Did Mussolini Brag His Military Killed The Loch Ness Monster?

[naitaka]

Mussolini vs. the Loch Ness monster

Is it true that during World War II, Benito Mussolini boasted that his planes had killed the Loch Ness monster?

When I read this in one of Jonathan Gash's 'Lovejoy' novels, I thought it was a joke, but Peter Costello's In Search of Lake Monsters also makes a brief reference to it.

True story, urban legend, or Allied propaganda intended to make Il Duce look even barmier than he was?

 

[ogopogo3]

I've never heard that story, nor can I find any account of it at all on the web.

However, Crowley, who once lived near the shores of Loch Ness, was expelled from Italy by Mussolini in 1923 for his deviant behavior.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure if Mussolini actually boasted this 'acheivement' but an Italian pilot claimed that he dropped a bomb in Loch Ness and saw Nessie floating dead on the surface.

Right

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure if Mussolini actually boasted this 'acheivement' but an Italian pilot claimed that he dropped a bomb in Loch Ness and saw Nessie floating dead on the surface.

Right

If this is the case, nessie still has been sighted since giving rise to the fact that there are several of these creatures still in or visiting the Loch. We all know that this would have to be the case anyways to explain the 2000 year span of sightings that the loch has had.
The stupid italian probably bombed a local fisherman and what he saw floating on the surface was infact the poor old mans upturned boat.

 

[evilsprout]

Or it was intended as a morale-bashing joke, a kind of "ha! We've bombed one of the great symbols of Scotland" sort of thing.

 

[Anonymous]

I know this post is quite old, but I would also like to know where I could find either video or stills of this "carcass".

 

[Lord Lucan]

Lo & behold monster hunters!

From: The World's News (Sydney, Australia) 22nd November, 1941

 

[Kondoru]

Ok, first question.

Did Italian bombers get as far as Scotland?

 

[Frideswide]

Can the London Daily Mail reference be turned up?

 

[Bigphoot2]

Ok, first question.

Did Italian bombers get as far as Scotland?

A bit about Italy's contribution to bombing the UK although it seems confined to southern England
https://militaryhistorynow.com/2013/11/13/il-duces-blitz-italys-role-in-the-battle-of-britain/

 

[Beresford]

Ok, first question.

Did Italian bombers get as far as Scotland?

I doubt very much that they did.The Regia Aeronautica made a handful of raids on Britain with aircraft based in Belgium, and their range would not have got them anywhere near the North of Scotland. The bombers may have theoretically been able to reach Southern Scotland but I'm unaware of any raids.. Most of the squadrons in Belgium were transferred to the Greek front in early 1941 anyway. Raids on the North of Scotland by the Luftwaffe tended be made by aircraft based in Norway.

 

[Bigphoot2]

I doubt very much that they did.The Regia Aeronautica made a handful of raids on Britain with aircraft based in Belgium, and their range would not have got them anywhere near the North of Scotland. The bombers may have theoretically been able to reach Southern Scotland but I'm unaware of any raids.. Most of the squadrons in Belgium were transferred to the Greek front in early 1941 anyway. Raids on the North of Scotland by the Luftwaffe tended be made by aircraft based in Norway.

If I remember correctly it was mainly German planes from Stavanger and Aalborg in Denmark that bombed targets in Scotland.

 

[Beresford]

If I remember correctly it was mainly German planes from Stavanger and Aalborg in Denmark that bombed targets in Scotland.

I think you're right. I completely forgot about Denmark. They seemed to spend a lot of time attacking Peterhead. Surely a Nessie hunt would have been more fun.

 

[genex17]

I think I'll more believe he made the trains run on time... https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/loco-motive/