Italian Eagle Statue found in Africa

[CPT Bob]

Construction on the military base at Jinja began c.1939, although the Ugandan battalion of the King’s African Rifles (KAR) did not actually occupy the barracks until it returned from the war c.1946. At the base of the flagpole in front of the old Headquarters building stands a large metal sculpture of an Italian Eagle. I was told that it was a Trophy taken during the 1940-41 campaign in Italian East Africa. I was there as an invited guest of the Ugandans, so I am somewhat reluctant to question the provenance of the sculpture.

I have not found any evidence that Ugandan Askari actually “captured” the Eagle from the Italians. I contend that the Eagle was one of many Prizes that were collected by the KAR Headquarters during the campaign and then presented as “Official Trophies” to each of the battalions after the war. (The Ugandan Rifles were later redeployed to fight the Japanese in Burma; the lucky devils!)

I can only imagine that the Eagle was originally displayed in a public piazza or garden; perhaps even in the Governor’s Palace Gardens at Asmara; in reality, it could have come from anywhere in Italian East Africa. Regardless, it has survived Independence, Idi Amin, Revolution, Invasion and Democracy when most similar symbols of European colonial rule in Africa were destroyed long ago.

I only took this one photograph. I recall the cement base being about 4 feet tall and the eagle being about 2.5 to 3 feet tall. Each feather is unique and individually welded onto a steel skeleton. It is not a solid statue; air can pass right through it. I could not identify the type of metal, but the rust indicates Steel. The paint was very thick. The engraving on the brass plaque was illegible due to years of polishing.

I have studied hundreds of photographs of comparable sculptures and I believe that this one is unique. Statues that were similar in size and style were commonly made of carved stone or cast bronze. They were displayed throughout Italy, the colonies and several were sent overseas as public gifts. Surviving examples them are still reasonably common.

A colleague will be returning to Jinja later this year and has promised to take several detailed photos of the Eagle.

Does anyone have a pre-war photograph of the Eagle sculpture? Does anyone know who made it?

[jwsleser]

Got it and posted on CS. Let's see if there s a response.

Pista! Jeff

[CPT Bob]

I discovered where it came from.

Any photos or an idea who made it?


http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00080855/00027

“June and July 1941 were spent at Ngong and the battalion sailed for
Massawa in Eritrea with the rest of the 25th Brigade in September 1941. The
voyage was exceedingly hot and the sudden change from the heat of Massawa
to the damp cold of Wolchefit, at an altitude of ten thousand feet, caused some
casualties. The battalion led the brigade, taking over the position at Debivar
from an Indian unit. Active patrolling, as well as the actions of Ringrose's
patriots, induced the Italians to surrender and they were given the Honours
of War by the 2/4th Battalion. The Eagle now outside the Orderly Room at
Jinja comes from a monument on the Wolchefit escarpment, which was exten-
sively used as a gunner aiming mark.”

[CPT Bob]

Wolchefit-Ulchefit-Uolchefit
Escarpment-Pass
Gondar-Asmara Road-Strada
Abyssinia-Ethiopia-Etiopia
Monumento ai Caduti - Monument to the Fallen

(postcard photo: Ebay-Italy)

"Strange" stone sculpture in the right-foreground!

[CPT Bob]

Immediately following the end of the Second Italo-Abyssinian War (October 1935 - May 1936) the Italians began to build a modern road from Asmara to Gondar; up and over the 10,000-foot “Wolchefit” Escarpment in Ethiopia. It was internationally recognized as an engineering marvel when it was completed. The “Monumento ai Caduti” was located at the top of the long climb somewhere in the vicinity of the village of “Debark” and was dedicated to the men who died while building the road.

In 1941 an Indian unit pursued the Italians up the “Wolchefit Escarpment”. Once the village of “Debark” was secure, the Indian unit was relieved by a unit of the King’s African Rifles (KAR). The Italians were in a strong defensive position about three miles south of “Debark” at the “Wolchefit Pass”. The Italian defenders surrendered to the KAR with full military honors on 28 September 1941.


I am seeking help in finding specific details regarding the original monument; when was it dedicated, better photographs, exact location and the architect-designer-artist.



"Wolchefit” –Uolchefit –Ulchefit – Wilkifit – Wolkefit
“Debark” –Debarq –Debivar

Postcard photo: ebay-italy.
(http://www.ebay.it/itm/07500-Cartolina- ... 0914907340)

Monumento dell'Uolchefit a ricordo dei caduti sul lavoro (strada n° 6 del Lago Tana) (http://robevan.xoom.it/robevan/testi-2/ ... indice.htm)