The Liberation

During the Second World War, on July 17,18 and 19, 1944, Polverigi was involved in the so-called "Second Battle of Ancona" unleashed by the Allied troops (Poles, British and Italians of the CIL) of General Anders, for the conquest of the Doric port. Our Municipality came to be located along the main attack line of the Polish troops on the axis Casenuove - Polverigi - Agugliano which tended to pincer the Doric city, blocking the escape route to the north to General Hoppe's Germans. The battle began at 6:25 a.m. on July 17 with an intense fire of 300 artillery pieces that lasted all day long and forced the inhabitants to take shelter in the caves and cellars of Roccolo, because the shots were directed right at the built-up area where the Germans had established their headquarters. The German troops put up a stout resistance, but in the afternoon the Allied infantry, thanks to support from tanks, managed to conquer first San Vincenzo, then Monte Bogo, and finally Polverigi. Rustico was taken late in the evening. The battle, however, continued in the following days. Agugliano and Offagna were taken at dawn on 18th and Ancona in the afternoon: operations ended on the 19th with the conquest of the entire Vallesina between Jesi and Falconara. That was a very sad period for our Municipality, which paid a toll of 25 victims among civilians and saw 1,500 dead left on the field between Allied and German troops, 15 of whom have rested for years in our cemetery.