A bureaucratic row has erupted in Italy over a plaque dedicated to a Scottish regiment which liberated an Umbrian city in the Second World War.
The Second Lothians and Border Horse regiment fought at the Battle of Garibaldi Bridge on June 13, 1944 which marked the liberation of Terni. Commonwealth troops and the partisans of the Antonio Gramsci brigade also fought in the city.
The local historical studies centre (Comune dal Centro Studi Storici) had requested a plaque to commemorate the battle, which was installed and unveiled on May 27, complete with a bagpipe ceremony and with the regiment's current commander Major Gregor Deeming in attendance alongside a delegate from the British embassy in Rome.
However, a few days later the centre received a registered letter from the local municipality ordering that the "unauthorised" plaque be removed.
The organisation's president, Domenico Cialfi, stated that the group had received permission from the municipality, as well as the consent of the business which owns the wall on which it was mounted.
The municipality responded: "The plaque is unauthorised because the permit never reached the relevant department – specifically, the one handling street naming, civic aesthetics, land-use planning, and municipal assets – so it must be removed."
The Centro Studi Storici will now have to restart the entire authorisation process in order to have the plaque reinstated.
The councillor for culture Tiziana Laudadio said: "The procedure isn't speedy.
"You have to submit a request that goes to a committee, then there has to be a formal resolution, then finally it goes to the prefecture.
"The study centre has the plaque back now and they can follow the proper steps to obtain authorisation, reinstall the plaque and hold the ceremony again."
Mr Cialfi said: "I will fight to have the plaque put back in its rightful place, but we need to consult with everyone.
"Our board of directors is meeting on September 8, we'll see what comes out of that."
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Written by https://futureknowledge.in/
