Benito Mussolini January 1945 by Madeleine Mollier, a few months before he was captured and executed by Italian anti-fascist partisans, he stated flatly: "Seven years ago, I was an interesting person. Now, I am little more than a corpse." He continued: On 25 April 1945, allied troops were advancing into northern Italy, and the collapse of the Salò Republic was imminent. Mussolini and his mistress Clara Petacci set out for Switzerland, intending to board a plane and escape to Spain. Two days later on 27 April, they were stopped near the village of Dongo (Lake Como) by communist partisans Valerio and Bellini
John Ellis (Australian politician) He served until his death in East Melbourne in 1945. John Ellis (Australian politician) John McDonald Ellis (8 December 1872 – 2 July 1945) was an Australian politician. He was born in Bendigo to miner Thomas Ellis and Isabella McLean. He lived in Melbourne from around 1887, running a contracting firm with his brother. On 29 November 1899 he married Alice Rose Saunders, with whom he had three children. From 1926 to 1945 he served on Prahran City Council, and he was mayor from 1930 to 1932 and from 1944 to 1945. He was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly