Even before the start of WWII the Italians were not at all convinced that "Germany is truly your Friend" so Fascism tried to convice them with street posters like this
but the bombing of the Italian Cities, the defeats everywhere and the food getting more and more scarce were by far more convincing that all the propaganda rigged up by the "Regime".
Re the Halifax pic - in one of my books there is some info regarding the incident, and the crew. The damage was from a falling bomb, and the skin has been punched inwards. What appears to be upward damage aft of the turret is the remains of the turret ring fairing, hanging loose.