Sad news from Italy: Emilio Bianchi passed away on Saturday, august 15^th 2015 at the age of 103. We send our condolences to his family in Torre del Lago / Tuscany.

The Marina Militare published an online note on Sig. Bianchi’s funeral here. British online news “The Telegraph” published a note here. Italian online news “La Repubblica” published a note here.

Emilio Bianchi was the last living member of the “fab six” SLC commandos, who took part at the mission “G.A. 3” in December 1941. For being co-pilot of Luigi Durant De La Penne’s SLC221 against the “HMS Valiant” in the harbour of Alexandria / Egypt, he was awarded with the Italian Gold Medal for Gallantry at War (M.O.V.M.).

Emilio Bianchi took part on several Club Panerai meetings in Viareggio / Tuscany. The visit of the former training camp for SLC commandos during WW2, an old farm house at Bocca di Serchio, will remain unforgettable to Panerai enthusiasts who took part back in May 2005.

[photo: Emilio Bianchi with members of the Club Panerai meeting at Bocca di Serchio, 2005]

Sad news from Italy reached us today: WW2 veteran of the “Gruppo Gamma”, Omeris Arpesella, passed away last week.

Omeris (*1915 †2013) was known to us since 2003 during the III Meeting Club Panerai in Viareggio/Italy as a proud owner of a Ref. 3646 “California Dial” Panerai watch, which sadly was stolen only a few years later…

Just recently we discovered during our research and study, that Omeris was also featured in allied secret intelligence files during WW2, where he was recorded as a skilled frogmen with the “Gruppo Gamma” / Decima MAS.

During the events of the Club Panerai Meetings we have met Omeris always as a very kind and friendly person. His powerful handshakes and big smiles will remain not forgotten to those who were with us, meeting one of the last “Gamma” units… 

The Radiomir Panerai Fund for Omeris Arpesella’s stolen “California Dial” watch (2005 – 2006, see photo with Diego Gabathuler and Piero Lapiana) will remain unforgettable to all who supported us in giving back Omeris a piece of his history!

Rest in peace, Omeris!  [Ralf Ehlers & Volker Wiegmann] 

To follow up the ceremonies on Emilio Bianchi’s 100th birthday, Piero Lapiana has provided some news from Italy:

Local news from Viareggio 
Official website of the Marina Militare.

We send our birthday greetings to Torre del Lago in Tuscany: Emilio Bianchi turns 100 years (!) on monday, october 22nd 2012. He is the last living member of the “fab six” SLC commandos, who took part at the mission “G.A. 3” in December 1941, soon to be 71 years ago… For being co-pilot of Luigi Durand de La Penne’s SLC221 against the “HMS Valiant” in the harbour of Alexandria / Egypt, Emilio Bianchi was awarded with the italian gold medal for gallantry at war (M.O.V.M.).

You can read about Emilio Bianchi in the book “Panerai Historia” by Giampiero Negretti (page 72-79). Also informations can be found in the book “I Mezzi d’Assalto della Xa Flottiglia MAS” by Marco Spertini / Erminio Bagnasco / Albertelli Editore (page 48-50). Emilio Bianchi is featured in the japanese “Panerai Style Book” by Begin, 2001.

[photo courtesy of Antonio Guccione / Officine Panerai, 1999]

Emilio Bianchi is also featured in the book “The Value of Time” on page 71 wearing a Luminor Marina at 4:25 p.m., being one of the “portraits of positiveness” aside other personalities choosen from arts, sport and professions.

In the past, Emilio took part on several meetings of the Club Panerai in Viareggio. The visit of the former training camp for SLC commandos during the 2nd world war, an old farm house at Bocca di Serchio, will remain unforgettable to Panerai enthusiasts who took part back in may 2005.

[photo: Emilio Bianchi with members of the Club Panerai meeting at Bocca di Serchio, 2005]

Piero Lapiana from Club Panerai in Viareggio informed us that the city of Sondalo, where Emilio was born, has announced a ceremony. Also the Commune di Viareggio, where Emilio resides, will have a ceremony on monday, 22nd.

Sending birthday greetings to Italy: Omeris Arpesella, veteran of the italian “Gruppo Gamma”, celebrates his 97th birthday today.

Omeris has joined several Club Panerai Meetings in the past, where he has been introduced to Panerai collectors from all around the world. In 2005, his Ref. 3646 “California Dial” watch was stolen and still remains missing. After many Panerai collectors took notice at the public forum of www.paneristi.com about this tragedy during the V Meeting Club Panerai in Viareggio/Italy, funds were rised instantly by more than 70 people from all around the world, to buy him a brand new Panerai watch. This watch, a Ref. PAM210, is since then nicknamed as “The Omeris”. Piero Lapiana from www.clubpanerai.com had the honour to handover the new watch soon later to Omeris.

In 2006, exactly one year later, a memorial plate was given to Omeris by a group of Panerai collectors at the Museo Tecnico Navale La Spezia (see photo). The memorial plate bears the names of all people who realized “The Omeris”… This community performance remains as one of the unforgettable moments for many Panerai collectors.

Buon compleanno, Omeris!

Still a few days to go, but already “in the mood” for the XII Meeting Club Panerai in Viareggio/Italy, meeting collectors and passionated friends from Italy, Europe and Overseas. Piero Lapiana and his friends will prepare another great event for sure. Radiomirs and Luminors at its best! A presto!

The photo report of last year can be found here. Enjoy!
Wishing all attendees safe travels and a great time – a presto! 
[Volker Wiegmann]

…belated but not forgotten, we send our birthday greetings to Tuscany: Emilio Bianchi turned 99 years (!) on october 22nd 2011. He is the last living member of the “fab six” SLC commandos, who took part at the mission “G.A. 3” in December 1941, soon to be 70 years ago… For being co-pilot of Luigi Durant De La Penne’s SLC221 against the “HMS Valiant” in the harbour of Alexandria / Egypt, Emilio Bianchi was awarded with the italian gold medal for gallantry at war (M.O.V.M.).

You can read about Emilio Bianchi in the book “Panerai Historia” by Giampiero Negretti (page 72-79). Also informations can be found in the book “I Mezzi d’Assalto della Xa Flottiglia MAS” by Marco Spertini / Erminio Bagnasco / Albertelli Editore (page 48-50). Emilio Bianchi is featured in the japanese “Panerai Style Book” by Begin, 2001.

Emilio Bianchi is also featured in the book “The Value of Time” on page 71 wearing a Luminor Marina at 4:25 p.m., being one of the “portraits of positiveness” aside other personalities choosen from arts, sport and professions. Other persons featured in this book are e.g. Flavio Briatore, Ornella Muti, Deborah Compagnoni, Roberto Cavalli and Maria Teresa Panerai.

[photo courtesy of Antonio Guccione / Officine Panerai, 1999]

I met Emilio Bianchi in person during my first visit of the III Club Panerai Meeting in Viareggio/Italy in may 2003. In the following years he joined the Club Panerai meetings several times, e.g. to visit the former secret training base at Bocca di Serchio, which was unforgettable for all who took part.

In may 2007 Emilio Bianchi signed the crest of the Com.Sub.In. (scuba divers and commandos of the Marina Militare Italiana) which has been forwarded to a fellow friend in Australia. Moments like this have build a strong relationship inside of me between the Panerai watches and their history based on friendship and passion. It has been very special for me to meet him in person – a living legend.

Go for the 100, Emilio! [Volker Wiegmann]

Joined the XI Meeting Club Panerai in Viareggio/Italy, hosted by www.clubpanerai.com
Another fantastic long weekend in Tuscany with many Panerai collectors and friends.

Find my detailled reports posted in the public forum at www.paneristi.com below:
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4

Thanks to Piero and his crew for making another great meeting in Italy, home of Panerai!
[Volker Wiegmann]

Still two weeks to go, but already “in the mood” for the XI Meeting Club Panerai in Viareggio/Italy, meeting collectors and passionated friends from Italy, Europe and Overseas. Piero Lapiana and his friends will prepare another great event for sure. Radiomirs and Luminors at its best! A presto!

Find my 2010 meeting report in the public forum at www.paneristi.com. Enjoy reading part 1 / part 2 / part 3. Fellow paneristi mates published their personal reports in 2010 as well: Ron (Isle of Man) at www.paneristi.com published a nice random photo galore. Ralf (Germany) has published a nice report at www.paneraiforum.de with several batches of photos. Find a line-up of my earlier travel reports (2005 to 2010) published at paneristi.com here.

Wishing all attendees safe travels and a great time – a presto! 
[Volker Wiegmann]

Our friend Piero Lapiana from www.clubpanerai.com has informed us, that last week Ivano Salvetti, father of a very friend of Piero, Roberto who lives in Viareggio, has passed away.

Ivano Salvetti was a helmet diver of the Decima MAS in La Spezia and then on board of the
ship “Littorio” in Taranto, in the period 1941-1943, also with Emilio Bianchi and Eugenio Wolk.