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On May 19th the Italian surrender took place. The troops marched down eight abreast in formation with their rifles across their shoulderes. A small honor guard of British troops awaited below, standing in formation at the bottom while presenting arms. General Mayne reviewed the Italian troops as they marched past. After a distance, the Italians came to a stop, disarmed, and moved into holding pens waiting transfer to their final stop. A POW camp in Kenya.
The Duke and his advisors spent one more additional night in Amba Alagi. Earlier in his diary, the Duke had noted that  ”The Great adventure of the Empire is about to end.” The next day after stopping to pay his respects at the cemetery, he marched down the dusty path with Brigadier Marriott. At the bottom he met General Mayne, and together they inspected a platoon forming a British Honor Guard. After his inspection, he walked over towards some waiting staff cars set to take him off to captivity. Before he climbed into one, he knelt down and picked up a handful of dirt from the ground. The Duke paused for a few moments in silence. Perhaps he was thinking of all of the brave men who died here. Perhaps he wanted to touch the soil of this Italian colony one last time as its leader. He dropped the dirt back down, stood up, and made his way to the car. His war had ended.
L to R British Colonel Russell, British General Mayne, and the Duke. Photo credit: ourstory.info
When World War two finally concluded in Europe in 1945, Italy was at a crossroads. By 1943, the people of Italy had grown tired of the long war. King Emmanuel III knew the public had turned on Mussolini, and many did not like what Italy was now standing for. The King was also looking to protect his own standing and postion in the country once the war had ended. The day after a vote of no confidence was agreed upon by the Fascist Grand Council, Mussolini made his way to the royal palace to meet with the king and discuss what had transpired. The king informed him he was being replaced by Marshal Pietro Badoglio, and then had Mussolini placed under arrest.
Mussolini was only held for a short period of time before German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler had sent in a daring commando raid to rescue him. Once again free, Mussolini established the Italian Social Republic in the northern half of Italy, and set up his new government there. Southern Italy on the other hand, had broken their ties with Germany and now supported the Allies. For two long years war ravaged Italy. By 1945 and the conclusion of the fighting, the country was battered and seemingly rudderless. Mussolini had been killed by Italian partisans, and the country needed direction. It needed a strong figure to lead it out of these dark times and into the new world that was emerging from the ashes of the great conflict.  It is reasonable to believe the Duke of Aosta would have played a major role in this transition.  Unfortunately, Italy would never have the chance for him to help guide her. Prince Amedeo, prisoner 1190, passed away on March 3rd 1942 in a British POW camp in Kenya from complications from both tuberculosis and malaria. He was 43 years old.
Tens of thousands of men died for Italy during World War Two. Perhaps though, something more than just another man died in that POW camp that day. Maybe it is possible that a little bit of Italy’s spirit died as well.
TJ Nicoletti
References:
Ball of Fire. Fifth Indian division in World War II: Anthony Brett James.
Haile Selassie’s War: Anthony Mockler
Assorted Time Magazine articles from the 1930’s and 40’s
Italy At War:Â Henry Adams
Wikipedia articles.
Amazon.com Widgets
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was by his graveside today, IN Kenya! Togather with many italian
soldiers they lost lives, also a number of ethiopians and other
northern kenyans who fought along them. Am a kenyan myself! REST IN PEACE ALL WHO
LOST LIVES.
The figure of Prince Amadeo is really a great one, cause the italians military commanders didn’t have a future vision about what should come in the afterwards of a conquer process, like happened when the “New Roman Empire” was created by Il Duce. If we think carefully about this, we must face Graziani’s performace that was absolutelly stuborn, that made a total desctruction of any hope that could exist of a closer colaboration between the ethyopians and the italians, what was deeply felt when WWII came and the italians effots to keep their empire failed as failed most of the italians actions at war.
There’s an unknown side of Prince Amadeo. Although he was a warrior, he had a great sense of dignity and humanity, cause when he assumed the role in Abyssinia, replacing Marshal Rodolfo Graziani as Viceroy and Governor General there, he tried to eliminate the very strong bad feelings of ethyopian people against italian ocupation caused by the extreme violence that Graziani “Il Africano” ruled the occupied country, always acting as a clever and fair Governor, but the demage had been so deeply done that the ethyopian cooperation with the fascists became impossible.
By this way, there’s no doubt that the Duke of Aosta is a figure so great as Marshal Italo Balbo and others important fascist military leaders.
Very interesting biography, pragmatic dissertation of Italian WWII participation.
Thoroughly enjoyed learning from your work.