Armando takes charge of the German prisoners at the Castle
Sestola
Sestola (Mo) | 44.23146 E - 10.77274 N
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On 21 April 1945 the partisans entered Sestola and reached the Castle, where in the meantime other partisans had taken the last German soldiers prisoner: they were young lads, under the command of an elderly sergeant. After arranging the silencing of an American airforce gun that was continually firing on the partisan advance, Armando prepared to march down to Modena. He entered Pavullo and Serramazzoni, but his partisans were halted at Sassuolo before they could reach Modena.
Augusti Vaccari “Regina” describes the situation they found at Sestola Castle:
The last Germans holed up in the Castle at Sestola surrendered to an armed formation we did not know, which had very probably only just emerged from the shadows. Armando, accompanied by us, the police detachment, and […] went to take charge of the prisoners, thirty or so men who, with the only exception of rather plump grey-haired sergeant, were between fifteen and eighteen years old. They seemed to have been bundled up in uniforms that were too big for them, and their terror and their youth were obvious in their thin faces and frightened eyes. They'd been tied up and thrust together in a corner of the large room, under the eyes of a largely unknown armed group, and they were awaiting their fate with resignation. […] One of the wildest of the group [of partisans] protested that they would deal with their prisoners as they thought best […]. Armando's tone of voice and his words became steely: ‘These men are prisoners of the Modena Division and from now onwards no-one can touch them. Anyone who fails to obey these orders will be in very big trouble. Now release them, and be quick about it! «
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Augusti Vaccari
