Phumdi (Meitei pronunciation: /pʰúm.dí/), also known as Phumthi (Meitei pronunciation: /pʰúm.tʰí/) or simply Phum (Meitei pronunciation: /pʰúm/), are a series of floating islands, exclusive to the Loktak Lake in Manipur state, in northeastern India. They cover a substantial part of the lake area and are heterogeneous masses of vegetation, soil and organic matter, in different stages of decay. The largest single mass of phumdi is in the southeastern part of the lake, covering an area of . This mass constitutes the world’s largest floating park, named Keibul Lamjao National Park. The park was formed to preserve the endangered  Eld's deer subspecies, called sangai in the Meitei language, indigenous to this area.

Phumdis are used by the local people for constructing their huts for fishing and other livelihood uses, and are inhabited by about 4000 people. Athapums are artificial circular phumdis, built by the villagers as enclosures for fish farming; aquaculture has caused proliferation of the phumdis in the lake.

Traditional practice
Although phumdi vegetation has existed for centuries, it was not until 1886 that the Manipur Gazetteer recorded that wetlands with floating islands were used by inhabitants for fishing. Before the Ithai barrage was constructed in 1986, 207 khangpoks (huts or sheds) were reported on the phumdis, but after the dam was completed in 1999, the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) reported 800 such structures. Many of the huts are reported to have been converted into permanent dwellings and about 4,000 people live in these floating huts, earning their living as fishermen. The huts are constructed using plastic ropes, heavy rocks, wood, bamboo, zinc plates and iron rods. Athapums, artificial circular phumdis, which were built by the villagers as enclosures for fish farming, are present on the lake, and this aquaculture has caused further proliferation of the phumdis. A tourist lodge has been built on one of the phumdis in Sandra Island.

Ecological composition
The floating mass of matted vegetation, organic debris, and soil that constitutes a phumdi has a thickness that varies from a few centimetres to two metres. Its humus is black in colour and porous, with a spongy texture. Only 20% of a phumdi's thickness floats above the water surface; the other 80% remains submerged. Before the construction of the Loktak Hydroelectric Project, the park area containing phumdis was merely marshy land, but since the commissioning of the project, two ecosystems have emerged. One, the body of open water, covers one-third of the area and the other, the phumdi, covers the remaining two-thirds.

The life-cycle of the phumdis has generally been subject to seasonal variation. During the monsoon season when the water level is high, the phumdis float, but during the dry season, as the water level falls, the phumdis touch the lake bed and absorb nutrients from it. When the wet season returns, they again float, and the biomass, which has enough nutrients stored in the plants' roots, survives. However, the contemporary situation, with high water levels in the lake throughout the year, has meant that the process of 'feeding' on lake–bottom nutrients has been seriously disturbed, resulting in a loss of biomass and a thinning of the islands each year. In January 1999, it was reported that a large section of phumdi in the north of the park had shattered into pieces and drifted away from the park area, threatening the habitat of the sangai.

Changes in the water regime due to the construction of the Ithai barrage across the Manipur River have caused changes in the vegetation composition of the phumdis. A study was instituted, from October 2005 to July 2006, to record the vegetation composition and productivity of phumdis in areas of ranging thickness, water depth and soil pH, accumulating data in both summer and winter. The study recorded 83 plant species of 21 families (Poaceae and Cyperaceae formed the dominant families); 81 species were recorded in summer and 48 in winter.
The Diversity indices of the plant species were recorded; they were a richness of 48, diversity of 0.29 and evenness of 0.47 in summer. In winter, the respective figures were 81, 0.17 and 0.52. Species richness was found to be different in 48 samples of thin phumdis, 53 samples of thick phumdis and 14 samples on hard ground. The eight plant communities identified during winter and summer were Capillipedium, Leersia hexandra, Oenanthe javanica, Phragmites karka, Kyllinga triceps, Pteridium aquilinum, Zizania latifolia and Persicaria perfoliata. Zizania latifolia recorded the highest productivity with (13.90 ± 5.01) g/m2 for winter and (102.96 ± 26.03) g/m2 for summer. Greater productivity was recorded in summer (65.96 g/m2) than winter (15.76 g/m2). Variation of productivity of annuals and perennials were noted according to seasons and type of phumdis.

Wildlife
The largest of all the phumdis in the lake is situated in the southeastern region of the Loktak Lake, which forms the Keibul Lamjao National Park. This park is the last natural refuge of the endangered Manipur brow-antlered deer (Cervus eldi eldi), locally known as the sangai, one of the three sub species of the Eld's deer listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Apart from the brow-antlered deer, which is the flagship species of the park, other fauna found in the park are mammals, reptiles, and migratory and resident avifauna species.

Mammal species consist of hog deer (C. porcinus), wild boar (Sus scrota), large Indian civets (Viverra civetta, Viverricula indica), common otter (Lutra lutra), fox, jungle cat, Asian golden cat, bay bamboo rat, musk shrew, common shrew, flying fox, and sambar (Cervus unicolor).

Reptile species found in the park are the keel back tortoise, viper, krait, cobra, water cobra, banded krait (Bungarus fasciatus), Asian rat snake (beauty rat snake), Russels’ viper (Daboia), checkered garter snake, python and common lizard (viviparous lizard). Python molurus is an endangered species found in the park.

Prominent bird species seen in the park are both migratory and resident avifauna species. Some of the avifauna are the East Himalayan pied kingfisher, black kite, lesser sky-lark, northern hill myna, Indian pied myna, North Indian black drongos, lesser eastern jungle crow, yellow headed wagtail, spotbill duck, blue-winged teal, ruddy shell duck, hooded crane, Burmese sarus crane, Indian white-breasted waterhen and crimson-breasted pied woodpecker.

Environmental issues
The proliferation of phumdis, coupled with severe infestation of the lake by water hyacinth, has substantially impeded water circulation and caused an increase in siltation and deposit of pollutants in the lake ecosystem. The building materials used to build huts on the phumdi blocks sunlight from reaching the lower depths of the lake water, which has resulted in formation of vertical profiles of the lake water body and decomposition. Further, pesticides and insecticides are used for catching fish or as insect repellent. Processes of decay release toxic gases such as methane and hydrogen sulfide, and reduce dissolved oxygen. This causes the lake water to degenerate into a eutrophic condition, creating a dead water zone called the hypolimnion. Above the hypolimnion is a thin layer, known as epilimnion, where fish survive to some degree. The benthal is becoming increasingly thick, causing not only pollution of the lake water, but an increase in the shallow part of the lake.

It has been reported that the construction of Ithai Barrage has altered the Loktak Lake and its ecosystem. Siltation has reduced the water holding capacity and has consequently had a negative impact on the power generation capacity at the Loktak Hydro Electric Power Project. Thinning of the phumdi in the Keibul Lamjao area has affected the habitat of the sangai, and other aquafauna, avifauna and flora are on the decline; the 35 species (5 mammals, 3 birds, 9 reptiles, 3 amphibians, 12 fishes, 2 molluscs and 1 annelid) are reported to be disappearing gradually.

It is also reported that the soil of the park formed by the phumdis is highly acidic, with unsuitable pH conditions for many species of plants to grow and flourish. Further, the acidity of the soil has also adversely affected the fish breeding farms. Recent reports indicate that locals are slicing the phumdis into sizeable pieces and towing them with canoes to sell to fish culture owners.

A scientific study of the water quality parameters of physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics and role of phumdis in the Loktak Lake has been conducted by collecting surface water samples on monthly basis from 15 stations, representing 5 zones; northern, western, eastern, middle and southern. The test results indicated that water quality in the phumdi area was poor in the northern and southern zones of the lake; test results indicated low dissolved oxygen, low pH (normal range for Loktak Lake is 6.3 to 8.2) high CO2 and high Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) but the water quality was good in the open water area. Assessment of the total nitrogen content of the macrophyte species of phumdis indicated that the following were present in descending order: Salvinia natans (1.8%), Zizania latifolia (1.6%), Capillipedium sp. (1.3%), Brachiaria mutica (1.2%), Cyperus brevifolius (1.2%), Echinochloa stagnina (1.0%), Phragmites karka (1.0%) and Hedychium coranarium (0.94%). The test results confirmed the fact that the phumdis were efficient in absorbing nutrients from the lake water. However, they deteriorated water quality due to reduced light penetration and accumulation of organic matter in the lake ecosystem.

Management strategies

A detailed study has been conducted by the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) in collaboration with Wetlands International–South Asia, supported by the India–Canada Environment Facility, implementing a project on Sustainable Development and Water Resources Management of the Loktak Lake. The project addresses the issues relating to water management, sustainable fisheries development, community participation and development, catchment area treatment and conservation of wildlife. The Planning Commission of the Government of India, decided in September 2008 that these policies would be implemented over a period of 5–6 years at an estimated cost of over Rs500 crores (US$100 million), and extended the area under management to also incorporate the water of Nambul and other rivers and their tributaries, which are primarily responsible for polluting the Loktak Lake.

In order to resolve the problem of the excessive growth of phumdis that affects the lake ecosystem and local community, a study sponsored by the India–Canada Environment Facility was undertaken by the Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI) to examine efficient ways of converting phumdis into briquettes as fodder and fuel pellets, which could be used to meet both energy demands within the region. Two options for the biomass conversion were studied. The first involved making briquettes of vegetative part of phumdis for use as fodder while the second proposed to pelletise the lower part of phumdis for use as fuel. The study observed that phumdis have nutritional potential as feed material due to its higher crude fibre and crude protein content, but the inorganic content in the root and mat zone was found to be unsuitable for the purpose. The second option of making briquettes from the upper vegetative portion of the phumdis by mixing 12% de-oiled rice bran was found to be feasible for using them as fodder. The lower portion, which was densified to make fuel pellets, was found to be suitable for use as fuel. Such pellets were found to have an average calorific value of 3,400 calories per kilogram (14,200 kJ/kg) with ash content of 27%. Cost economics were worked out and the study had found it to be "an economically viable and an attractive proposition for the benefit of local population." The study concluded that extraction of phumdi from the lake could also generate income for the local people who are dependent on the lake for their livelihood. Such a step would protect the lake from the adverse effects of proliferation of phumdis and maintain the ecological balance of the lake, thus converting the waste into wealth. The Planning Commission has also concurred with project proposals to engage interested individuals and private enterprises to begin the commercial venture of manufacturing compost from the phumdis and thus improve the environment of the Keibul Lamjao National Park. The project also envisages removal of 3630 artificial phumdis and compensation to their owners; this is reported to have been implemented.

Another method adopted in the past to tackle the phumdis was by way of diverting them towards the Khordak River. However, as this approach had not been very successful, the State Government planned to construct a canal at Tera Khunou Khong Ahanbi to divert the phumdis to Manipur River. Other methods adopted by the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) to control phumdis and water hyacinth include introducing weevils for the biological control of water hyacinth, which was carried out in collaboration with the Horticulture Institute of Bangalore. Reports have shown this to be an effective method in controlling water hyacinth.

A lake restoration plan based on a decentralised bioreactor system to eliminate the organic load that enters the lake in the form of non-point and point source pollutants has also been mooted. Phumdis could be harvested in a sustainable manner by conversion into fuel and compost by installing ‘Plug Flow Bioreactors’ in a modular manner around the lake perimeter. Laboratory tests of key species of phumdis have proved its potential to produce biogas. The bioreactors could also be used to treat sewage and thus arrest flow of organic matter into the lake.

In a recent workshop organized by the LDA on "Management of Phumdis" in the Loktak Lake, which involved presentations by locals, the emphasis was on the need to open the barrage for eight months per year (January, April and June–September) to clear the phumdis, control floods and wash away the silt and waste that had accumulated over time. The LDA is also implementing action plans that are economically viable and technically feasible which would result in livelihood enhancement such as evolving an attractive resettlement plan for the phumdi dwellers backed by remunerative livelihood programs and examine the introduction of fishing nets instead of Athapum, the circular shaped Phumdis floating in the lake, planted or cultured artificially for catching fish.

References

Tourist attractions in Manipur
Landforms of Manipur
Lake islands of India
Bishnupur, Manipur
Floating islands
Uninhabited islands of India
Islands of India


Charles Gaëtan Xavier Luc Duval (born 28 January 1958) is a Mauritian politician who is the present Leader of the Opposition and was also Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius in the cabinet of Sir Anerood Jugnauth from December 2014 to December 2016. He was also Minister of Tourism & External Communications and serves as 1st Member of Parliament elected from Constituency No 18 Belle Rose & Quatres Bornes. He is the leader of the Mauritian Social Democrat Party (PMSD). His party has 4 MPs at parliament and he succeeded Arvin Boolell as Leader of Opposition on 4 March 2021.

He served as Vice Prime Minister in the cabinet of Navin Ramgoolam from 2005 to June 2014. He was previously Minister of Tourism from 2005 to 2010, Minister of Social Integration from 2010 to 2011 and Minister of Finance and Economic Development from 2011 to 2014.

His first candidacy was in 1987 where he was elected to serve as Member of Parliament for Constituency No 4, Port Louis North & Montagne Longue. He was candidate of the MSM, part of the MSM/Labour Party alliance led by Sir Anerood Jugnauth.

He later joined the Mauritian Social Democrat Party and stood as candidate for the 1991 elections where he was not elected under the Labour Party/Mauritian Social Democrat Party alliance. He later stood as candidate in 1995 under the 'Parti Geatan Duval' in constituency no 17, Curepipe and Midlands.

In 1999 Xavier created his own party known as the PMXD which was dissolved in 2009 to merge with the Mauritian Social Democrat Party. He was then elected leader of the party. His party was in alliance with the Labour Party in 2005 and 2010. Due to the alliance between the Labour Party and MMM in 2014 elections, he resigned as minister on 6 June 2014 and aligned with the MSM to form the Alliance Lepep which then won a landslide victory. He was since then appointed as Deputy Prime Minister.

Early life
Xavier Luc Duval is the son of Sir Gaetan Duval, former leader of the opposition, later Deputy Prime Minister, leader of the PMSD and also founder of Parti Gaëtan Duval.

Education and Professional career
Xavier Luc Duval holds a degree in Economics from the University of Leeds in England. B.A. Hons. Econ University of Leeds, U.K and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, F.C.A. During his professional career, he was a founding partner of Coopers & Lybrand and Director Abacus Financial Services. He was previously a partner at Haskins and Sells Mauritius and a founder and managing director of The Financial Training Company Mauritius Limited and Halifax Management Limited.

In October 2000, he became senior partner at Nexia, Baker & Arenson, the Mauritian representative firm of Nexia International, a worldwide network of accountants and consultants employing some 12,000 professionals in 76 countries worldwide. He held this position at Nexia Mauritius until 2006.

Political career
Firstly elected as member of parliament in 1987, he was minister in 1995 in the government of Sir Anerood Jugnauth as Minister of Industry and Tourism, then became Minister of Industry, Commerce, Corporate Affairs & Financial Services in the Government led by the Mauritius Labour Party, between 1999 and 2000. He was then Minister of Tourism, Leisure and External Communications from 2005 to 2010, in the coalition again with the MLP and Minister of Social Integration from 2010 to 2011. He serves as Member of Parliament for constituency No 18, Belle Rose and Quatre Bornes since 2005.

Minister of Tourism
As Minister of Tourism and External Communication, Xavier-Luc Duval contributed to boost the image de marque of the destination culminating in a record in growth of tourist arrivals and revenues in 2008. During his time in office he also introduced a New Tourism Act enhanced regulations and improving the business climate to boost the tourism sector.

In 2006 with the creation of the Festival International Kreol, Xavier-Luc Duval aimed at promoting creole culture through poetry, dance and music. The festival has become a yearly event, with participation of international creole artists such as Compagnie Creole, Zouk Machine, Images, Shaggy, to name a few and the best Mauritian groups (notably Sanedhip Bhimjee) as well as experts of creole language.

During his mandate at the Ministry of Tourism, tremendous work was done to upgrade a large number of sites, including touristic sites and residential areas, especially some places like Roche-Bois for a better integration on the train of development.

Minister of Social Integration
Xavier-Luc Duval was given the responsibility to launch the Ministry of Social Integration Economic Empowerment after the general elections of 2010.  He created a new policy for social housing, launched a new program for the integration of the young children at grass root level, encouraged the empowerment of women and identifying new talents in vulnerable groups (through sports and arts), as economic empowerment gained a new impetus under his leadership.

Minister of Finance and Economic Development
When he was appointed Finance Minister in mid-2011, Duval did not lose sight of social integration. In his successive Budgets in 2012 2013 and 2014 huge support has been given to the vulnerable groups, especially in the fields of housing and education. Special schemes include the construction of concrete cum CIS houses in poor areas or abolition of fees for the purchase of land. Financial support is given to the needy children who attend school, day care centres are created in specific areas. Generally, all students of Form 4 and Form 5 are now entitled to own a tablet.

Fishermen involved in low scale fisheries are encouraged to enroll in aquaculture projects. They also benefit of VAT refund on their equipment and boats. This is also the case for small planters.

Hon. Duval has also been very active in promoting youth employment and measures He launched a Youth Employment Programme in 2013 which has already employed more than 5,000 youth. Support to SMEs is another aspect which he is very sensible to, especially with regards to access to finance. He has introduced a special scheme with the partnership of commercial banks.

More importantly, Hon. Duval has geared the economy safely with Mauritius maintaining sound economic fundamentals as the growth is, against all odds, at 3.2%, and inflation under control at 3.6% Unemployment rate is at 8.3%. Total investments for 2013 is totalling Rs 10 billion.

In his successive Budgets Hon. Duval has emphasised on the importance of technology. Various measures have been introduced to increase internet penetration and the use of technology at school, in entreprises, at home and in various public services. E-payment is now a reality at the Mauritius Revenue Authority, tablets and wifi have been introduced at school.

Hon. Duval's vision is to make Mauritius movie towards a higher wage economy. The country is already a renowned financial center of excellence and the Minister of Finance has spared no efforts to improve its legal framework. He has also given impetus to new sectors by introducing frameworks for the film industry and bunkering services.

But the trademark of Hon. Duval is undeniably his African policy and his continuous efforts to promote Mauritius as a gateway to the continent for investment, promotional activities, support to entreprises, networking and training.

He has launched the African Centre of Excellence in 2012 which provides information, encourages networking, and facilitates projects in Africa. 15 projects are already on going and 50 others are in the pipeline. The Mauritius Africa Fund has been launched this year to on stimulate Mauritian investment into Africa. The Export Guarantee Scheme, for export oriented enterprises to invest in Africa.
As Minister of Finance, Duval has twice been voted as African Finance Minister of the Year by Africa Investor – 2012 and 2013 as well as African Finance Minister of the Year by African Leadership Magazine in 2012.

In 2013 he has been chosen as chairman Global Advisory Board by African Leadership Network. He also received the Distinguished Foreign Business Leadership Award by the Villanova Business School of the University of Villanova in Philadelphia, USA in 2012. In October 2013, he has been elevated to the rank of Commandeur de l'Ordre National de l'Etoile Equatoriale by President Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon.
Africans are also encouraged to take advantage of what Mauritius has to offer with specific schemes for training. Above all, visa requirements have been waived for 50 out of 54 African countries which is a testimony of Mauritius' intention to play a major role as the perfect meeting point in Africa.

Hon. X. L. Duval is married to Marie Jennifer Duval and is father of three children; Stephanie Duval, Alexandre Duval and Adrien Duval.

Controversies

2000 Transfer of state funds to Swiss Bank
On 22 March 2000, when he was part of the Labour-PMSD coalition, Xavier-Luc Duval's advisor Éric Stauffer made revelations about the transfer of large amounts of state funds belonging to Mauritius to a Swiss bank account. In preparation for the 1999 General Elections campaign Éric Stauffer also bought and shipped 3 fire-arms from Geneva to Mauritius. Although the fire-arms were illegal Duval managed to organise their clearance by Mauritian customs. Éric Stauffer also revealed that then Minister of Commerce Xavier-Luc Duval spent public taxpayers' funds to pay for international tourist trips during which Duval and his mistress Carole Hardy traveled to the Alps. Carole Hardy, the daughter of Miki Hardy, leader of religious sect Église Chrétienne, was also employed by Xavier-Luc Duval as his Communications Adviser. Mauritian authorities suspected Église Chrétienne to be also involved in child kidnappings. As a result Éric Stauffer could not return to Mauritius as he feared that Duval's partner Navin Ramgoolam would organise his arrest.

2009 more concerns about Église Chrétienne
In 2009 Opposition Leader Paul Bérenger raised his concerns in the press about the dangerous links between Xavier-Luc Duval's PMSD, the Tourism Authority, Events Mauritius and Église Chrétienne. Concerns had been raised about the role of a branch of Église Chrétienne called ASPA, as well as Church Team Ministries International (CTMI) as Carole Hardy's proximity to Xavier-Luc Duval made government bodies vulnerable to an infiltration risk.

2021 importation of Molnupiravir via MERCK
During the Private Notice Question (PNQ) session held on 9 November 2021 in the National Assembly the Minister of Health Kailesh Jagutpal revealed that private firm MERCK was the sole importer of anti-COVID drugs Molnupiravir and Ronapreve on the island of Mauritius. Kailesh Jagutpal further revealed that  Xavier-Luc Duval is one of the major shareholders of that firm, given that he owns 43,200 shares of MERCK.

Honours and awards

Duval was appointed as Grand Commander of The Star & Key of the Indian Ocean on the labour day of 2008 by the President Sir Anerood Jugnauth and thus uses the Prefix Hon. and post nominal GCSK.

Grand Commander of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean(G.C.S.K.), Republic of Mauritius – 2009

Commandeur de l'Ordre National de l'Etoile Equatoriale de la République Gabonaise – 2013

Distinguished Foreign Business Leadership Award by the Villanova Business School of the University of Villanova in Philadelphia, USA −2012

African Finance Minister of the Year by African Leadership Magazine −2012

African Finance Minister of the Year by Africa Investor −2012

African Finance Minister of the Year by Africa Investor −2013

Southern African Economic Development Champion Award by African Leadership Magazine – 2014

Special Commendation from the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, USA – 2014

Chairman Global Advisory Board – African Leadership Network (since 2013)

Chairman of Public Accounts Committee (PAC), (2000–2005)

References

1958 births
Living people
Members of the National Assembly (Mauritius)
Ministers of Finance of Mauritius
Government ministers of Mauritius
Mauritian businesspeople
Alumni of the University of Leeds
Grand Commanders of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean
Vice Prime Ministers of Mauritius
Parti Mauricien Social Démocrate politicians


Fu Szeto (1916–1992) was the commander-in-chief of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Air Force and four-star general from 1974 to 1977, then chairman of the board of directors for China Airlines between 1977 and 1983. He further served as advisor to the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 1983 to 1992.

Biography

Joining the air force in time for WWII
Szeto was born 1916 in Beijing. He graduated from Hui Wan Boys High School in Beijing, then joined the Air Force Academy and graduated from Class 6 and was a fighter pilot ever since Japan's aggression and Second World War.  He had an outstanding record, shot down Japanese planes in China but was twice shot down himself by Japanese ground fire in combat. He was reported missing in action and fortunately rescued by the farmers: One plight lasted a month and Szeto could not get to his rescue plane on time which, according to Col. Summers during his visit to Taiwan at a Flying Tigers Reunion related how lucky Szeto was to catch the plane searching for him sent by Chinese Air Force. Szeto was still on the run behind the enemy lines with a pistol, once almost killed by the farmers who mistook him as a Japanese pilot who later helped him to run. He hid in stables and ate nothing, but the beans used for horse feed. Weeks later, Szeto arrived at an air base and no one recognized him.

Szeto received approximately 29 medals, including two Purple Heart medals for being wounded in action during the war. He flew P38, P51, P40 fighter planes and dedicated his life to his country and was a pilot in his whole life. During the past couple of years, quite a few articles regarding Szeto's life of bravery and outstanding achievement have been published in some Chinese magazines. He remained single until three years after the war.

Szeto had several missions to fly over the Himalayas to Burma and India to get the P-40 planes  known as Warhawk supplied by the United States Air Force (USAF) to strengthen air power for China against Japan's eight-year aggression.

Chosen to join the Flying Tigers, founded by 14th Air Force General Claire Chennault as an American volunteer corps, was a source of great pride for Szeto. He was assigned a squadron commander in the Chinese American Composite Wing (CACW) under Brigadier General Bennett, and was in the combat together with Colonel Summers and Arthur Chin, the latter a mentor and brother to Szeto. For his bravery and sacrifice during the war, Chin had a post office in Portland named after him: His face was completely disfigured by Japanese air attacks while he was in the hospital, and he was never able to recover it with plastic surgery.

During these years, Szeto flew with many Tigers pilots, he and General Tex Hill enjoyed a friendship and mutual respect. When Hill visited Szeto in Taipei, he told him that although he was not with the USAF, the Ace Association had honored him as an honorary member with high respect.

Brigadier General Bennett visited General Szeto at a Flying Tigers Reunion dinner in Taiwan when he promoted to four-star Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force, and General Szeto saluted him there for Bennett was his senior commander while he was with Flying Tigers.

After World War II
After World War II Szeto was sent to Air Force Staff College in Chengdu, then was assigned to Chongqing as operation director in the Chinese Air Force headquarters during the Chinese Civil War.

When Chiang Kai-shek was in Taiwan leading the military forces against Chinese Communists, General Szeto was a Wing  Commander of the 4th Wing for six years and later 3rd Wing Commander in Taichung CCK airbase when it was also a new well-equipped USAF air base. He checked out as an F-86, F-100 and F-104 jet pilot and got citations from the USAF. Later, Szeto was promoted to Air Combat Command as commander when Chinese Communists posed a serious threat to Taiwan.

In 1974 General Szeto was promoted to be commander-in-chief of the Republic of China Air Force in Taiwan until he retired from the Air Force in 1977.

Chairman of the board of China Air Lines
President Chiang Ching-kuo (son of Chiang Kai-shek) appointed General Szeto as the Chairman of the Board of China Airlines in 1977, trusting his integrity and knowledge of aviation. China Airlines inaugurated an air route to Amsterdam and continued developing extensive air routes to various other continents including South Africa and Canada. When Szeto retired, he was appointed an advisor to the President of Republic of China (Taiwan) until his death in 1992.

Background
The Szeto family was an unusual family of medical doctors: his father and brothers all practiced in Beijing and were reputed as experts in the fields of contagious disease, radiology, and gynecology. Szeto was the youngest of seven children, and was only in his early teens when his father died as a volunteer doctor in an off-limits quarantined city in Northern China, leaving a will to his wife. Many lives were saved on his trip but he fell victim to the bubonic plague.

Home life
General Szeto has a son, a daughter, and grandchildren. He was athletic, being a goalkeeper of an ice hockey team and one in soccer. He also enjoyed ice skating, swimming, golfing (getting two holes-in-one), and other sports.

References

1916 births
1992 deaths
Republic of China Army generals
Generals from Beijing
Republic of China Air Force personnel
Military personnel of the Republic of China in the Second Sino-Japanese War
Missing in action of World War II
Shot-down aviators


John Howe (1774–1852) was a free settler and explorer of Australia in the early period of British colonisation. He became a successful building contractor, and also served as a chief constable and coroner. It is believed that he was born at Redbourn, Hertfordshire, England, the son of John How and his spouse Mary Roberts.

Early life
Howe was educated to a reasonable level for the time, such that he had some plans to become a teacher when he was able to emigrate to the colony of New South Wales. Meanwhile, he worked for a grocer in London.

Emigration
The Coromandel was a convict ship that carried, on her first voyage to Sydney, a small number of free settlers who had been given free passage and the promise of  of land.

Howe arrived in Sydney on the Coromandel in June 1802, along with his spouse Frances Ward, and daughter Mary. Upon his arrival, he received a grant of  at Mulgrave Place (now Mulgrave) on the Hawkesbury River. Frances died three months later and was buried at Parramatta.

Auctioneer and building contractor
Andrew Thompson arrived in Sydney as a convict on the Pitt  in February, 1792, and became the richest man in the colony before his death in 1810.

In 1811, Howe was appointed as licensed auctioneer at Windsor, a position previously held by Andrew Thompson. His successful completion of the disposal of Thompson's property earned the gratitude of Governor Lachlan Macquarie. In 1813, he formed a partnership with James McGrath. Together they entered into a contract to complete and upgrade the road from Sydney to Windsor. He also agreed to build a toll-bridge over South Creek at Windsor. For some years, this was known as Howe's Bridge. In 1815, the partners enlarged the wharf at Windsor; in 1816, they began another wharf for the government.

Government appointments
In addition to his work as an auctioneer, Howe served as chief constable at Windsor from 1814 to 1821. From then until 1828 he served as coroner.

Finding a route to the Hunter

Prior attempts

William Parr

William Parr was a convict who arrived on the Fortune on 11 June 1813. In 1817 he gained exploration experience when he accompanied John Oxley on an expedition to the west of Sydney, on which he was employed as a draftsman.
 In October 1817, he set out with a party of men including Benjamin Singleton and Aboriginal guides to find a route, suitable for wagons, to the Hunter River. They almost reached the Hunter Valley before turning back.

Benjamin Singleton

Benjamin Singleton (1788–1853) was a free settler, miller, and explorer of Australia in the early period of British colonisation. He was born in England on 7 August 1788 and arrived in the colony on 14 February 1792 in the Pitt, a convict ship. His father, William, had been sentenced to transportation for seven years, and had brought his wife and two sons with him. An older son, James, arrived as a free settler in 1808.

Using information gained on his 1817 expedition with William Parr, Singleton led a private expedition to the Hunter in April 1818 but this was also unsuccessful.

Howe's expeditions

On 24 October 1819, encouraged by Governor Macquarie, Howe left Windsor with a party of seven, including two Aboriginals, hoping to discover a trafficable route from the Hawkesbury to the Hunter River. He followed in part the route discovered by Parr and Singleton. The party managed to reach the Hunter near Doyles Creek on 5 November 1819. They had discovered some fine grazing land, but Howe was dissatisfied with the route.

In February, 1820, he left Windsor with a party of fifteen, including Benjamin Singleton and two Aboriginal guides. By following the advice of the guides he was able to find a route which became known as the Bulga Road. On 15 March he reached the Hunter, where he followed its course  as far as Maitland. On his return, Governor Macquarie rewarded him with a grazing licence for land at Paticks Plains (near Singleton). He was also granted  near the present site of Singleton. He named this property Redbourneberry. An additional  grant was made in 1824.

For his part in this expedition Singleton was granted , part of which became the site of the town of Singleton.

Second family and later life

James Raworth Kennedy

On 13 May 1811 Howe again married, at St John's, Parramatta, to Jane, a daughter of James Raworth Kennedy. Jane had arrived in Sydney, as a free settler on Sovereign in 1795, with her father, her aunt and her two sisters.  Howe and his second wife, Jane, had nine children. In 1839, he retired to Raworth, a small farm near Morpeth, New South Wales, where he stayed until his death.

Death and legacy
Howe died on 19 December 1852, and was buried in St James's churchyard, Morpeth. His wife Jane died on 1 January 1859, aged 75. Seven of their nine children remained alive on that date.

The names of John Howe and his first wife, Frances Ward, are shown on a commemorative stone in the Presbyterian Church at Ebenezer. They are described as two of its founding members.

Howes Park in Singleton, formerly a part of the Redbourneberry estate, was named in his honour. The features Howes Swamp and Howes Mountain, and the locality Howes Valley, all along the Bulga Road, are reminders of his exploration of the area.

Other possible associations
The locality of Redbournberry, near Singleton, is probably part of the Redbourneberry estate.

The locality of Raworth, near Morpeth, is probably all or part of Raworth farm.

See also
 Putty Road, which closely follows the original Bulga Road.

References

External links
  Map of Doyles Creek, New South Wales.
  Map of Howes Valley, New South Wales.
  Map of Singleton, New South Wales, showing Howe Park and the adjacent locality of Redbournberry, NSW.
  Map of Morpeth, New South Wales, showing the adjacent locality of Raworth, NSW.

1774 births
1852 deaths
People from Redbourn
Settlers of New South Wales
Explorers of Australia


Peter Pye (1902 – 3 September 1966), Dr Edward Arthur (Peter) Pye. MRCS, LRCP, was a British yachtsman, author and doctor.

Peter Pye was educated at Epsom College, then Trinity College, Cambridge and St George's Hospital, London. He married Dorothy Neville in London in 1928, but they were separated after three years, leaving one son, Patrick Pye, who was raised by his mother in Dublin.

Edward Arthur Pye was the son of Harry Pye and Annette O'Leary, the former being a wine merchant and amateur sailor and son of Kellow Pye, and the latter being a daughter of Arthur O'Leary (composer), Professor of Piano at the Royal Academy of Music, originally from Tralee in County Kerry.

After qualifying as an MD, Pye worked as a G.P. in Ealing, West London. In the early 1930s, Pye and his wife Anne (married in 1936) bought a 30 ft Polperro Gaffer fishing vessel built by Ferris of Looe called Lily for £25. They converted the boat, which had been built in 1896, to a sea-going cutter and renamed her Moonraker of Fowey. Together they cruised the boat extensively on annual holidays, sailing out of Fambridge, Essex.

In 1946, at the age of 44, Pye retired from medicine to concentrate on sailing full-time. The decision was the combined result of being unhappy with the prospect of the nationalisation of the British health system and the serendipitous encounter with a book that was to change his life. The book, £200 Millionaire, by British sailor Weston Martyr, was an account of the low cost life an itinerant yachtsman could enjoy.

Peter and Anne sailed around the world for the next twenty years, demonstrating that 'log, line and lookout' were more important to a life at sea than any number of modern gadgets. He financed his journeys through lecturing and writing books, which were published by Rupert Hart-Davis. Pye, alongside US photographer, journalist and yachtsman Carleton Mitchell, has been said to symbolise a key change in the history of yachting in the West Indies. Both were amateur sailors who cruised the Caribbean after World War II in small boats, and many followed in the wake of their voyages.

Red Mains’l covers his voyage to Portugal, Madeira, the West Indies, Florida, the Azores and back. While The Sea is for Sailing takes Moonraker from Fowey to the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal and across the Pacific to the Marquesas and Hawaii, to British Columbia and back home.

He died, aged 64, from the effects of contaminated nitrous oxide during a hospital operation at Plymouth General  Hospital, (then Devonport Hospital) Plymouth.

Works
Red Mains’l, 1952,
The Sea is for Sailing, 1957
A Sail in a Forest, 1961
The Sea is King
Backdoor to Brazil

References

English non-fiction outdoors writers
Maritime writers
20th-century English medical doctors
1902 births
1966 deaths
People educated at Epsom College
Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge
English male non-fiction writers
20th-century English male writers


Kuaibanshu () is a form of oral storytelling performance that is popular in northern China. It is a type of shuochang, somewhat similar to Vietnamese
vè or rapping.

Background
Kuaiban literally means fast boards. It is also known as kuai shu, literally meaning fast books. In Beijing dialect, the art form is known as kuaibanr.

The name refers to bamboo clappers, a set of small bamboo boards or bones, which the performer rattles to produce an accompanying beat (similar to rapping).

The free rhyming style is called "flower point". The line should have seven words. This rule, however, is not strictly followed if the rhythmic beat and rhyme coincide to allow more words or fewer words.

History
While bones have been used as musical instruments in China for thousands of years, kuaiban in its modern form was pioneered by Li Runjie of Tianjin in the 1940s.

Performance
During weekend evenings, groups of middle-aged and elderly people perform kuaiban on the south side of the hill in Jingshan Park in Beijing.

"Kuaiban" is a performance that highly emphasize on “repetition”. In each performance, the rhythm is the same. Bamboo - the material that “kuaiban” made of – has special sacred meaning. In Chinese tradition culture, bamboo symbolizes the elasticity, longevity, happiness and spiritual truth of life. Throughout the ages, bamboo has been praised by many poets and painters. It is not only green in all seasons, but also has a tall and straight line. It is not only a symbol of high wind and bright, a straightforward character, but also a reputation of a gentleman. Bamboo is charming, slender, and long-lasting, symbolizing youth forever. In China, bamboo is a sign of truth and dedication. Bamboo is used as a writing instrument in all parts of the East. For Buddhist and Taoist writers and artists, the straight lines and hollow structure of bamboo have extremely profound symbolic meanings. Bamboo is really something special to Chinese culture.

References

Citations

Bergeton, Uffe. “Philosophy on Bamboo: Text and the Production of Meaning in Early China by Dirk Meyer.” Philosophy East and West, vol. 65, no. 1, 2015, pp. 352–354., doi:10.1353/pew.2015.0023.
Yuming, Yang, et al. “Bamboo Diversity and Traditional Uses in Yunnan, China.” Mountain Research and Development, vol. 24, no. 2, 2004, pp. 157–165., doi:10.1659/0276-4741(2004)024[0157:bdatui]2.0.co;2.

Sources
 Hudong.com (in Chinese)
 QYK.com (in Chinese)
 Kuai-ban.com (Chinese)

Chinese storytelling
Chinese culture
Mandarin words and phrases


"In for the Kill" is a song by English synth-pop duo La Roux from their eponymous debut studio album (2009). The song was released as the album's second single on 15 March 2009. It became the duo's breakthrough single, peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Dubstep producers Skream and Skrillex both made remixes of the track. In 2011, "In for the Kill" was nominated for Best Dance Recording at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards.

Background
Frontwoman Elly Jackson told Steve Harris of Xfm radio that the song is "about telling someone how you feel regardless of what you get back, and not waiting to find out if they want you or not." The track is heavily influenced by the title theme of the 1980s animated television series Pole Position, with the music video paying homage to the show as well.

Critical reception
"In for the Kill" received generally positive reviews from music critics. Digital Spy reviewer David Balls described the song as "slightly odd, endlessly exciting" and stated that it "manages to sound quaintly old-school and positively futuristic all at the same time." Francis Jolley of Clickmusic praised it as "80s synth pop at its most glorious", naming it "the most exciting single around." In a review for Exclaim!, Cam Lindsay wrote that the track "features some icy, high-pitched woos from Jackson and pulse-pounding beats" which make it sound "delicious". MSN Music called it a "damn fine electro pop humdinger" and complimented Jackson's powerful vocals which "hit the ground running and burst with effervescence from the opening note."

In October 2011, NME placed the song at number 64 on its list of the "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".

Commercial performance
"In for the Kill" debuted at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart for the week ending 28 March 2009. Four weeks after its debut, the song peaked at number two with 51,724 copies sold. The single spent four consecutive weeks at number two, before falling to number three with sales of 44,310 copies. In January 2011, "In for the Kill" was named the 11th best-selling download in the United Kingdom of all time. The song had sold 875,523 copies in the UK as of July 2014. In Ireland, the track debuted at number 47 on 16 April 2009 and peaked at number 13, four weeks later.

"In for the Kill" was less successful in continental Europe, charting at number 43 in Belgium, number 53 in Austria, number 68 in Slovakia and number 92 in Germany. It nevertheless reached number 11 in Norway, as well as number nine on the European Hot 100 Singles chart. The single debuted at number 50 in Australia on 29 June 2009, but fell off the chart the next week. On 13 July 2009 it re-entered the chart at number 46, peaking at number 36, two weeks later. In the United States, "In for the Kill" topped the Hot Dance Club Songs chart on the issue dated 27 November 2010, becoming the duo's second number-one song on the chart after "Bulletproof".

Music videos
The first music video for "In for the Kill" was directed by Kinga Burza and produced by Sarah Tognazzi. The 1980s-inspired video features Jackson singing the song while driving a Toyota MR2. It begins with Jackson driving down a dark road at night. At the beginning of the chorus, she puts on a pair of sunglasses, removing them at the chorus' end. During the instrumental section of the song, she waves her hand out of the car window, at which point the road ahead and the cloud-covered moon is visible. Jackson continues to drive until she comes across another version of herself standing in the middle of the road. The video concludes with Jackson driving the car, her eyes glowing white.

A second video was released on 7 October 2010 to promote the US release of the single, featuring a slightly altered version of the song. The video was directed by LEGS and filmed at the Hotel Chelsea in New York City.

Alternative versions
Dubstep musician Skream produced the most well-known remix of the song, titled the Let's Get Ravey remix, which was included on the CD single and digital EP. The remix was featured during the closing credits of the Entourage episode "Hair", originally aired 8 August 2010, as well as in television commercials for the 2009 fantasy video game Bayonetta and in the trailer for the 2012 film Dredd. It is also part of the soundtrack to Matchstick Productions' 2011 ski film Attack of la Niña.

Skream's remix received positive reviews from music critics. The Observer reviewer Gareth Grundy called it a "proper remix, the kind that nudges the original song into thrilling new territory." Cam Lindsay of Exclaim! wrote that while the original version "features some icy, high-pitched wails from Jackson and pulse-pounding beats [...] it's the 'Let's Get Ravey Mix' [...] that really kills it." Skream also produced an alternate remix, That Doesn't Sound Like Skream's Remix, which appeared on the physical and digital EP releases of "In for the Kill".

French musician Lifelike's self-titled remix, which is over six minutes long, was released as a 12-inch single and digital download by French electronic music label Kitsuné, and it was also included on the 2009 compilation album Kitsuné Maison Compilation 7. The official remix of the song for the US featuring rapper Kanye West premiered exclusively on the Entertainment Weekly website on 12 October 2010, and was released digitally on 2 November.

Cover versions
The song was covered on the Live Lounge segment of BBC Radio 1's The Jo Whiley Show on four separate occasions: on 18 May 2009 by Australian R&B singer Daniel Merriweather, on 30 January 2010 by Swedish indie pop trio Miike Snow, on 12 May 2010 by American R&B singer Kelis, on 8 September 2013 by English indie pop trio London Grammar and by Billie Marten.

"In for the Kill" has been sampled by several rappers. Atlanta rapper Donnis sampled it on his song "For the Kill" from his 2010 mixtape Fashionably Late. Later that year, it was sampled on French Montana's song "Goin' In for the Kill" featuring Chinx Drugz and Cheeze, which appears on French Montana's mixtape Coke Boys. The track was sampled by production duo Cool & Dre for rapper Game's "The Kill" from his 2011 mixtape Purp & Patron. In April 2011, Jackson confirmed that Dr. Dre had sampled "In for the Kill" for his upcoming album Detox. UK drill rapper Tion Wayne sampled the song's chorus in his 2022 single "IFTK", with La Roux also listed as a lead artist; it reached a peak of number 6 on the UK Singles Chart.

Track listings

CD single
"In for the Kill" – 4:08
"In for the Kill" (Skream's Let's Get Ravey Remix) – 5:05

Digital EP
"In for the Kill" – 4:10
"In for the Kill" (Skream's Let's Get Ravey Remix) – 5:04
"In for the Kill" (That Doesn't Sound Like Skream's Remix) – 3:27

UK limited edition 7-inch picture disc
A. "In for the Kill" – 4:08
B. "In for the Kill" – 4:08

French digital single and 12-inch single
"In for the Kill" (Lifelike Remix) – 6:08

French and Japanese EP
"In for the Kill" – 4:10
"Quicksand" – 3:06
"In for the Kill" (Lifelike Remix) – 6:09
"In for the Kill" (That Doesn't Sound Like Skream's Remix) – 3:26
"Quicksand" (autoKratz Drags to Riches Remix) – 4:40
"Quicksand" (Beni's Sinking at 1.56 Mix) – 4:16
"In for the Kill" (Skream's Lets Get Ravey Remix) – 5:03

US digital EP – remixes
"In for the Kill" (Skream's Let's Get Ravey Remix) – 5:01
"In for the Kill" (Tim Bran Remix) – 3:43
"In for the Kill" (Danger's Ocean Remix) – 4:16
"In for the Kill" (Skrillex Remix) – 5:11

US digital single – featuring Kanye West
"In for the Kill" (featuring Kanye West) – 4:40

Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of La Roux.

Recording and management
 Recorded at Elfin Studios (Teddington, London)
 Mixed at MixStar Studios (Virginia Beach, Virginia)
 Published by Big Life Music Ltd.

Personnel
 Elly Jackson – vocals, production
 Ben Langmaid – production
 Serban Ghenea – mixing
 John Hanes – mix engineering
 Tim Roberts – mix engineering assistance

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Decade-end charts

Certifications

Release history

See also
 List of number-one dance singles of 2010 (U.S.)

References

2009 singles
2009 songs
Cherrytree Records singles
Interscope Records singles
Kitsuné singles
La Roux songs
Polydor Records singles


The 2009–10 season was Eintracht Frankfurt's 110th season and their fifth consecutive season in the Bundesliga.

Players

First-team squad
Squad at end of season

Left club during season

Transfers

Results

Friendlies

Indoor tournaments

Bundesliga

DFB-Pokal

Source:

References

Notes

Sources

 Official English Eintracht website
 Eintracht-Archiv.de
 2009–10 Eintracht Frankfurt season at Fussballdaten.de

2009-10
German football clubs 2009–10 season


Ariko Inaoka (, born Kyoto 1975) is a Japanese photographer, best known for her long-term project of photographing a pair of Icelandic twins. She is also the owner of Honke Owariya, a long-established soba restaurant in Kyoto.

Youth
Born in Kyoto in 1975, Inaoka went to a high school in San Diego from 1992 and studied at Parsons School of Design from 1995, graduating in 1999. She started working at magazines and catalogs in Paris, London, and Japan, mainly in fashion photography. She moved back to Tokyo in 2006.

Photography
Inaoka has worked as a fashion photographer. From 1998 to 2002 she worked on The Number after 10 with Claudia Hill In 2000, Photo District News named her one of the PDN/Kodak 30 under thirty Her earlier work was done under the single name Ariko (in Roman letters).

Inaoka is known for her years-long photography of a pair of identical twins in Iceland, which she has called "the place for my creativity and inspiration." She first met Erna and Hrefna (Icelandic for "eagle" and "raven" respectively) in 2006, but only started photographing them in 2009, when they were nine. She was drawn to the twins as a subject because of their "telepathic" connection. The photography continued until 2017.

Other subjects Inaoka has photographed include landscapes and travelers.

Restaurant ownership

Inaoka returned to Kyoto in 2011. She is the current and sixteenth owner of Honke Owariya, founded in 1465 and the oldest soba restaurant in Kyoto and perhaps the whole of Japan. She follows this tradition from her father, the fifteenth owner, and her grandfather, the fourteenth.

Exhibitions
Sól. Trax gallery (Hokuto, Yamanashi), August–September 2008.
Sól. Rocket Gallery (Jingūmae, Tokyo), February 2009.
Om. Gallery Target (Jingūmae, Tokyo), April 2011.
 = Opposite India. Slant gallery (Kanazawa), April–May 2011. With Yayoi Arimoto ().
One Plus One Is Three. 2013 Shin Kong Mitsukoshi International Photography Festival = 2013新光三越國際攝影聯展, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi (Taipei), 2013. With Sean Lotman.
Erna and Hrefna. Revela't 2018 (El Festival Internacional de Fotografía Analógica de Vilassar de Dalt), Fábrica Cal Garbat, Vilassar de Dalt, 11–27 May 2018.
Parallel Crossings. Ibasho Gallery (Antwerp), January–March 2020. (With Sean Lotman.)

Books
 Key of Life: Hasegawa Kyoko Photobook. Tokyo: Pengin Shobō, 2003. . Photographs of Kyōko Hasegawa by "Takey" or "Takay" (according to the impression) and "Ariko".
 Sól. Tokyo: Akaaka, 2006. . By "Ariko".
  (Kurisuchania: Jiyū no kuni ni ikiru Denmāku no kiseki) = The Free Spirits of Christiania. Tokyo: Wave, 2017. . Text by Kana Shimizu (), photographs by Inaoka.
 Eagle and Raven. Tokyo: Akaaka, 2020. . By Inaoka.

Notes

References

External links

 Interview with Inaoka on Public-Image.org
 "Mysterious and magical twins", ABC News. (Slideshow)

Japanese photographers
Living people
1975 births
Japanese women photographers
Parsons School of Design alumni
Artists from Kyoto
Photography in Iceland
Japanese restaurateurs
Women restaurateurs


133rd Armored Division "Littorio" () was an armored division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The division's name derives from the fasces () carried by the lictors of ancient Rome, which Benito Mussolini had adopted as symbol of state-power of the fascist regime. Sent to North Africa in January 1942 for the Western Desert Campaign the division was destroyed in the Second battle of El Alamein in November 1942.

History

Formation
The 133rd Armored Division "Littorio" was formed on 6 November 1939 in Parma by reorganizing parts of the 4th Infantry Division "Littorio", which had been made up of regular army "volunteer" and taken part in the Spanish Civil War. The Littorio was the third Italian armored division, after the 131st Armored Division "Centauro" and the 132nd Armored Division "Ariete". Initially the Littorio fielded four tankette battalions, three Bersaglieri battalions, and two motorized artillery groups. The Littorio's tank battalions were equipped with L3/35 tankettes, which by that time were already outdated and not suited for modern warfare.

Invasion of France
On 10 June 1940 Italy entered World War II and began to invade France. The Littorio and the 101st Motorized Division "Trieste" were sent to the Aosta Valley to exploit a planned breakthrough at the Little St Bernard Pass, which was to be achieved by the 1st Alpine Division "Taurinense" on the left flank and the 2nd Alpine Division "Tridentina" on the right flank, with the Trieste taking the pass itself. After the initial attacks had failed a tank battalion from the 33rd Tank Infantry Regiment was sent forward on 24 June 1940, but the Italian tankettes became bogged down in the rugged and snowy terrain. French anti-tank gunners then destroyed a number of Italian tankettes and the battalion withdrew. The same day the Franco-Italian Armistice came into effect and the war ended.

Invasion of Yugoslavia
In late March 1941 the Littorio was transferred to the border with Yugoslavia for the Invasion of Yugoslavia. On 11 April 1941 the division crossed the border and advanced to Postojna. On 12 April the division reached Ogulin and on the 14 Šibenik on the Dalmatian Coast. The Italians encountered minimal resistance by the Yugoslavian Seventh Army and on 16 April the Littorio met up with units of the 158th Infantry Division "Zara" in Knin and reached Mostar. On the 17 the Littorio reached Trebinje, where it met up with units of the 131st Armored Division "Centauro", which had advanced northward from Albania. On 15 May 1941 the Littorio was repatriated.

Reorganization

In September 1941 the Littorio was reorganized. On 27 November 1941 the 33rd Tank Infantry Regiment with its obsolete tankettes was replaced by the 133rd Tank Infantry Regiment with more modern M13/40 and M14/41 tanks. The division also received the DLI and DLII self-propelled artillery groups with 75/18 self-propelled guns.

Western Desert Campaign
In January 1942 the Littorio was ordered to Libya to reinforce the German-Italian Panzer Group Africa, which was fighting the Western Desert Campaign against the British Eighth Army. Due to British air and naval attacks originating in Malta the transfer of the division took months and was accompanied by severe losses of men and equipment. The first units to arrive were the DLI and DLII self-propelled artillery battalion, which were immediately transferred to the 132nd Armored Division "Ariete" at the front. Meanwhile one transport carrying the tanks for one of the companies of the XII Tank Battalion was sunk by British warplanes in the Mediterranean and the ship carrying the XXXVI Bersaglieri Battalion was torpedoed by a British submarine and lost 2/3 of its men in the waters of the Mediterranean.

On 27 January 1942 the Littorio had to cede its just debarked X Tank Battalion "M" to the 132nd Armored Division "Ariete", while the XII Tank Battalion had to cede all its remaining tanks to the divisions at the front. When the XI Tank Battalion "M" arrived in Tripolis it was immediately attached to the 101st Motorized Division "Trieste". The Littorio also lost part of its air defense, transport and artillery units to other divisions. By 31 May 1942 the Littorio had been sufficiently rebuild to be transferred to the front, where it was assigned to XX Army Corps.

The Littorio did not participate in the Battle of Gazala, though British accounts usually include its troop and tank strengths in the Axis total. A battlegroup with two Bersaglieri battalions, two tank companies of the LI Tank Battalion and a battery of the  CCCXXI Artillery Group arrived at the front on 20 June, and participated in the attack on Tobruk. The division was a part of the investing force at Mersa Matruh, and pursued the British Eighth Army during its retreat to El Alamein. In this advance the division was harassed by the Desert Air Force, as all the Axis formations were, and it became engaged in a number of running fights with the British 1st Armoured Division.

First Battle of El Alamein
In the First Battle of El Alamein, the German commander Erwin Rommel planned for the 90th Light Division, 15th Panzer Division and 21st Panzer Division to penetrate the lines of the British Eighth Army between the Alamein box and Deir el Abyad. 90th Light was then to veer north to cut the coastal road and trap the Alamein defenders between the Axis forces and the sea. The Panzer Group Africa would veer right to attack the rear of British XIII Corps. The Italian XX Army Corps was to follow the German divisions and deal with the Qattara box, while the Littorio and German reconnaissance units would protect the right flank advances right flank. The battalions of the Littorio were heavily engaged during the First Battle of El Alamein, with the XII Tank Battalion down to seven tanks by the end of the battle.

Battle of Alam el Halfa
Rommel's second attempt to outflank the British positions at El Alamein commenced on 30 August 1942. The Battle of Alam el Halfa was started with an attack by the GermanAfrika Korps at dawn, which was quickly stopped by a flank attack from the British 8th Armoured Brigade. The Germans suffered little, as the British were under orders to spare their tanks for the coming offensive, but they could make no headway and were heavily shelled. Meanwhile the Littorio and Ariete had moved up on the left of the Afrika Korps and the 90th Light Division and elements of Italian X Army Corps had drawn up to face the southern flank of the New Zealand box. Under constant air raids throughout the day and night and on the morning of 2 September, Rommel realized that his offensive had failed and that staying in the salient would only add to his losses and ordered his forces to withdraw.

Second Battle of El Alamein

The Second Battle of El Alamein is usually divided into five phases, consisting of the break-in (23 to 24 October), the crumbling (24 to 25 October), the counter (26 to 28 October), Operation Supercharge (1 to 2 November) and the breakout (3 to 7 November). No name is given to the period from 29 to 31 October when the battle was at a standstill.

25 October 1942
Initially the Littorio was held in reserve behind the infantry divisions to the rear of Miteirya Ridge. On the 25 October the Axis forces launched a series of attacks using the 15th Panzer and Littorio divisions. The Panzer Group Africa was probing for a weakness, but found none. When the sun set the Allied infantry went on the attack and around midnight the British 51st (Highland) Division launched three attacks, but lost its way in the dark. The 15th Panzer and Littorio divisions held off the Allied armored units, but this proved costly and most units were severely depleted.
Rommel was convinced that the main assault would be in the north and was determined to retake Point 29. He ordered a counterattack against Point 29 by 15th Panzer, 164th Light Africa Divisions and elements of XX Army Corps to begin at 1500 Hrs but under heavy artillery and air attack this came to nothing. During the day he also started to draw his reserves to what was becoming the focal point of the battle: 21st Panzer and part of the Ariete moved north during the night to reinforce the 15th Panzer and Littorio and 90th Light Division at El Daba were ordered forward, while the Trieste division was ordered to move from Fuka to the front to replace them. 21st Panzer and the Ariete made slow progress during the night as they were heavily bombed.

German records from 28 October 1942 reveal that the three divisions most affected were the 15th Panzer, 21st Panzer and Littorio divisions, which had lost 271 tanks since the start of the battle on the 23 October. This figure includes tanks out of action through mechanical failure as well as through mines or other battle damage, but by this time repairs and replacements were hardly keeping pace with daily losses. The surviving enemy tank states indicate that from the 28th to the 31st the two German divisions found it difficult to muster 100 tanks in running order between them, while Littorio had between 30 and 40.

2 November 1942
At 1100Hrs on 2 November the remains of 15th Panzer, 21st Panzer and Littorio counterattacked the British 1st Armoured Division and the remains of British 9th Armoured Brigade, which were dug in with a screen of anti-tank guns and artillery, and had intensive air support. The counter-attack failed under a blanket of shells and bombs, resulting in a loss of some 100 tanks. Fighting continued throughout 3 November and the British 2nd Armoured Brigade was stopped by the remnants of the Afrika Korps and last few tanks of the Littorio.

4 November 1942

On 4 November the Littorio, Ariete and Trieste were destroyed in an attack by the British 1st Armoured Division and 10th Armoured Division. When it became obvious to Rommel that there would be little chance to hold anything between El Daba and the frontier he ordered a retreat, with the Italian units left behind to fight a rear-guard action. The Littorio division was declared lost due to wartime events on 25 November 1942 and its remaining personnel was assigned to the Tactical Group "Ariete".

Organization

Organization in Italy
  133rd Armored Division "Littorio", in Parma
 12th Bersaglieri Regiment, in Reggio Emilia
 Command Company
 XXI Bersaglieri Motorcyclists Battalion (reorganized as XXI Bersaglieri Support Weapons Battalion in September 1941)
 XXIII Auto-transported Bersaglieri Battalion
 XXXVI Auto-transported Bersaglieri Battalion
 12th Anti-tank Company (47/32 anti-tank guns; entered the XXI Bersaglieri Support Weapons Battalion in September 1941)
 12th Bersaglieri Motorcyclists Company (formed in September 1941)
 33rd Tank Infantry Regiment, in Parma (replaced by the 133rd Tank Infantry Regiment on 27 November 1941)
 Command Company
 I Tank Battalion "L" (L3/35 tankettes)
 II Tank Battalion "L" (L3/35 tankettes)
 III Tank Battalion "L" (L3/35 tankettes)
 IV Tank Battalion "L" (L3/35 tankettes)
 133rd Tank Infantry Regiment, in Pordenone (joined the division on 27 November 1941)
 Command Company
 X Tank Battalion "M" (M14/41 tanks)
 XI Tank Battalion "M" (M13/40 tanks)
 XII Tank Battalion "M" (M14/41 tanks)
 133rd Motorized Artillery Regiment "Littorio", in Cremona
 Command Unit
 I Group (75/27 field guns; renamed II Group in September 1941)
 II Group (75/27 field guns; renamed III Group in September 1941)
 I Group (100/17 howitzers; joined the regiment in September 1941)
 2x Anti-aircraft batteries (20/65 Mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns)
 Ammunition and Supply Unit
 III Anti-tank Battalion (formed in September 1941)
 133rd Anti-tank Company (47/32 anti-tank guns; autonomous unit until September 1941)
 143rd Anti-tank Company (47/32 anti-tank guns; autonomous unit until September 1941)
 133rd Mixed Engineer Company (expanded to the XXXIII Mixed Engineer Battalion in September 1941)
 133rd Medical Section
 133rd Supply Section
 133rd Transport Section (replaced by the 43rd Transport Section in September 1941)
 85th Carabinieri Section
 86th Carabinieri Section (left the division in September 1941)
 133rd Field Post Office

Organization in Libya
  133rd Armored Division "Littorio"
 12th Bersaglieri Regiment
 Command Company
 XXI Bersaglieri Support Weapons Battalion
 XXIII Auto-transported Bersaglieri Battalion
 XXXVI Auto-transported Bersaglieri Battalion
 12th Bersaglieri Motorcyclists Company
 133rd Tank Infantry Regiment
 Command Company
 IV Tank Battalion "M" (M14/41 tanks; arrived from the 31st Tank Infantry Regiment in June 1942)
X Tank Battalion "M" (M14/41 tanks; transferred on 27 January 1942 to the 132nd Armored Division "Ariete")
 XI Tank Battalion "M" (M13/40 tanks; transferred on 2 April 1942 to the 101st Motorized Division "Trieste")
 XII Tank Battalion "M" (M14/41 tanks)
 LI Tank Battalion "M" (M14/41 tanks; arrived from the 31st Tank Infantry Regiment in May 1942)
 3rd Fast Artillery Regiment/ 3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta" (attached to the division)
 Command Unit
 I Group (75/27 field guns)
 II Group/ 133rd Motorized Artillery Regiment "Littorio" (75/27 field guns)
 XXIX Anti-aircraft Artillery Group (8.8 cm Flak 37 anti-aircraft guns; attached to the division)
 CCCXXI Artillery Group (100/17 howitzers; attached to the division)
 DIII Anti-aircraft Artillery Group
 2x Anti-aircraft/Anti-tank batteries (90/53 anti-aircraft guns mounted on Breda 51 trucks)
 5th Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 Mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns)
 406th Anti-aircraft Battery (20/65 Mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns)
 Ammunition and Supply Unit
 III Squadrons Group/ "Lancieri di Novara" (L6/40 tanks, armored reconnaissance)
 DLIV Self-propelled Artillery Group (75/18 self-propelled guns)
 DLVI Self-propelled Artillery Group (75/18 self-propelled guns)
 133rd Mixed Engineer Company
 133rd Medical Section
 133rd Supply Section
 85th Carabinieri Section
 133rd Field Post Office

Commanding officers
The division's commanding officers were:

 Generale di Divisione Gervasio Bitossi (6 November 1939 - 7 July 1942)
 Generale di Brigata Emilio Becuzzi (8-31 July 1942)
 Generale di Divisione Carlo Ceriana-Mayneri (1 August 1941 - October 1942)
 Generale di Divisione Gervasio Bitossi (October - 25 November 1942)

References

Citations

Bibliography
 George F. Nafziger – Italian Order of Battle: An organizational history of the Italian Army in World War II (3 vol)
 John Joseph Timothy Sweet – Iron Arm: The Mechanization of Mussolini's Army, 1920–1940

Divisions of Italy in World War II
Armored divisions of Italy
Military units and formations established in 1939
Military units and formations disestablished in 1943
Military units and formations of Italy in Yugoslavia in World War II