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.