Giovanni Romero
Giovanni Romero | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 8 March 1841 Montara, Kingdom of Sardinia |
| Died | 1 March 1896 (aged 54) Adwa, Tigray, Ethiopia |
| Allegiance |  Sardinia Italy |
| Branch |  Royal Sardinian Army Royal Italian Army |
| Years of service | 1866 – 1896 |
| Rank | .png){kind=small} Colonel |
| Commands held | 4th Africa Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Second Italian War of Independence
|
| Awards | Gold Medal of Military Valour |
Giovanni Romero (1841-1896) was an Italian colonel who participated in several conflicts during the 19th century. He participated in the
Italian Wars of Independence
Giovanni was born on 8 March 1841, at
Service in Eritrea and Adwa
In 1873, when the corps of Alpine troops had been formed, it was assigned to the companies of the Cuneo District and Romero was promoted in 1883 while commanding a battalion of the 42nd Infantry Regiment. In November 1889, as a Lieutenant Colonel, he became a teacher at the Caserta Non-commissioned Officers School for 4 years.[1] He was promoted to Colonel on March 1894 and commanded the 29th Infantry Regiment.[1] When relations between Italy and Ethiopia began to sour, Romero adamantly left Naples on 30 December 1895, to arrive at Massawa in January 1896.[1] There, he was given commands of battalions VII, VIII, IX and XI of the 4th African Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Reserve Brigade.[4] During the Battle of Adwa, when the Brigade was set to capture Colle Rebbi Arienni, the Brigade suddenly found themselves being overwhelmed by the Shewan hordes as they managed to collapse the entire Italian positions. In a last attempt to defend the road to Colle Rebbi Arienni, Romero spread his battalions out but was killed in a hand-to-hand duel.[3]
Medal Citation
Two years later,
He fought bravely at the head of his regiment to the last. Badly wounded and surrounded, he strenuously defended himself in a hand-to-hand fight; overwhelmed, he fought again not to be taken prisoner, until again and badly hit, he died as a result of his injuries.[3][1]
Legacy
A street in Mortara is named after Romero.[6]
References
- ^ a b c d e "archivio giuseppe martelli". Noi Alpini Bolognesi Romagnoli (in Italian). Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ Francesco Pezza (1909). I Casi di Lomellina Durante l'invasione Austriaca del 1859: Discorso Commemorativo Seguito da Appendice Documentaria (in Italian). Mortara: Stabilimento tipografico A. Cortellezzi. p. 143. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ a b c Ancfargl (30 December 2015). "ROMERO Giovanni - Associazione Nazionale Combattenti FF.AA. Regolari Guerra di Liberazi". Associazione Nazionale Combattenti FF.AA. Regolari Guerra di Liberazione (in Italian). Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ Massimo Adolfo Vitale (1962). L'Italia in Africa: Ordinamento e reclutamento (in Italian). Vol. 2. Istituto poligrafico dello Stato. p. 141. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
- ^ Gazzetta Ufficiale del Regno d'Italia, 19 March 1898
- ^ "Via Colonnello Giovanni Romero, Mortara (Pavia)". Idealista (in Italian). Retrieved 4 October 2022.