▁rev ived , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Republican ▁Navy ▁( Mar ina ▁Nazionale ▁Repub blic ana ) ▁of ▁the ▁R SI ▁with ▁its ▁headquarters ▁in ▁Cas er ma ▁del ▁M ugg iano , ▁La ▁Spe zia . ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁it ▁had ▁over ▁ 1 8 , 0 0 0 ▁members , ▁and ▁although ▁Borg h ese ▁conce ived ▁it ▁as ▁a ▁purely ▁naval ▁unit , ▁it ▁gained ▁a ▁reputation ▁as ▁a ▁sav age ▁pro - f asc ist , ▁anti - comm un ist , ▁anti - res istance ▁force ▁in ▁land ▁campaign s ▁alongside ▁the ▁German ▁forces , ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁SS ▁General ▁Karl ▁Wol ff . ▁ ▁Mari ass al to ▁ ▁The ▁Mari ass al to ▁was ▁set ▁up ▁at ▁Tar anto ▁alongside ▁the ▁British ▁f rog man ▁force ▁in ▁the ▁Mediter rane an . ▁For za ▁was ▁pleased ▁to ▁demonstrate ▁Italian ▁expert ise ▁in ▁this ▁area ▁to ▁the ▁British , ▁and ▁the ▁group ▁was ▁also ▁keen ▁to ▁be ▁in ▁action , ▁though ▁if ▁they ▁were ▁caught ▁they ▁would ▁almost ▁certainly ▁have ▁been ▁shot . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁came ▁an ▁opportunity ▁to ▁take ▁action , ▁in ▁Operation ▁Q W Z , ▁a ▁joint ▁mission ▁against ▁targets ▁in ▁La ▁Spe zia ▁har bour . ▁The ▁attack ▁was ▁against ▁the ▁Italian ▁cru is ers ▁Bol z ano ▁and ▁Gor izia , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁taken ▁by ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁after ▁the ▁Italian ▁surrender . ▁This ▁was ▁to ▁th wart ▁a