leros, decided to join the Allies and let an english 
garrison land at the harbour of Agia Marina. 
The German tryed a first landing on the 12 of November, and with
the help of their Stukas conquered the small harbour of Lakio, on the
West coast of the isle, but could not take Agia Marina and were 
eventually destroyed. 
The engineers of the "Regina" fought with bitter determination and the 
fortuite presence on the isle of a Platoon of Semoventi (wich the Italians 
had originally planned to send to Turkey) under the orders of Commander 
Re decided the battle. 
On the 16 the German were back once more, and this time the isle was 
conquered. During the two battles the Italians suffered 9000 casualties and
the "Regina was destroyed, but they brought 200 (!) German planes down 
(using the 90-AA and the 76) and killed over 1500 Germans. 

