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The San Giusto Battalion, part of the Xª Flotilla MAS (later the X MAS Division), was officially formed in Trieste in November 1944 as part of the broader deployment of X MAS units in the Venezia Giulia region. Command was entrusted to Lieutenant of the Vessel Enzo Chicca, a former NP of the Royal Italian Navy. On December 10, 1944, the unit received its combat flame in a ceremony attended by Commander Borghese and sponsored by Triestine patriot Ida De Vecchi, who served as the ceremony’s godmother.
The unit was responsible for guarding Trieste’s port and coastal zones, as well as monitoring the road from Trieste to Fiume. Mobility and rapid response were facilitated by two armored cars assigned to the battalion. The San Giusto troops stood firm against Tito’s IX Korpus until May 3, 1945, when New Zealand forces entered Trieste.
Importantly, these men did not wear the standard Decima MAS shield. Instead, they bore a distinctive badge of unknown manufacturing origin, featuring an anchor held aloft by hands rising from the sea, inscribed with “Adriacus Possidebit” and crowned by “Fronte Adriatico” above it. This emblem symbolized Italy’s determination to project control over the Adriatic Sea amidst territorial pressures.
One anecdote recounts how this modest emblem became a badge of honour for San Giusto veterans: even after surrendering in Venice on April 30, 1945, some held onto their badge as a personal memento of their Trieste mission . It became a visual statement of belonging to a specialized, autonomous land force within X MAS, distinct from naval detachments.
This badge was more than insignia: it was a symbol of identity, representing the battalion’s exclusive role in defending Trieste and asserting presence over Adriatic waters—right up until dissolution upon surrender.
