best way to research Italian military history?

[vintagegamer]

One of my cousins has helped me learn the registration details of my great grandfather, and I'm trying to find out if there's an online resource that highlights the missions of the different battalions etc?

[ForzaItaliaPgh]

Are you looking for all Italian military history or just WW2?

[vintagegamer]

My great grandfather was apparently a bersagliere with the 1st battalion, 7th regiment, around 1904 (he would have been 18 then). I was trying to find out if there was any info on that specific group regarding what they did, where they traveled to, etc.

[ricbru]

a book of Bersaglieri is kept at Museo Storico in Trento, Italy
bye Riccardo

[vintagegamer]

a book of Bersaglieri is kept at Museo Storico in Trento, Italy
bye Riccardo

Interesting, thank you.

[ascione_m]

I have found the details on my GGF through www.difesa.it but by that I mean using his name, Michelangelo Ascione, I was able to see his birth date, birth place, that he is buried in Italy, died 10 Sep 1917 in the field.

Now I heard a story from my father that he died after hearing hostilities were ended, and he was killed returning from leave to his unit. I realize those details may only exist in stories.

But, how can i find out more about his service? For example, was he conscripted or did he enrol? What unit did he serve in? What was his rank and job? What areas did he serve in?

Thanks
Mark

[ricbru]

Hello,
this is the list of death soldier, where you can see your Michelangelo Ascione son of Giuseppe

http://www.cadutigrandeguerra.it/Albo_O ... i/5/24.jpg

This is a brief story about his 248th infantry regiment (Girgenti brigade) during WW1

http://www.cimeetrincee.it/girgenti.pdf

You can request, writing only in italian, his military record and military draft card. to Archivio di Stato di Caserta

http://www.archivi.beniculturali.it/UCB ... me=CASERTA

I hope it helps, bye Riccardo

[johnnyonthespot]

You can request, writing only in italian, his military record and military draft card. to Archivio di Stato di Caserta

Riccardo, is this because Pescosolido used to be part of Provincia di Caserta?

Some time ago, I tried contacting Archivio di Stato di Caserta concerning records of my grandfather who was born in Roccasecca. They told me that all records had been transferred to Archivio di Stato di Frosinone since the creation of Provincia di Frosinone (which includes Roccasecca) in 1926.

Mark: the mechanics of ordering military records was discussed in your other thread. The only question now is which archives (Caserta or Frosinone) you need to contact.

[ricbru]

I know many villages now belonging to Frosinone province, once belonged to Caserta province, so if Caserta state archive stated that the records are in Frosinone State Archive, contact it.
This is the document about all the records kept at Caserta State Archive, see page 813 for more infos about military records and draft cards

http://www.cimeetrincee.it/girgenti.pdf

bye Riccardo

[johnnyonthespot]

So, Mark - it seems as though your best bet is to contact both the Frosinone archives and the Caserta archives. The information for Frosinone is in the other thread; here is the address for Caserta:

Archivio di Stato di Caserta
Via dei Bersaglieri, 9
81100 Caserta
ITALY

Email: as-ce@beniculturali.it (remove the spaces)

In my experience, state archives do generally respond to emailed requests and they do not charge for research, only for copying and mailing of documents. If they find the documents, they will send you an email asking you to pay some amount (in Euros) before they mail the documents to you, but again, my experience has been that they mail the documents immediately and then hope that they will eventually receive the funds from you.

The typical charge is €5.00 or less; I suppose it could go up a bit more if there are many, many, pages to copy and mail.

[ascione_m]

Riccardo,
Thank you for that information. That's awesome for me to see. I have never known anyone in my direct line served, or was killed in action. Especially today being Remembrance Day here in Canada, I am really a little overwhelmed by it.

Carmine,
Sorry, you are correct, and I didn't mean to ignore the info you gave me in the other thread. I think I just kind of forgot in my zeal to gather more info that you'd given me an answer to that question. I will have to assemble my thoughts, and have a friend of mine write it up in Italian for me so I can make those requests.. Better yet, I'll have to save my pennies and travel over.
Thanks for your assistance.

Mark

[johnnyonthespot]

Riccardo,
Thank you for that information. That's awesome for me to see. I have never known anyone in my direct line served, or was killed in action. Especially today being Remembrance Day here in Canada, I am really a little overwhelmed by it.

Carmine,
Sorry, you are correct, and I didn't mean to ignore the info you gave me in the other thread. I think I just kind of forgot in my zeal to gather more info that you'd given me an answer to that question. I will have to assemble my thoughts, and have a friend of mine write it up in Italian for me so I can make those requests.. Better yet, I'll have to save my pennies and travel over.
Thanks for your assistance.

Mark

No need to apologize and no need to trouble your friend. Follow the link I provided in the other thread where you will find a form letter for requesting these documents.

[siskojnash]

Since this topic is about getting information on Italian military service, could I ask about one that I'm looking for? His name is Frank Grano and he was supposed to have been a general in the Italian Army. Since he was ranked so high, I'm hoping that something will exist about his service or some sort of details about him in Italy.
I know some things about his life in the United States, though. Here is the information I have about him: He was born about 1848 in Palermo and died on May 12, 1928 in Brooklyn, New York. His daughter, Giuseppina, was born in Naples, as was his wife, Angela Mormone, who was born about 1860. He arrived in New York on September 12, 1913, having departed from Naples.
I think he had at least five children, although I'm not sure of that. I know his daughter for sure and two brothers, Luigi and Vincenzo. I believe he also had two other sons named Ignazio and Giovanni.

[ricbru]

His folder of Military papers should be saved in Rome.
You can write only in italian to

MINISTERO DELLA DIFESA
DIREZIONE GENERALE PER IL PERSONALE MILITARE
5° REPARTO, 16^ DIVISIONE
CENTRO DIREZIONALE PER IL PERSONALE MILITARE
"MAR.LLO D'ITALIA GIOVANNI MESSE"
VIALE DELL'ESERCITO, 186
ROMA - ITALY

I hope it helps
bye Riccardo

[siskojnash]

Do you have any idea how much it might cost to do something like that? Money's really tight for me right now, which is why I was hoping something might exist online somewhere.