Giovanni Nicelli


Sergente Giovanni Nicelli was an Italian World War I flying ace. He was credited with eight or nine confirmed aerial victories, and died in service to his nation on 5 May 1918.

Early life

Nicelli was born on 27 October 1893 in Lugagnano Val d'Arda, Province of Piacenza, the Kingdom of Italy.

World War I

First records available of Nicelli show him as a Caporale, piloting a Nieuport 17 for 79a Squadriglia in April 1917. His first aerial victory claim was reported for 14 June 1917. He would post 11 more claims before his death.
As 79a Squadriglia was drawn into the Battle of Caporetto towards the end of 1917, Nicelli forced down two Austro-Hungarian airplanes and won his first Silver award of the Medal for Military Valor. On 30 January 1918, he claimed his sixth victory and was once again awarded the Silver Medal for Military Valor. He continued his successes until 4 May 1918, when he tackled seven enemy aircraft singlehandedly, and was credited with downing one of them. He was also credited with a second victory that day, in a separate action. The following day, 5 May 1918, Giovanni Nicelli's Nieuport 27 broke up while in flight, killing him.

List of aerial victories

See also Aerial victory standards of World War I
Confirmed victories are numbered and listed chronologically. Unconfirmed victories are denoted by "u/c" and may or may not be listed by date.
No.Date/timeAircraftFoeResultLocationNotes
u/c14 June 1917Nieuport 17Enemy aircraftMount VerenaVictory originally confirmed, but disallowed postwar
125 October 1917 @ 0800 hoursEnemy aircraftForced to landMarcesina
27 November 1917 circa 1615 hoursEnemy aircraftForced to landFonsazoAwarded Silver Medal for Military Valor
37 December 1917 @ 1130 hoursEnemy aircraftVal d'Assa
413 December 1917 ca. 1130 hoursEnemy aircraftAsiago
530 January 1918 @ 1000 hoursEnemy two-seaterCol d'Eshele, AsiagoAwarded Silver Medal for Military Valor
u/c4 February 1918 ca. 1100 hoursBlack enemy fighter craftValstagnaClaim shared with Antonio Reali
65 February 1918 ca. 0830 hoursEnemy two-seaterForced to landCase GirardiShared with Marziale Cerutti
713 February 1918 @ 0915 hoursEnemy fighterMarcesina
u/c24 February 1918Enemy aircraftMount Grappa
84 May 1918 @ 0850 hoursNieuport 27Enemy aircraftMontelloAustro-Hungarians reported no matching loss
94 May 1918 @ 1025 hoursNieuport 27Enemy fighterMontelloAustro-Hungarians reported no matching loss

The victory claims of Italian aces were scrutinized postwar by a commission from Italy's Military Intelligence branch. They disallowed Nicelli's first victory, crediting him with eight confirmed victories. Aviation historians credit him with nine.

Endnotes