 After the Armistice of Italy, the "Ariete" Division participated in the defense of Rome against the German attack, but was disbanded after the military commander of Rome, General Calvi di Bergolo, had signed a ceasefire with the German commands.On 11 August 1944 he was parachuted into Val Cavallina near Bergamo and appointed "Military commander" of the Gruppo Volontari per la Libertà ("Group of Volunteers for Freedom"), with Ferruccio Parri, and deputy commander Luigi Longo, in north central Italy.Captain W O Churchill was seconded by Special Operations Executive (1944/45 Operation Floodlight) to act as British Liaison Officer to General Cadorna at the request of the CLNAI in northern Italy.