The Italian bomber, the...donkey and the peasants - a funny side of the "undeclared war"

During the summer of 1940, Greece and Italy were still at peace, while Mussolini's forces fought against the British. It was not until October 28th of the same year that Italy would declare war against Greece and suffer a humiliating defeat by the Greeks in the mountainous regions of northern Greece and Albania.

Let's jump back some months before that, in the summer of 1940. Italian aircraft based in the then occupied by Italy Dodecanese islands, especially in Rodos island, attack British shipping on a regular basis.

On one of those air attacks against the British, what seems to be an Italian SM79 bomber is hit by antiaircraft fire and is forced to land on a sandy beach in Crete.

Curious locals, peasants with donkeys, as well as a policeman who guards the intact aircraft, are gathered around the bomber, while a photographer immortalises the scene.

This photo appeared in Greek propaganda publications of the period and is part of my collection.