He was among the soldiers who took part in one of the first acts of armed resistance against the Germans after September 8th. The ANPI (National Association of Italian Partisans) is asking the Region to include the Moneta shrine among the sites of the official celebrations on April 25th.

One hundred and three years old, in uniform, with medals on his chest, and the memory of those days in September 1943 still vivid. Giuseppe Marcellino returned to La Maddalena this morning to participate in the commemoration of the battle fought between September 9th and 13th against German troops. It was one of the first acts of armed resistance carried out by Italian soldiers after the armistice of September 8th, and the first and only such act to take place in Sardinia. Marcellino, then a very young soldier, was among those who decided to oppose the better-armed and better-organized German forces, contributing to their expulsion from the island. He now lives in Olbia and has been an honorary citizen of La Maddalena since 2022.

His presence marked a touching moment during the ceremony at the Moneta monument. "Today, in the solemnity of the ceremony commemorating the Battle of La Maddalena, I was moved once again," wrote Mayor Fabio Lai. "But more than any word, more than any ritual, I was moved by the presence of Giuseppe Marcellino, 103, the last veteran of the battle and our honorary citizen." Marcellino approached the monument and placed his hand on the name of Renato Vasconi, his comrade who fell during the fighting. "In that gesture was all the strength of memory, but also all the sweetness of a friendship that time has not erased," added Lai. "Giuseppe reminds us that memory is not just remembering the past, it is preserving what we have loved." Present at the ceremony were the mayor and Commander Antonello Fresu, representing the Navy Petty Officers' School, the Navy detachments, the National Association of Italian Partisans (ANPI), and veterans' associations. Mario Me, president of the Carlo Avegno Committee, and Anna Rosa Perrone, president of the La Maddalena-Palau ANPI Club, spoke. The wreath was blessed by the parish priest emeritus, Father Domenico Degortes. The clashes resulted in numerous injuries and dozens of casualties. Among them was Commander Carlo Avegno, later awarded the Gold Medal. A street, the parade ground of the NCO School, and a memorial stone are named after him at the site where he was hit by a German machine gun.

Finally, the ANPI has asked the Sardinia Region to include the monument among the official commemorations on April 25th. "On the occasion of this commemoration, we ask the Municipality of La Maddalena to endorse our request," stated Anna Rosa Perrone.

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