Presented in recent days, in Lecce, at the multimedia classroom “Baracca” of the barracks “Zappalà” Lecce, headquarters of the Cavalry School Command, the book “La mia tela yemenita”, historical and biographical memories of the Italian Cavalry officer and diplomat Amedeo Guillet. The work, published in 2022 in two volumes by Ismeo (International Association of Studies on the Mediterranean and the East), was edited by Rosangela Barone and Alfredo Guillet
The presentation meeting was preceded by the celebration of the solemn flag-raising, in the presence of Brigadier General Claudio Dei, commander of the Military Institute, Luca Rotondi, prefect of Lecce, and numerous military, civil and department authorities deployed. The Tricolour arrived in Piazza d’Armi transported by 4 pairs on horseback in historic Cavalry uniform and delivered into the hands of Alfredo Guillet, son of the illustrious officer, and was then hoisted by the marshal students of the 24th Specialization Course. A tribute to the historic and iconic figure of the Commander “Diavolo”, as he was nicknamed for his audacity on the battlefield, and a reference for the entire military Cavalry.
Following this, in the “Baracca” hall, with an introduction by General Dei, promoter of the event, the presentation of the work “La mia tela yemenita” took place. A panel of speakers of institutional and academic level. The participants, respectively in-depth analysis of the various themes connected to the figure of Amedeo Guillet, were the plenipotentiary minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Giuliana Del Papa, Mario Spedicato, from the University of Salento, Salvatore Capodieci, expert in military history, Anna Maria Andriani, historian and president of the Institute for the History of the Italian Risorgimento, and Alfredo Guillet, diplomat. The work tells the story of Amedeo Guillet reconstructed in a work that collects documents, memories, photographs of the Italian officer who in April 1941, when the British took Asmara, tearing Eritrea away from Rome, decided to bury his uniform and sabre as a cavalry officer to take Arab clothes and scimitar, leading a group of local warriors with the name of Ahmad Abdullah. Previously, the two volumes were also presented at the Italian Cultural Institute in Cairo, the city where Amedeo Guillet received the post of ambassador after being secretary of the first embassy opened by Italy in Yemen, in 1953.
Yemen was the country where Guillet took refuge to escape the English, after running out of food and supplies. He stayed there for more than a year, guest of the sovereign, Imam Yahhya, and becoming a great friend of his son, Crown Prince Ahmad. How deep that friendship was was understood when he returned there ten years later to begin his diplomatic career: his friend the prince, now ascended to the throne, greeted him publicly saying “Thank God you came home, Ahmed Abdullah”. It is from this special bond between Amedeo Guillet and Yemen that the name of the work was born, “My Yemeni Canvas”, which the authors also wanted to sign with the officer’s battle name, Ahmed Abdullah Al Radai. After his role as secretary of the embassy in Yemen, Guillet was Italian ambassador to Jordan, Egypt, Morocco and India.
As a Cavalry Commander, with his improvised company made up of loyal Askari knights, mostly Eritreans, Ethiopians and Yemenis, Guillet gave the English a hard time, who tried to stop him in every way, even putting a price on his head that at the time corresponded to 50 thousand pounds today. They failed to capture him, because he was protected by both his men, who had nicknamed him “Commander Devil”, and by the local tribes, who sympathized with the Italians and opposed the English, fearing their plan to absorb Eritrea into the kingdom of Ethiopia.
Photo above: a moment of the presentation of the work (June 28, 2024)
Horseback riders in historical cavalry uniforms
General Claudio Dei receives the Tricolour from the Chief of the mounted patrol
The Flag Raising
