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Francesco Azzi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | January 4, 1914 |
| Died | December 26, 1935 (aged 21) |
| Allegiance |  Italy |
Branch |  Royal Italian Army |
Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit | V Spahis Group |
Conflicts | Second Italo-Ethiopian War † |
| Awards | Gold Medal of Military Valor |
Francesco Azzi (4 January 1914 – 26 December 1935 ) was an Italian soldier, cavalry lieutenant of the V Spahis Group, awarded the Gold Medal of Military Valor in memory during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War .
Biography
editBorn in Naples, the son of a well known microbiologist, Azzo Azzi (1887–1962), he later moved with his family to Turin, where he attended the medical faculty at the University of Turin. During his studies he joined the 1st University Legion of the Voluntary Militia for National Security. After enlisting in the Royal Italian Army, he attended the course for reserve officer cadets and was assigned to the cavalry, entering service with the 1st "Nizza Cavalleria" Regiment.
With the approach of the war in Ethiopia, Azzi volunteered for service in Libya, where Major Antonio Ajmone Cat was recruiting and training indigenous horsemen to form Spahi units destined for East Africa. Assigned to the V Spahis Group, he departed for Eritrea and took part in the early stages of the campaign, distinguishing himself during the capture of Adwa and in the Christmas Offensive (December 1935 – January 1936).[1]
On 25 December 1935, during fighting at Selekleka, Azzi led an assault against an Ethiopian machine-gun position and was seriously wounded. He was transported to a hospital in Axum, where he died the following day. For his actions he was posthumously awarded the Gold Medal of Military Valor, Italy's highest military decoration.[2]
Azzi is commemorated by monuments and street names in several Italian cities, including Turin and Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, and by a statue in the Gardens of San Domenico in Imola.
References
edit- ↑ Del Boca, Angelo (1982). Gli italiani in Africa orientale. II. La caduta dell'impero (in Italian). p. 404.
- ↑ quirinale.it. "Scheda relativa all'onorificenza".