Francesco Antonio Arena (27 March 1889 – 28 January 1945) was an Italian general during World War II, most notable for having commanded the 132nd Armoured Division Ariete during the second battle of El Alamein.

He was later promoted to major and in late October 1918 participated in the battle of Vittorio Veneto; for the taking of the heavily defended village of Alano di Piave he was awarded the Bronze Medal of Military Valour.

[1][2][4][5] After attending a two-year course at the Turin Army School of War between 1920 and 1921, Arena was assigned to the command of the Staff Officer Corps; in 1926 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel.

During the march Arena, along with Air Force General Alberto Briganti and Colonel Carlo Unia, managed to escape and was hidden by a Polish farmer near Wieleń.

On the following day, while Unia and the farmer were away, two Soviet soldiers entered the house and mistook Arena and Briganti for Fascist collaborators of the Germans; the two generals were lined up against a wall and shot.