General Arnaldo Azzi

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by JulioMoc » Mon Jul 17, 2006 6:47 pm

I've found this picture of General A. Azzi with Rommel:

http://www.ilduce.net/foto/Galleria%20guerra/Rommel%20e%20gen%20Azzi%20com%20Trieste.jpg

The caption says that Azzi is the commander of Trieste Division, but in another source of mine, I've found that, from 1939-1944, Trieste's commander was General Francesco La Ferla. Which is correct? Azzi was really commanding Trieste during the 1942 offensive? What was his first name?

PS: about that Iron Cross in his chest, why did he receive it?

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by Lupo Solitario » Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:57 pm

Gen. Arnaldo Azzi commanded Trieste division from December 1941 to July 30 1942. He was substituted by Gen. Francesco La Ferla.

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by FB » Tue Jul 18, 2006 12:15 am

Afaik his name was Arnaldo.

I have him as CO of Firenze Div in Albania at Sept. 8, 1943. And have read a mention about him as commanding one of the two columns into which Trieste Div was divided (being the other one under Gen. Piazzoni) in Marmarica more or less during Bir el Gobi battle.

Best regards

*edit* Lupo was faster, and more to the point than I was.

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by Lupo Solitario » Tue Jul 18, 2006 12:41 am

FB wrote:Afaik his name was Arnaldo.

I have him as CO of Firenze Div in Albania at Sept. 8, 1943. And have read a mention about him as commanding one of the two columns into which Trieste Div was divided (beingthe other one under Gen. Piazzoni) in Marmarica more or less during Bir el Gobi battle.

Best regards

*edit* Lupo was faster, and more to the point than I was.

The Fastest Finger of Comandosupremo....

...I can add that Azzi was the number 2 of Piazzoni and took his place during the Marmarica battle...

 

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by FB » Tue Jul 18, 2006 3:24 am

Lupo Solitario wrote:

FB wrote:Afaik his name was Arnaldo.

I have him as CO of Firenze Div in Albania at Sept. 8, 1943. And have read a mention about him as commanding one of the two columns into which Trieste Div was divided (beingthe other one under Gen. Piazzoni) in Marmarica more or less during Bir el Gobi battle.

Best regards

*edit* Lupo was faster, and more to the point than I was.

The Fastest Finger of Comandosupremo....

...I can add that Azzi was the number 2 of Piazzoni and took his place during the Marmarica battle...

Does this mean that Gen Piazzoni was sacked from his command post of Trieste Division and that his place was taken over by Gen Azzi, until then his Vice Commander? That is: Gen. Piazzoni was the CO of the Division and Gen. Azzi was the "Generale Comandante della Fanteria Divisionale"?

It could be interesting to note that Gen. Azzi was, like Messe, a man coming from the ranks. He entered the regio Esercito as a simple soldier and made it all the way up to Generale di Divisione. He had experiences also with colonial troops (he led an Ascari Company in Libia when his Eritrean Btl was transferred there). He was also Member of Parliament (and of the Costituente before that) after the war (initially of Partito Repubblicano, Socialista afterward). He died on Nov. 25, 1957, in Cuneo, where he lived (he was born near Rovigo).

Best regards

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by Lupo Solitario » Tue Jul 18, 2006 3:38 am

FB wroteoes this mean tha Gen Piazzoni was sacked from his command post of Trieste Division and that his place was taken over by Gen Azzi, until then his Vice Commander? That is: Gen. Piazzoni was the CO of the Division and Gen. Azzi was the "Generale Comandante della Fanteria Divisionale"?

so my opinion

It could be interesting to note tha Gen. Azzi was, like Messe, a man coming from the ranks. He entered the regio Esercito as a simple soldier and made it all the way up to Generale di Divisione. He had experiences also with colonial troops (he led an Ascari Company in Libia, when his Eritrean Btl was transferred there). He was also Member of Parliament (and of the Costituente before that) after the war (initially of Partito Repubblicano, Socialista afterwords). He died on Nov. 25, 1957 in Cuneo, where he lived (he was born near Rovigo).

Best regards

and not only...At armistice, he collected under himself all Italian troops in Albania which had refused to surrender (large part of infantry divisions Arezzo and Firenze and of cavalry regiments Firenze and Monferrato) forming an independent command, il Comando Truppe Italiane alla Montagna, which fought aside Albanian partisans til half 1944 when it was possible to take them back to Italy.

Azzi was named commander of the military region of Marche but he was removed after few times for having held openly anti-monarchic speeches.
At the end of the war he started the political career, you said.

Interesting guy, wasn't he?

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by JulioMoc » Tue Jul 18, 2006 3:42 am

Lupo Solitario wrote:Interesting guy, wasn't he?

Very much indeed!! I had no idea that my question would reveal such an interesting character!

Any more biographical details about him? What was his birth date?

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by Lupo Solitario » Tue Jul 18, 2006 7:33 am

Biography:

Arnaldo Azzi (1885-1957): infantry jr.lt. in 1910. Fights in Lybia and in WWI as a company commander. Battalion commander from 1929 to 1931, regiment commander from 1935 to 1937.
As brigade general, commands the GAF of II Corps.
Commander of Trieste division from 12/1941 to 7/1942
commander of Firenze division from 11/1942 to 9/1943
commander of Italian troops in Albania from 9/1943 to 6/1944
commander of Lazio-Abruzzo area from 9/1944 to 12/1944

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