generaleagro
New Member
Hello! Does anyone know the vintage of this khaki visored beret? My great-grandfather reached the rank of general (brevet two-star during WWII) in the regio esercito, and while the grigio-verde cap from his dress uniform is easy enough to ID, this khaki one—it fits more like a visored beret—is more difficult to pin down. I read somewhere (maybe on here) that there was some odd uniform kit issued after 1943, for obvious reasons, and he did spend a couple of years (1943-1945) in an American-run POW camp in North Africa after handing over his brigade's surrender in Sicily in 1943. So maybe it has something to do with that?
Anyway, a bit of background for those who are interested. His name was Michelangelo Agrò, and he graduated from military school (Naples, I think) in 1911. I believe he served as a junior officer with the Bersaglieri. I know for sure that he went to Libya during the Italo-Turkish war, and that he was shot twice during World War I (two very fortunate hits—one through the neck, just below the spine, and the other in the stomach, but after his unit had gone without food for two or three days). I also know for sure that he commanded a regiment of Alpini based in Saluzzo (when he was a colonel) from 1930-37. These are all stories that older relatives are familiar with. We never talked much about the colonial campaigns in Africa, though, and I would be curious to know where he was during that time. I suppose it's simple enough to ask the Italian defense department for people's military records, but I haven't yet looked into it.
Anyway, a bit of background for those who are interested. His name was Michelangelo Agrò, and he graduated from military school (Naples, I think) in 1911. I believe he served as a junior officer with the Bersaglieri. I know for sure that he went to Libya during the Italo-Turkish war, and that he was shot twice during World War I (two very fortunate hits—one through the neck, just below the spine, and the other in the stomach, but after his unit had gone without food for two or three days). I also know for sure that he commanded a regiment of Alpini based in Saluzzo (when he was a colonel) from 1930-37. These are all stories that older relatives are familiar with. We never talked much about the colonial campaigns in Africa, though, and I would be curious to know where he was during that time. I suppose it's simple enough to ask the Italian defense department for people's military records, but I haven't yet looked into it.