was gggrandfather a bersagliere?

[Casa28]

Hello everyone,
My father told me that his great, great grandfather Giuseppe was a bersagliere. He also adds that his grandmother (granddaughter to Giuseppe) told him he was one of the soldiers that entered Rome to comlete the unification of Italy in 1870. He was involved in something about Porta Pia.

For years my family nickname is Bersaliere. We want to clarify if it is true that he was a Bersagliere and also if he was involved with Portia Pia located in Rome, 1870.

Where would I go about finding this information. Are there military records that go far back?

He was born in Pachino, Sicily.

Thank you

[johnnyonthespot]

You might want to begin by writing the state archives of Siracusa, the province which includes Pachino, and requesting your ancestor's military records. The worst that can happen is they will say no records were found...

Archivio di Stato di Siracusa
Via Tucidide, 24
96100 Siracusa (SR)
ITALY

email: as-sr@beniculturali.it
web: http://www.archivi.beniculturali.it/ASSR/

You can use a letter similar to this:

03 maggio 2011

[your name]
[your address]

Archivio di Stato di Siracusa
Via Tucidide, 24
96100 Siracusa (SR)
ITALY

Egregii Signori,

Mi chiamo [your name here], ed abitare negli Stati Uniti all'indirizzo sopradetto.

Vi scrivo ora affinche mi aiutiate per fornire:

* FOGLIO DI CONGEDO ILLIMITATO
* REGISTRO DI LEVA

per i miei trisavolo:

* [great-great-grandfather's name, last name first, all caps] nato nel Comune di Pichino, data [date of birth or 'circa 1850'], paternità [his father's given name if you know it else 'incerto'], maternità [mother's full maiden name if you know it "SMITH JANE" else 'incerto']

Sarà mio onere il rimborso per le spese di uso del servizio e costi di spedizione. Mi faccia sapere l'importo corretto.

Distinti saluti,

[your signature]

Full names should be written in lastname firstname format in all caps, thus "SMITH JOHN". Dates should be written dd month yyyy with the month spelled out in all lower case (01 febbraio 1885). If you don't know the exact date, put "circa 1856".

"trisavolo" (or "bis-bisnonno") is great-great-grandfather, "bisnonno" is great-grandfather; "nonno" is grandfather.

Basically, the letter says,

Dear sirs,

My name is ... I live in the United States of America at the address above.

I am requesting the full military discharge records and conscription record for my great-great-grandfather who was born in ... on ... His father's name was ... and his mother's maiden name was...

I will be pleased to reimburse you for the cost of copying and postage if you will let me know the amount.

Sincerely,


You could try making the request by email; personally I prefer the formality of a written letter, but the state archives seem pretty goood about responding to email requests. The cost usually comes to just a few Euros.

[liviomoreno]

You may also write to:

Associazione Nazionale Bersaglieri
Via Anicia, 23/A
00153 Roma
Italy

Museo Storico dei Bersaglieri
Via XX settembre
00187 Roma
Italy

[liviomoreno]

A few cosmetics in Carmine's proposed letter

You can use a letter similar to this:

03 maggio 2011

[your name]
[your address]

Archivio di Stato di Siracusa
Via Tucidide, 24
96100 Siracusa (SR)
ITALY

Egregi Signori,

Mi chiamo [your name here], ed abito negli Stati Uniti all'indirizzo sopradetto.

Vi scrivo affinché mi aiutiate a reperire:

* FOGLIO DI CONGEDO ILLIMITATO
* REGISTRO DI LEVA

per il mio trisavolo:

* [great-great-grandfather's name, last name first, all caps] nato nel Comune di Pichino, in data [date of birth or 'circa 1850'], paternità [his father's given name if you know it else 'incerto'], maternità [mother's full maiden name if you know it "SMITH JANE" else 'incerto']

Vi prego di farmi sapere quanto dovuto per il servizio e per i costi di spedizione.

Distinti saluti,

[your signature]

[Casa28]

I appreciate the help. I will try both and see what happens.

Thank you.