Tracing My Wife's Fathers Grave.

Sandy1 · Post by **Sandy1** » 19 Aug 2007, 08:54

I hope someone can help me.My wife's father served in the Italian Army in 1942/43 in or near Trieste.All we have is a photograph of him in Italian Army Uniform and his signature which appears to be Salvatore Ruggio or Ruggerio.It is beleived he came from Calabria or Sicily but we are not sure.Would checking the Italian Census records help.He appears to be around 40 years old in the photograph.My wife is now in her 60's and would really like to visit the graveside if we can find it -we hope someone can point us in the right direction.If it would help I will E Mail the photo and copy of the signature,Alex Ireland

suanj · Post by **suanj** » 19 Aug 2007, 13:26

maybe the surname could be Ruggiero or Ruggero also...
suanj

Sandy1 · Post by **Sandy1** » 03 Nov 2007, 19:30

After 3 months with only the name of the wife's deceased father to work from ( even the surname was incorrect) and 50 years since his death this lady Raffaela worked a miracle in eventually tracing the grave where he is laid to rest .She is a caring and professional person and my wife and I thank her for the generous time and attention she gave to this personal matter - our heartfelt thanks Raffaela,Nory and Sandy Ireland

suanj · Post by **suanj** » 03 Nov 2007, 20:48

Hi Sandy and Nory, I made this search with all my heart , and I'm happy of success and now the Nory roots are knew finally... kisses, suanj

Essgee · Post by **Essgee** » 03 Nov 2007, 21:26

"She is a caring and professional person and my wife and I thank her for the generous time and attention she gave to this personal matter -"

Believe this describes her beautifully.

Thanks for saying what we all know to be true...she is one of a kind.

vj · Post by vj » 03 Nov 2007, 21:40

Essgee wrote:"She is a caring and professional person and my wife and I thank her for the generous time and attention she gave to this personal matter -"

Believe this describes her beautifully.

Thanks for saying what we all know to be true...she is one of a kind.

May I add my 2 cents?
Everything you all said about suanj is
absolutely positively true!
I think she's also one of the most tenacious
researchers I've ever encountered.
I'll bet suanj has folders of 'lost' family that she's
never given up on finding for folks

!
"Cuor forte rompe cattiva sorte"
Valarie

suanj · Post by **suanj** » 04 Nov 2007, 14:00

thnks essgee and vj for kind words; when Nory contacted me the search was impossible, but I don't know why, but sure that any piece of this puzzle was in the time in right place... I believe that the father helped from sky; now Nory will be in Italy from some weeks and she will meet the her cousins... now they know and they are happy of to meet it... it is wonderful!!!
kisses, suanj

ricbru · Post by **ricbru** » 04 Nov 2007, 15:19

Raffaella, you are just GREAT!!
Somebody should make a statue of you, you make DREAMS come true!!
I'm jumping of happiness for you Nory and her husband!!
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN!!!

bye Riccardo

suanj · Post by **suanj** » 04 Nov 2007, 15:36

thank you Riccardo, I'm so happy for Nory and Sandy.. it is wonderful! kisses, suanj

suanj · Post by **suanj** » 04 Nov 2007, 17:09

the Nory father
by this picture I found it..
and abt 20 years later the same man
suanj

Emmy · Post by **Emmy** » 04 Nov 2007, 18:17

Suanj that was just wonderful what you achieved for Nory. You're just fantastic.
That's a beautiful photograph
I'll bet both Nory and Sandy will be over the moon, and one thing for sure they will never ever forget what you have done for them.

Which part of Italy did Nory's father come from?. (or maybe that's private information

)

Emmy

nuccia · Post by **nuccia** » 04 Nov 2007, 19:06

As always, Raffaella..

You come through. This was not a easy search so you really did a great thing.

Big hugs and kisses..always!

suanj · Post by **suanj** » 05 Nov 2007, 04:34

Thanks Emmy and Nuccia; I wish to say some step of this search, maybe can be helpful fo others.
In this search Nory having:
- a picture and a first name readable and a surname no most readable; -also she having a probable birthyear( wrong);
-the man in picture was in Trieste during WWII.
Well... was no enough...
But nothing is impossible.

-So the first step of making is to understand the historical context well. and I made it; this first step is very important because need of to understand where and in what situation he lived in the mentioned years; the WWII and a Fronter's town...
-The second step the name: the first name was readable: Salvatorico; and this is sure, so I made a search abt this first name, and this is our luck: this first name was and is used ONLY in Sardinia isle. Great! This leave me placing the person in one precise italian region, abandoning all the others. Nory was convinced that maybe was sicilian or calabrian, no he was sure sardinian.
-3Â°-The surname: in a first time it seemed Ruggiero or maybe Ruggieri; well both surname versions are also in Sardinia, but both the surnames don't match with first name; in fact the first name was and is used in Sassari and Oristano province especially; the surnames instead in the Cagliari area.. so the surname was another.. by the sardinian surnames I found that it are : Ruggiu, Rugiu, Ruju; the first was the very probable, because the signature that I had by Nory was: Salvatorico Ruggi.. the last part no readable, but the 2 "G" was readables very well...
-4Â°-the picture: a uniform and the medals; I made a search and because I'm no expert of military things, I asked help to internet peoples.. oh they helped me so much! so I knew: the particular uniform was adopted between 1934 until 1940; so the photo was made in this period.. the medals: the war in Cirenaica/Libia; the WWI( 4 years of military service) and others no helpful; but this 2 medals leave me of to think a probable birthyear; if he was in WWI he was almost of 20 years old, so born around 1895 and no in 1902... right!
-5Â°- question: it was possible that a militar born in a town, it had the residence in a town during a War(WWII)? normally no, no for militars no for civil peoples... normally no...but , I prepared a letter and Nory sent it to Trieste common, if in Trieste it turned out a person resident in the mentioned years, with this name.. the Trieste common replied very soon, and yes, he was in trieste from 1936, but no data in italian census of 1951... and Trieste common given birthdate complete and birthplace: bingo! born in Sorso town (Sassari province) in the 1895. Great...
But as to be sure that was really the man in picture? Only the Ruolo Matricolare can say us if this person served in the italian artillery and in Cirenaica/libia war, as also in WWI and WWII; also by Ruolo Matricolare must be that he was in Trieste... Bingo all matching!
-6Â°- When I had the Ruolo Matricolare from Sassari state Archive, oh. I knew all of this man! all matching, but the military career stopped in 1955.. why? I no thought to a him death, he in 1955 was only 60 old... so I searched where he was in the last part of him life.. the last trace was in Sassari ( carabinieri quarter)....; well I contacted Sorso common, asking a birthact with death note and maybe marriage note; I had the birthact without this notes; strange and the officer saying me that it was possible that was died no in Sorso... oh, this was a big problem for me.
-7Â°-I contacted association of sardinian ex fighters; I contacted some people in Sorso with same surname, and nothing.. only a old women by phone saying: oh but is died and after nothing.. she saying nothing of more... so I thought that he had contacts in Sorso in him last life part...
-8Â°-I had a idea; really I had many times the same idea, but I no wanted to follow it; in any case some day ago, I made a topic on Sorso forum, abt this person, if someone knew ...
-9Â°-I must saying that was impossible for me having access to any data no old of almost 70 years, this for privacy law, otherwise the search was ended before; the privacy law was a chain that blocked me, and it was impossible bypass it... so in Sorso forum I made a topic; after a day a very kind person replied, saying that the man was died in the 1955; for this the military career stopped!
-10Â°-the God hand: when God want all is possible.. in fact: the people that replied me well, he is the son of local cemetery worker.. the father knew the grave .... (!)and the person also is the local Library officer! he given me the obit of 1955.. and in this obit it is wrote some details, and really all matching...
-11Â°-the relatives living: contacting the living relatives I had the other picture, and all are so happy of meet Nory...

This search made me happy, because I believe that the man in picture wished being found..

thanks for all kind words, but ,really, thanks to God!
suanj

Emmy · Post by **Emmy** » 05 Nov 2007, 06:35

Suanj Thank you so much for explaining what you did, many would have given up and not tried other ways.
I have always thought 'Where there is a will, there is a way' and you have proved that here.

I think most people on this forum and on Gente di Mare will know that I too, with the help of many people on these forums, including you Suanj, have not only found the ancestors I have searching for for over 36 years but have also just found living Italian relatives in California.

God Bless You Suanj
Emmy xx

BillieDeKid · Post by **BillieDeKid** » 05 Nov 2007, 14:00

Thank you for writing the steps you went through. Inspiration to all - never give up and never lose faith.

Many thanks from all of us for all that you do and congratulations to Nory and Sandy, Raffeala is one of a kind.

From my heart, for all the help you've given me - many hugs and kisses.
Elizabeth

Tracing My Wife's Fathers Grave.

Tracing My Wife's Fathers Grave.

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Re: Tracing My Wife's Fathers Grave.