“Recognized by all, the City of the Challenge has covered – we publish the contribution received from Michele Grimaldi – during the First World War, a primary role and sometimes a real protagonist. Living in the era of communication, I felt I had made the choice to report the facts as if I were watching the screening of an interminable film. Just as happens in feature films, in a crescendo, the major figures and the salient scenes appear on the imaginary panoramic screen of the History of Barletta and consequently of Italy.
As in a virtual trailer we will witness the stroke of the fateful date of May 24, 1915at 4 in the morning, when the Castle Norman-Swabian of Barletta was bombed by the Habsburg explorer Helgoland from the mouth of the port and only the heroic intervention of the destroyer Turbine prevented the bombing from being directed at the Cathedral.We will continue, with the soundtrack of the notes of the “Piave murmured”, with the shining heroism of the nineteen-year-old Bersaglieri sergeant Giuseppe Carli who, in the third year of accounting school, interrupted his studies to enlist in the 11th Regiment as a student sergeant. The following year (1915) he was transferred in rank to the 12th (4th cp. XXIII Btg.). Just twenty days after Italy’s entry into the war, on June 1, 1915, at the end of the day, he fell, inciting his men to advance, on Mount Mrzli and for this act of extreme love for his country, he will be the first Italian soldier to deserve there Gold medal.
The neo-realist film will continue with the stories of many other Sons of Barletta who shed their blood, deserving of being remembered and written in golden letters in the register of patriots and on our part, nothing else could be offered other than to know the endless list of fallen and decorated soldiers of the Great Warthe names and status of service, the places where they fell, the campaigns carried out and finally the well-deserved rewards received.As many as 768 people from Barletta fell on the field and on the day that commemorates Italy’s entry into the First World War, I am honored to mention the decorated “unknowns” who fell on the field in the Great War: the CARLI Giuseppe Gold Medal born in 1896; the Silver Medals DORONZO Luigi (three Silver medals) born in 1886, GARINELLA Agostino class of 1891, LANOTTE Nicola class of 1887, MENNEA Michael class of 1896, FOREIGN Nicola Giovanni born in 1896 and the Bronze Medals BERARDELLI Lodovico class of 1895, COLAPRICE Pietro class of 1881, LANOTTE Michele class of 1895, TOMATOES Giuseppe class of 1889, RUTIGLIANO Raffaele class of 1890 and ZIGOLILLO Giuseppe class of 1894.
I try, with the writing, to almost make one see the endless line of Heroes from Barletta with their poor worn out uniforms, with bleeding wounds but with something that gives light to everything and makes a beautiful display on their chests, the “Stellette” to symbolize the shining Love of Country. On 24 May 1915 Italy entered the war on the side of the Entente against the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The war of attrition immediately began on the Austrian front. Many Italians enlisted as volunteers, including the eighteen-year-old Giuseppe Carli, born in 1896, but the majority of the fighters were made up of those called up to arms through compulsory enlistment.
There were numerous battles fought, especially in Trentino, Veneto and Friuli. Three rivers were the scene of great battles: the Isonzo, the Tagliamento and the Piave. In the hour in which the Homeland gives way to the recognition of every merit even if humble and silent, it is right to send a word of comfort to the parents who paid homage to the Homeland with the life of their son without the glory of a beautiful death on the field or of a wound in battle, or of a coveted reward for valor. As the years passed and under the pressure of the tragic events of the struggle, they helped to overcome this tiring roundup of people. During the war, the classes from 1874 to 1900 were called up and for the army they rose to 5,698,000; volunteers from other classes were around 8,000 and permanent elements 52,000.The Italian deaths due to direct causes of war were calculated at around 680,000, but it is necessary to add to this, albeit based on acute methods of estimation, at least a share of the mortality occurred in the population due to contributory causes of war, thus reaching the figure of approximately 750,000 human lives.
In conclusion, what I have tried to report is not a cold list of names and places but a shining example of “boys” who answered “Present”, as reported on the steps of the Redipuglia Shrine, for the honor of Barletta and for serve Italy.
