Annibale Bergonzoli: Difference between revisions
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===Second World War=== |
===Second World War=== |
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In 1940 he was the commander-in-chief of the XXIII Italian Army Corps when the invasion of Egypt was attempted.{{cn|date=January 2018}} |
In 1940 he was the commander-in-chief of the [[XXIII Italian Army Corps]] when the invasion of Egypt was attempted.{{cn|date=January 2018}} |
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On 5 February 1941, with the fall of the Libyan city of [[Bardia]] to British hands, the Italians suffered another disaster at the [[Battle of Beda Fomm]]. Bergonzoli then managed to avoid being captured when he escaped dressed in civilian clothes with other soldiers, arriving in [[Tobruk]] on 7 February 1941 after crossing some 120 km of desert on foot. |
On 5 February 1941, with the fall of the Libyan city of [[Bardia]] to British hands, the Italians suffered another disaster at the [[Battle of Beda Fomm]]. Bergonzoli then managed to avoid being captured when he escaped dressed in civilian clothes with other soldiers, arriving in [[Tobruk]] on 7 February 1941 after crossing some 120 km of desert on foot. |
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Revision as of 09:15, 7 February 2018
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2016) |
Annibale Bergonzoli | |
|---|---|
 Bergonzoli in 1941 | |
| Nickname(s) | "barba elettrica" (Electric Beard or Electric Whiskers) |
| Born | 1 November 1884 Cannobio, Italy |
| Died | 31 July 1973 (aged 88) Cannobio, Italy |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Italy |
| Service/ |  Royal Italian Army |
| Years of service | 1911–1941 |
| Rank | Generale di Corpo d'Armata (Corps General) |
| Commands held | XXIII Corps |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Gold Medal of Valour Military Order of Savoy |
Annibale Bergonzoli (1 November 1884 – 31 July 1973), nicknamed "barba elettrica", "Electric Whiskers", was an Italian Lieutenant General during World War I, the Spanish Civil War and World War II. In 1940 He commanded the defences of Bardia, Libya. In February 1941, after the disastrous Battle of Beda Fomm, Bergonzoli surrendered to Australian forces.[1]
Biography
Italian colonial wars
He entered the Italian Regio Esercito in 1911, beginning his military career as a second lieutenant. Bergonzoli then took part in the occupation of Libya during the Italo-Turkish War in 1911, continuing to be prominent in Libya for several years, dedicated to mop up operations against Libyan rebels opposed to Italian colonization .
He also took part in the First World War, a conflict in which he receives several decorations for his performance at the front.
In 1935 he participated in the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, which culminated in the annexation of Ethiopia to the Kingdom of Italy, distinguishing especially in the capture of the Ethiopian city of Neghelli .
Spanish Civil War
Between 1936 and 1939, Bergonzoli was ordered by Benito Mussolini to Spain, forming part of the Corpo Truppe Volontarie, in support of General Francisco Franco and the military rebels during the Spanish Civil War, with Bergonzoli taking charge of the 4th Infantry Division Littorio.
After the disaster suffered by the Italian troops at the battle of Guadalajara, he was the only Italian general posted to Spain who was not replaced by Benito Mussolini.
For his performance in the capture of Santander during the northern campaign, he receives an Italian decoration, the Gold Medal of Military Valour. Throughout his career he received two other Silver and one Bronze Medals. He was one of the architects of the so-called Pact of Santoña, by which the Italians accepted the agreed surrender of the Republican People's Army militants affiliated to the Basque Nationalist Party. It also participates in the Aragon Offensive against the troops of the Republican Popular Army.
Second World War
In 1940 he was the commander-in-chief of the XXIII Italian Army Corps when the invasion of Egypt was attempted.[citation needed]
On 5 February 1941, with the fall of the Libyan city of Bardia to British hands, the Italians suffered another disaster at the Battle of Beda Fomm. Bergonzoli then managed to avoid being captured when he escaped dressed in civilian clothes with other soldiers, arriving in Tobruk on 7 February 1941 after crossing some 120 km of desert on foot.
However, two days later, Bergonzoli was taken prisoner by the British (more exactly, by Australian troops of the Australian 6th Division), after the fall of Tobruk, Bergonzoli was taken first to India and then to the United States as a prisoner of war.
The importance of his capture is highlighted by the fact that the American magazine Time picked it up in its edition of January 13 , 1941 , qualifying him as leader of the fascist volunteers in Spain.
Last years
He returned to Italy in 1946, settling in Cannobio, his place of birthplace until his death on July 31, 1973.
Career
- 1906 – Entered the Royal Italian Army
- 1906 – Student at the Military Academy of Modena
- 1907 – Promoted Sottotenente (2nd Lieutenant), 53rd Infantry Regiment
- 1908 – Student at the Military School of Pavia
- 1909 – Promoted Tenente (1st Lieutenant)
- Student at the Higher War School
- 1911–1912 – Tenente (1st Lieutenant), fought in the Italo-Turkish War
- 1914–1918 – Fought in World War I
- 1915 – Promoted Capitano (Captain), Staff Officer in the IX Division
- 1917 – Promoted Maggiore (Major), Liaison Officer in the High Command of the Allied Armies in the Middle East
- 1917 – Commanding Officer of the "1st Assault Division" Arditi unit
- 1918 – Promoted Tenente Colonnello (Lieutenant Colonel), Chief of Staff of the XXV Division
- 1920 – Promoted Colonnello (Colonel)
- 1920 – Commanding Officer of the XVII Division
- (Fascists gain control and reform the army)
- 1928 – Commanding Officer of the 78th Regiment "Toscana"
- Commanding Officer of the 6th Regiment "Aosta"
- Commandant, School of Subofficers (and Reserve Officers) at Palermo
- 1935 – Promoted Generale di Brigata (Brigadier General)
- 1935 – Commanding Officer, 2nd Celere (Mot.) Brigade "Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro"
- 1935–1936 – Fought in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War
- 1936–1938 – Fought in the Spanish Civil War
- 1937 – Promoted Generale di Divisione (Major General)
- 1937 – General Officer Commanding, 4th Infantry Division "Littorio"
- 1939 – General Officer Commanding, 133rd Armoured Division "Littorio"
- 1939–1941 – Fought in World War II
- 1940 – Promoted Generale di Corpo d'Armata (Lieutenant General)
- 1940 – General Officer Commanding, XXIII Corps
- 1941 – Became a Prisoner of War at the Battle of Beda Fomm
- 1941–1946 – Prisoner of War
- 1947 – Named Generale di Corpo di Esercito (Lieutenant General) in the (Republican) Italian Army
- 1947 – Retired
Popular culture
In the 1941 film, Love Crazy, starring Myrna Loy and William Powell, Powell's character refers to another character played by Vladimir Sokoloff in the film, as looking like "General Electric Whiskers". This may be a reference to General Bergonzoli in a pun on his nickname and General Electric.
References
- ^ Antony Beevor (5 June 2012). The Second World War. Little, Brown. p. 181ff. ISBN 978-0-316-08407-9.
External links
- Ruiz, Pedro-Manuel. "Annibale Bergonzoli, "the General of the Electric Chin"". Comando Supremo - Italy at War. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
- nerofolletto. "Annibale Bergonzoli". Annibale Bergonzoli Blogspot. Retrieved 10 September 2015. Template:It icon
- Use dmy dates from November 2011
- 1884 births
- 1973 deaths
- Italian generals
- Italian military personnel of the Italo-Turkish War
- Italian military personnel of the Second Italo-Ethiopian War
- Italian military personnel of World War I
- Italian military personnel of World War II
- Italian military personnel of the Spanish Civil War
- Italian prisoners of war
- World War II prisoners of war held by the United Kingdom