Brazilian Mountain Infantry

The 3 Amigo’s Memorial – Brazilian Mountain Infantry

Montese, Italy 1945

  • Memorial Text
  • The Three Amigo’s Memorial
  • On the 14th April 1945 three members of the Brazilian Mountain Infantry Battalion; Geraldo Baeta Da Cruz, Geraldo Rodrigues De Souza and Arlindo Lucio Da Silva were returning from a night patrol of the German positions around the Italian Mountain village of Montese.
  • They were ambushed by the enemy who called on them to surrender which they refused to do and when the three Amigo’s ran out of bullets they fixed their bayonets to their rifles and charged the enemy. Such was the bravery of this that the Germans honoured them on their graves with the words:
  • “Drei Brasilianischen Helden” – (“To three Brazilian Heroes”)
  • They were part of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force of 27,000 who consisted of Army and Air Force Personnel whilst their Navy patrolled the coast of Brazil and the South Atlantic protecting Merchant ships from being sunk by German and Italian submarines.
  • Montese at a height of 2,800 feet was liberated on the 17th April 1945 and it was the last stand of the Axis powers on the Gothic Line.
  • Soon after the Brazilian Army captured two German Divisions and one Italian Fascist Division. Over one million German soldiers in Italy laid down their arms as the surrender was signed in Italy at Caserta.
  • Due credit must go to the Brazilian Armed Forces in WW2.
  • This Araucaria (Monkey Puzzle) tree is in tribute to the “Three Hero’s of Montese in Italy and all who fought there.
  • ASFMG – April 2020 – 75 years on.
The Three Amigo’s memorial with the Monkey Puzzle tree behind. Winter picture.

Further Information

PAGE UPDATED 17TH OCTOBER 2025