Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5
The Santa Sede awarded him the Cavalierato di Gran Croce di S. Gregorio M., the highest decoration for a layman, for having organized the entire visit of Pope Paul VI in Palestine; and in those years it was not an easy thing to mediate between the fighting factions in the Middle East. Ambassador Guillet is particularly proud of this decoration, being deeply religious and remembers how his mother Franca, in her own testament, had donated to the Capuana Church a thorn of Jesus’ cross which belonged in his family for various generations. One of the existing 32 thorns in the world attested from Papal seals.
Since 1975, he has lived in Ireland, encircled by his loved horses and the English friends who continuously show him their affection and respect. He often comes to Rome where his sons live and never misses a visit, and a day of rest, in his beloved Capua where often his bright memory reminds him of the juvenile years spent there.
In regards to the English, Amedeo Guillet loves to remember that one of the few enviable qualities that they have, is fair play. In short, that great firmness of mind to recognize and give the right value to the opponents. The English would have done the impossible to kill him, and he would have done the same. But once the war ended they looked for him with more doggedness in order to give the honors that he deserved. For example, a more meaningful encounter was with Col. Harari, his hunter on behalf of the English Service, who gave him a silver cast of the hoof of his mythical horse Sandor, which was killed. Col. Harari wanted to create this memory because he felt within himself that the “Devil Commander” would survive the British adversity and that he would want to have had the honor to bestow him the due homages.
Amedeo Guillet is also very proud of being invited four times as host of honor to the reunions of the surviving English officials in which Gen. Platt periodically organizes. To be invited in one of these ceremonies is very difficult, and practically impossible for a foreigner. Imagine being as honored host, and for four times.
Since 1975, his roaming have not finished. The high reputation that he gained in the Arabic world make him rise still nowadays as protagonist in diplomatic consultations. In fact, in his mandates of extreme objectivity, he always shows the high credentials that he had to the several Arabic ethnicities, and the respect, the uncontested confidence, that conquered the high English spheres. The above virtues, together with the immense cultural experience, and his passion for the horses, opened up doors that were usually closed. His proud friend Montanelli, says that “… the Devil Commander, in order to continue to do his devilry, lives in Ireland where the horses are cheap, and there is plenty of space to ride them, and that at the age of 90, with none of his bones in the right place, he continues ride every day”. Montanelli does not know that Amedeo Guillet will not only keep on doing his devilry in Ireland, but also in Rome, Capua and everywhere his young mind and indomitable spirit suggests him to go.
When I personally met the Ambassador, the evening of the 19 June 2000, he told me about a recent fact that impressed him a lot, and intimately marked him. He was by chance in Rome, in May, when he was invited personally by the young Eritrean president, Isayas Afwerki, to see again the places where he was protagonist in the 1940′s. He accepted the invitation to Asmara and was welcomed with the protocol that is used for the Heads of State. During the arrival ceremony, approximately 200 Eritreans who had been under his command suddenly appeared. After 56 years, they had no intention to miss his presence as they had felt hundreds of times in the nights of the 1941. Amedeo Guillet, who was certainly not new to strong emotions, has been really touched by this and the episode moved him a lot.
He was touched to see how the memory of his actions, handed from father to son, became part of the historical memory of a nation. In fact, in Ethiopian lands, he is considered a real idol, a patriot, not only for the Italian cause but above all for the Eritrean independence.
He is very proud of being loved by a people who he respects and in a certain way he envies, comparing it to the western societies. He also remembers that it was he, before leaving for Yemen, who revealed the hiding places of all the Italian weapons that were left in the desert. Giving life to the war of liberation and independence from Ethiopia that ended only few years ago. This partially explains the reason of the memory in the Eritrean culture of “Devil Commander’s” deeds.
A last and meaningful episode happened on 12 July 2000, when the Pres. Ciampi received in audience Gen. Guillet, and a few other Cav. of the Military Order of Italy, at the Quirinale, where a reserved ceremony took place. We are sure that in those familiar halls to Amedeo Guillet, the few who did not know him tried to confirm if all the tales were true.
Even if extremely late, President Ciampi on 4 November 2000, the day of the Festivity of the Armed Forces, named him Cav. di Gran Croce dell’Ordine Militare di Savoia. The highest decoration that a military, and not only civilian, can deserve. Granted from 1855 to 1942, the date of the last nomination, only 28 Italians, such as Ferrero Della Marmora, Menabrea, Cadorna, Diaz, Badoglio, Thaon di Revel and Bastico received this award. Just to give an exact importance of this decoration, the hero of the Risorgimento, Giuseppe Garibaldi, is enrolled in the same Order but in a lower Class.
Today Amedeo Guillet is deservedly one of the most decorated, both in civil and military, Italian of all the History of Italy (in fact, this article does not mention the story of his beloved cousin and wife Bice Gandolfo, or the beautiful love story with Kadija, his family, or all the military adventures in Spain, Africa and during his diplomatic missions).
I would like to conclude this brief biography of Amedeo Guillet by stating this message, received at the ceremony held in Capua, from the Ambassador of Italy in Ireland Ferdinando Zezza. These simple words full of deep feelings, from one of the highest charges of our country, more than every other word can conclude this article and give the right meaning to what has been narrated.
ITALIAN EMBASSY IN IRELAND
The Ambassador
Geom. Vincenzo D'angelo, Don Peppino Centore, Pietro Montagna, S.E. Gen., Amb, dott. Barone Amedeo Guillet, Preside Rosolino Chillemi, Prof. Giulio Cosco
Dublin, 20 June 2000
Regretful at not being able to be with You in this important occasion, I wish that the expression of my sincere, live, gratefulness for the decision to confer to General, Ambassador Amedeo Guillet, the honorary citizenship of the city of Capua reaches You.
Heroic soldier, most distinguished diplomatic, the General, Ambassador Amedeo Guillet – of whose friendship I honor myself – has built up in all his life and in very difficult moments, a bright example of fidelity to the noblest values of a man and citizen so strong to be carried as example for the Italians who will come. To the City of Capua, to its new illustrious citizen and personally to the Mayor goes the moved thought in this propitious day.
Ferdinando ZEZZA Ambassador of Italy – Dublin
Today 16/06/2010 Amb. Gen. Amedeo Guillet, 101 years old, is riding in the sky…..good travel Comandante Diavolo!
PUBLISHED ON: Le MUSE, Pignataro Maggiore (CE) Italy, Ass Edition. Amici della Musica 2001, year III number 2, pp. 7-17. ATTENTION! No reproduction of this material is authorized without the written permission of the author.
NEWS: On the 7th Feb 2009 Gen. Amb. Barone Amedeo Guillet celebrated his the firt 100 year old at Palazzo Barberino at Rome (Italy). S.A.R Amedeo di Savoia, the Chief of Stato Maggiore Esercito Italiano F. Castagnetti and the Ambassadors in Italy of Marocco, Giordania, Eritrea, Yemen, India and Ireland were here to celebrate the last italian hero.
Article written By: Pietro Montagna and endorsed by Amedeo Guillet. Translated by Lele
//
<A href=”http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fcomansupreitalya%2F8001%2F0ef815b4-04b3-4c19-bad5-7896bca5a8ea&Operation=NoScript” _mce_href=”http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fcomansupreitalya%2F8001%2F0ef815b4-04b3-4c19-bad5-7896bca5a8ea&Operation=NoScript”>Amazon.com Widgets</A>
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5
Loading ...
Onore al Comandante Diavolo. Autore, non testimone.
Today, the Comandante Diavolo has passed away. Rest in peace.