Franco Carlo Martelli

Francesco Carlo Giuseppe Martelli was born in Catania on 30 December 1910. He embarked on a military career and in 1937 was transferred to the “Cavalleggieri di Saluzzo” regiment in Pordenone. He took up residence with his family in Palazzo Cossetti, in Piazza XX Settembre. Promoted to captain, he took part in the invasion of Yugoslavia in 1941, earning himself a bronze medal for military valour.
A few days after the armistice of 8 September, Martelli and his regiment returned home.
He joined the Resistance, enlisting among the Osovan partisans under the nom de guerre “Ferrini” (after the illustrious jurist and blessed of the Catholic Church) and in 1944 became their commander. A few months later, he was appointed chief of staff of the united brigade “Ippolito Nievo B”, which included all the Osovan and Garibaldian partisans operating in the Friuli plain.
He worked to ensure that his men escaped the Nazi-Fascist round-ups, but he was arrested on 25 November 1944 following a tip-off. He was taken from his home to the barracks in Via Molinari and tortured; if he had denounced his comrades, he would have been pardoned, but he refused and was put on trial.
On the morning of 27 November, he was taken to the barracks in Via Montereale and refused to be blindfolded for the shooting. The firing squad, composed of three Germans and three Fascists, was moved by the condemned man's courageous and calm attitude in the face of death. He himself commanded the execution. Franco Martelli died shouting ‘Long live free Italy’.
On 23 April 1947, he was awarded the gold medal for military valour.