Hello everyone
I have recently been trying to research Unatu Endisciau, the only Italian colonial soldier to receive the Gold Medal of Military Valour; however not speaking Italian has made this pretty difficult and thus all I know is that he was a member of the LXXII Zaptie Corps and his medal was awarded posthumuously for actions at the battle of Gondar in late 1941.
Could anyone who knows more about the subject or speaks Italian tell me more about Endisciau - ie., any knowledge on his life prewar, and the specifics of his actions that led to being given this award?
Thanks!
PS Does anyone know of a good English-language account of the battle of Gondar or the East African campaign as a whole?
Details on Unatu Endisciau's Gold Medal Action...
Re: Details on Unatu Endisciau's Gold Medal Action...
According to the motivation of his medal, after the Debra Tabor pillbox capitulated due to lack of food, he refused to surrender and guided a few ascari back towards the Italian lines at Culqaber (106 km away) to avoid the capture of his section's pennant; he was captured by a native chief but managed to escape, and subsequently was mortally wounded by an explosion while crossing Italian minefields. He called to his comrades to help him to deliver the pennant, then he was carried to the infirmary and died there after saying he was happy to die in the Italian lines, and convinced that the Italians would have won.
He was not the only Italian colonial soldier who was awarded the MOVM, however; there was one other, Navy "bulucbasci" Ibrahim Farag Mohamed (destroyer Daniele Manin), who, after the sinking of his ship, refused to take his place on a lifeboat and left it for the wounded, until he becaume exhausted, saluted his wounded commander and swam away from the boat, disappearing in the sea.
He was not the only Italian colonial soldier who was awarded the MOVM, however; there was one other, Navy "bulucbasci" Ibrahim Farag Mohamed (destroyer Daniele Manin), who, after the sinking of his ship, refused to take his place on a lifeboat and left it for the wounded, until he becaume exhausted, saluted his wounded commander and swam away from the boat, disappearing in the sea.
Re: Details on Unatu Endisciau's Gold Medal Action...
he was not a zaptiè ( native member of Carabinieri military police ) but a soldier ( ascari) of LXXII Colonial Btg
Re: Details on Unatu Endisciau's Gold Medal Action...
both the gold recipient was awarded "motu propriu" by the King.