Amedeo Guillet

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Amedeo Guillet was born in Piacenza in 1909 from a noble family from Piedmont. He graduated from the Academy of Infantry and Cavalry of Modena in 1930 and began his career in the Regio Esercito Italiano. He was one of the greatest cavalrymen of his time, both in civil and military fields.

Contents 1 Military history 2 The devil commander 3 After Cherù 4 References

[edit] Military history

In 1935, he participated with the Spahis of Libya in the Italian conquest of Ethiopia. Subsequently he went to Spain, to aid the fascists in the Spanish Civil War. He served as commander of a Company of Arditi of the Div. "Fiamme Nere". Guillet then became commander of a Tabor of Moroccans. After a short period in Italy, he was sent to Libya as commander of the VII°Savari Squadron in 1937. In 1938 he was sent as lieutenant of 13° "Cavalrymen of Monferrato", in Italian East Africa (Africa Orientale Italiana). He participated in the first actions with the XIV° Group Squadron of the Amhara.

In 1939 in the Dougur Dubà zone, he became aware of attacks from rebels against populations under the Italian colonial government. He reached the place and forced the enemy to flee. In one instance during a cavalry charge, his horse was shot down, and he immediately ordered his orderly to give him another horse. This horse was also hit. Guillet found himself on foot, carrying a machine-gun, where he chased and cut down the last rebels. This action which was conducted on the front lines with a scorn for death, merited a silver medal for military bravery.

In 1940, he was tasked to form a "Gruppo Bande a Cavallo", also known as "Gruppo Bande Guillet", which was formed using Eritrean troops and was distinguished for its "fair play" with the local populations and for the tie that tied the men who were so different from their commander. It was during this time in the horn of Africa that the legend of a group of Eritreans with excellent fighting qualities, commanded by a notorious "Devil Commander" was born.

[edit] The devil commander

At the end of 1940, the English realized that they were facing a unique individual who could bring them many problems, and not just military ones. Using regular troops, then with help of the intelligence service, they began to chase the "Devil Commander". The allied forces faced him on the road to Amba Alagi, and specifically, in proximity of Cherù. He was entrusted by the Amadeo di Savoia Duca di Aosta in the task of delaying the allied advance from the North-West.

Between the many insurgents, probably the most important one happened at the end of January 1941 at Cherù when Guillet decided to give a hit to the enemy armored troops. At dawn he charged against steel weapons with only swords, guns and hand bombs at a column of tanks. Passing undamaged between the English who were fascinated and struck dumb by such a scorn for death. Guillet then returned to the steps in order to recharge. In the meantime, the English succeeded to organize themselves and fire at raised zero with their howitzers. The shells ripped the chests of the horses before exploding. From this act forms the figure of this Italian that rides his fabulous white horse, Sandor, with a squadron of dubat crying "Savoia" that remained in the historical memory of the Anglo-Saxon people. It was the last cavalry charge the English faced and the last but one in the history of the cavalry. In fact a little more than a year later, as ironic as it seems, a friend of Guillet, the Col. Bettoni, launched the men of the "Savoia Cavalry" against the Soviet troops in Russia.

Guillet's Eritrean troops paid a high price in terms of human losses, approximately 800 died in little more than two years, and in March, 1941, his forces found themselves outside the Italian lines. Guillet still remembers many friends of the 800 that had fallen, whose deaths he has suffered as well and whose indelible memory follows him day by day. Guillet, faithful until death to the oath to the House of Savoy, did not lose his spirit in being far away from the Italian lines and began his own private war against the English. (On this argument see Victor Dan Segre, the private war of Ten. Guillet, Corbaccio Editore). Hiding his uniform near an Italian farm, he set the region in fire and flames at night for almost eight months.

[edit] After Cherù

After numerous of adventures, including working as a water seller, he was finally able to reach Yemen, where for about two years he trained soldiers and cavalrymen for the Imam's army, of whose son Ahmed became a brotherly friend. Despite the opposition of the Yemenite royal house, he succeeded in embarking incognito on a Red Cross ship repatriating sick and injured Italians and returning to Italy a few days before the armistice.

As soon as he reached Italy he asked for Gold sovereigns, men and weapons to help his Eritrean brothers. The aid would be delivered by airplane and enable a guerilla campaign to be staged. But unfortunately, times had changed. Suddenly promoted Major for merits of war, he was assigned to the Military Intelligence Agency (SIM). In this role, he was chosen by the British for some very dangerous missions on Italian territory that was still under Nazi Occupation. He worked closely with an official of the services, a cadet of Col. Harari , Victor Dan Segre, who later became his brotherly friend and biographer. Col. Harari was the commander of the British special unit services that tried to capture Guillet in Italian East Africa.

At the end of the war, and with the abolition of the Monarchy, Guillet expressed a high desire to leave Italy. He informed Umberto II of his intentions, but the King forced him to keep serving his country in whatever form of government it would become. As always, he couldn't disobey an order of his King, so he expressed his will to teach anthropology in the university.

Following the war he entered in the Italian Diplomatic service where he represented Italy in Egypt, Yemen, Jordan, Morocco and finally as ambassador to India until 1975.

President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi on 4 November 2000, the day of the Festivity of the Armed Forces, named Guilet Cav. di Gran Croce dell'Ordine Militare di Savoia. The highest decoration that a military, and not only civilian, can deserve.

Today Guillet is deservedly one of the most decorated, both in civil and military, Italians in all the history of Italy.

[edit] References

Sebastian O'Kelly Amedeo - the true story of an Italian's war in Abyssinia 2002 Paperback ISBN 0-00-655247-1