Domenico Mondelli | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Wolde Selassie |
| Born | June 30, 1886 Asmara |
| Died | December 13, 1974) Rome |
Domenico Mondelli, born Wolde Selassie (Asmara, June 30 1886 – Rome, December 13 1974), was an Italian soldier and aviator of Tigrinya origin who distinguished himself as a highly decorated officer of the Royal Army during World War I. Belonging to the bersaglieri specialty, from 1915 to 1917 he fought as an aviator of the reconnaissance and bombardment units of the Army Air Corps, later moving to the front-line ground units, where he distinguished himself at the head of the XXXIII Assault Unit "Fiamme Cremisi" and then of the I Battalion of the 242nd "Teramo" Infantry Regiment. After World War I he was sent to Albania at the head of the IX Assault Battalion, earning his third Bronze Medal for military valor. In 1925 he continued his military life in the National Security Volunteer Militia.
Biography edit
Born June 30, 1886 in Asmara, Eritrea, of Tigrayan ethnicity he was adopted in 1891 by colonel Attilio Mondelli during the retreat to Eritrea following the defeat at the Battle of Adwa, during the course of the First Italo-Ethiopian War. Present at the adoption was Dr. Napoleone Maschi, Magistrate and Counselor of the Royal Prefecture of Parma, former combatant with the rank of Captain in the War in Eritrea. Dr. Maschi was also the first to officially declare the presence of the young Eritrean in Parma and was always present at the various family gatherings following the Mondelli family's adoption. Therefore the real paternity of the child, attributed both to Colonel Mondelli and to Dr. Maschi was never ascertained. Brought to Italy, in October 1900 he began to attend the Military College in Rome before moving onto the Military Academy of Modena in Modena. After graduating with the second lieutenant in 1905, he was assigned to the Infantry Corps, of the Bersaglieri. He served initially in the 5th Reggimento, then passing successively to the 7th, 8th and 2nd. Passionate about the world of aviation he earned his certification as a Aircraft Pilot awarded by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale on February 20, 1914.
With the entry of the Kingdom of Italy into World War I, on May 24, 1915, he fought as a pilot captain in the ranks of the 7th Reconnaissance and Combat Squadron on Nieuport IV, performing numerous reconnaissance missions, even at low altitudes, which earned him a Bronze Medal for military valor.
He was in command of the 7th Bombardment Squadron (Caproni) from its establishment on Feb. 18, 1916 as part of the Military Aeronautical Corps.[1] From the following 1st of April it formed the IV Group[1] at the disposal of the Supreme Command, which used Caproni Ca.3 planes to bomb Austrian Slovenia and Julian March .
In April 1917 he took command of the 1st Caproni Squadron. From July 14 to 25, 1917, he was in command of the 11th Group,[1] consisting of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 15th Caproni Squadrons, before moving onto command the 67th battalion of the 18th Bersaglieri Regiment, remaining there until September 30, 1917. On the 10th of October, with the rank of major, he assumed command of the 33rd Assault Unit "Crimson Flames" of the newly formed special forces Arditi. On May 1, 1918, with the rank of lieutenant colonel he assumed command of the 1st Battalion of the 242nd Infantry Regiment of the Teramo Brigade of which took part in the Second Battle of the Piave River before being wounded, and being replaced at the head of the battalion by Umberto Albano. After the war ended, he was decorated with a total of two Medals of Military Valor[2] and two bronze medals[2] for military valor, and awarded the title of Order of the Crown of Italy, he replaced Lieutenant Colonel Giovanni Messe in command of the Arditi of the 9th Assault Division, which was deployed to Albania where he was awarded his third Bronze Medal.
With the approval of Law 2029 of 11/26/1925 on the Regularization of Associations, which made public employment incompatible with membership in Freemasonry, he was discriminated against and left the Royal Italian Army during 1925 because his promotion to Colonel, was blocked, entering the reserve ranks and continuing his military career in the National Security Volunteer Militia, attaining the rank of Consul General (Brigadier General).
From after World War II he lived in Rome in via Milazzo in the Castro Pretorio district until his death and also made an appearance in a documentary about Africans in Italy.
His military career resumed although in the reserve role with the proclamation of the Italian Republic, promoted in the Honor Roll to the rank of brigadier general (1959), divisional general (1963) and finally army corps (1968). He was awarded the title of Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic on June 10, 1970 by a decision “motu proprio” by then President of Italy Giuseppe Saragat. He passed away in Rome, at the Celio military hospital, on December 13, 1974.
In Freemasonry edit
In 1912 he entered Freemasonry in the Stretta Osservanza Lodge of Palermo and in 1919 attained the position of Master Free Mason. In 1925 due to the restrictive laws wanted by the National Fascist Party he abandoned Freemasonry, also retiring from his military career. In 1944, at the fall of Fascism he resumed Masonic activity in Rome at the Spartacus lodge in Grand Orient of Italy and in 1956 was awarded the 33rd degree (sovereign grand inspector general) of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite.[3]
Awards edit
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Medaglia d'argento al valor militare |
| "Assunto, durante il combattimento, il comando di un reggimento, si slanciava per primo alla riconquista di un importante posizione, catturando mitragliatrici e facendo numerosi prigionieri. In successive azioni mentre col suo battaglione trovavasi di rincalzo, avendo intuito che l'intenso fuoco di artiglieria e mitragliatrici nemiche rallentavano l'impeto dell'attacco dei nostri, seguendo l'impulso del suo animo forte ed ardimentoso, accorreva sollecitamente in prima linea per accertarsi della situazione, rimanendo gravemente ferito da una scheggia di granata. Tuttavia non si allontanava dal posto di combattimento finché non fu sicuro del saldo mantenimento della nostra linea. Sasso-Col del Rosso, 16-26 giugno 1918." |
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Medaglia di bronzo al valor militare |
| "In numerose ricognizioni e azioni offensive, della quali alcune su terreno montuoso, ed altre eseguite in condizioni atmosferiche sfavorevoli, dava prova di calma e coraggio. Sprezzante del pericolo, volava anche a quote basse, sebbene fosse stato fatto segno a fuoco d'artiglieria nemica. Durante una ricognizione, essendosi abbassato perché voleva assolutamente vedere, fu colpito da schegge d'artiglieria, e solo mercé la sua calma e il suo non comune sangue freddo poté atterrare in territorio nostro. Alto Isonzo, 23 maggio-15 agosto 1915." |
| |
Medaglia di bronzo al valor militare |
| "Alla testa del proprio battaglione, partecipava alla riconquista di importanti posizioni, catturando mitragliatrici e facendo numerosi prigionieri. In una succecciva circostanza, mentre col suo battaglione trovavasi di rincalzo, essendogli sembrato che l'intenso fuoco dell'artiglieria e mitragliatrici nemiche rallentasse l'impeto dell'attacco dei nostri, seguendo l'impulso del suo animo forte accorreva sollecitamente in prima linea per accertarsi della situazione, rimanendo gravemente ferito al viso da una scheggia di granata. Sasso-Col del Rosso, 16-26 giugno 1918." |
| |
Medaglia di bronzo al valor militare |
| "Comandante di un battaglione d'assalto, accorreva prontamente col proprio reparto in difesa di una posizione fortemente attaccata dal nemico che era riuscito ad occupare un tratto di essa. Resosi esatto conto della situazione, con l'ottima disposizione dei propri uomini, riusciva ad arrestare l'avversario e percorrendo più volte la linea , con l'esempio e la parola, animò i dipendenti alla lotta. Assistette di persona all'uscita dalla linea di due dei suoi reparti per il contrattacco. Muoveva all'attacco con la prima ondata. In tutto lo svolgersi del combattimento confermava validamente il suo indiscusso valore di soldato. Monte Messovun (Albania), 23 luglio 1920." |
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Croce al merito di guerra |
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Cavaliere dell'Ordine della Corona d'Italia |
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Grande Ufficiale dell'Ordine al merito della Repubblica Italiana |
| — 10 giugno 1970 |
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Medaglia commemorativa della guerra italo-austriaca 1915 – 18 (4 anni di campagna) |
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Medaglia commemorativa dell'Unità d'Italia |
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Medaglia commemorativa italiana della vittoria |
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Promozione per merito di guerra |
| "Maggiore di fanteria promosso Tenente Colonnello con anzianità 19 agosto 1917" — Decreto Luogotenenziale 2 dicembre 1917 |
Note edit
Annotations edit
Sources edit
- ^ a b c (Ludovico 1980, p. 27).
- ^ a b (Ludovico 1980, p. 188).
- ^ Storia d’Italia. Domenico Mondelli, Generale nero e massone.
Bibliography edit
- Alessandro Fraschetti (1986). La prima organizzazione dell'Aeronautica Militare in Italia 1884-1925. Roma: Ufficio Storico dell'Aeronautica Militare.
- Roberto Gentili (1999). I reparti dell'Aviazione italiana nella Grande Guerra. Roma: Ufficio Storico dell'Aeronautica Militare.
- Ludovico, Domenico [in Italian] (1980). Gli aviatori italiani del bombardamento nella guerra 1915-1918. Roma: Ufficio Storico dell'Aeronautica Militare.
- Manlio Molfese (1925). L'aviazione da ricognizione italiana durante la grande guerra europea (maggio 1915-novembre-1918). Roma: Provveditorato generale dello Stato.
- Mauro Valeri (2015). Il generale nero. Domenico Mondelli: bersagliere, aviatore e ardito. Roma: Ed. Odradek. ISBN 978-88-96487-46-4.
Related Entries edit
External links edit
- Storia d'Italia. Domenico Mondelli, Generale nero e massone
- “IL GENERALE NERO Domenico Mondelli: bersagliere, aviatore e ardito”
- Presentazione libro "Il generale nero. Domenico Mondelli: bersagliere, aviatore e ardito" di Mauro Valeri sul sito del comune di Parma