1887 DOGALI LIEUTENANT OF BERSAGLIERI ON HORSE

I don't know why, but there is a moment when you have that sort of melancony that affects your thought. So I was thinking of my father, First Captain of the 3rd Regiment of Bersaglieri and hence I've gotten the desidere to celebrate him and this glourious Italian Corps.

I keep with the Dogali Campaign even thoug the Bersaglieri didn't partecipate to that battle but where in Massaua. And for the first time I did also a sort of background. 

The uniform was really stunning with the white and blue of the sash; the large leather plumet (I remember that of my father so huge, as for the Officers) and the black gloves as distinctive sign of the Bersaglieri, still now worn.

Honour to the BERSAGLIERI - ONORE AI BERSAGLIERI

AVANTI. RAPIDI. SAVOIA - HURRA!

1887 - ERITREA CAMPAIGN

LIEUTENANT OF THE BERSAGLIERI

Copyright Michele Savasta Fiore

1887 DOGALI. INFANTRY LIEUTENANT ON HORSE

 I liked to prepare this Lieutenant on horse. I was inspired by the superb plates of Quinto Cenni, a person that made tons of watercolors on the Italian uniforms of the XIX and beginning XX Centuries. 

I prepared 2 differnt versions: the first with his right hand down, hidden and the second with the sword. At the very beginning  of the campaing (so for Dogali) the uniforms and the way of dressing of the Italian Army - and above all the Officers - were still old fashioned, more attentive to the beauty than to the confort. And for this reason I do prefer the first uniforms of this period.

1887 Dogali. Lieutenant on horse

Copyright Michele Savasta Fiore

Very beautiful the saddle and the Savoy-blue sash.

1887 Dogali. Lieutenant on horse with unsheathed sword

Copyright Michele Savasta Fiore

1887 DOGALI - THE MAPS

As far sa I know, even on Italian sources, there is no map of this battle. The only map I found is published on the excellent (absouluttly worthy to buy) "Le Guerre Coloniali Italiane 1885/1900 by Raffaele Ruggeri, published by E.M.I. Serie "DE BELLO".  The text is all in Italian,while some part of it is translated in English too.

Here the map:

MAP OF THE BATTLE OF DOGALI

from Le Guerre Coloniali Italiane 1885/1900 by Raffaele Ruggeri, published by E.M.I. Serie "DE BELLO"

I decided, as Italian and as lover of historical facts and events, that this lack must be filled up. So I went on Google Maps, I checked the zone of Dogali and from this I drew my map. Here the first result:

MAP 1
General map of the zone of the Battle of Dogali

In the red square in the following map the zone of the Battle of Dogali. 

MAP 2

The zone of the Battle of Dogali (in the red square)

From the map nr.1 I put in evidence the part on the very right (from Massaua) to show the Italian relief coloumn, with the very details of it.

MAP 3

The Italian Relief Coloumn

 

The Italian Coloumn was formed in this way:

MAP 3Bis

Deatils of the Italian Relief Coloumn

The following map shows the situation at 8.30 AM, 27 January 1887. The Bazi-Bouzok just scouted the advancin Abyssinian forces and engage them (position 1 and 2), while the Italian relief coloumn turns right (position 3) to reach the little hill. Please note the typical Abyssinian formation in Greek Cross formed by other smaller Greek Cross. It has a religious meaning and also a tactical use. The Abyssinian Army was never moving in coloumn but in Greek cross formation (the territory allowed this tacticts) and it was the same formation that would have smashed on the enemies. It is quite interesting this tactic. (see further legenda)

MAP 4

Battle of Dogali at 8.30 AM

In the following map the detail of one of the crosses with the name of the Commander of every sigle arm of it.

MAP 5

Name of the Commanders of the Greek Cross of the Abyssinian Army

I also found an old postcard with the visual on the plain (Nr. 2 in red), where the Italians defended themselves. The point of view is from the Abyssinian attack (Nr. 1 in red); this picture is very interesting because gives the idea of the battlefield and how open the spaces were, with no possibility to find a shelter.

MAP 6

The Battlefield of Dogali

A better view of the battlefield from the old postcard

In the following map the focus on the situation at 8.30 AM. I put in evidence on the Mehatel Hill the part with a steep slope (edge in black)

MAP 7

Battle of Dogali. 8.30 AM. Details

MAP 8

Battle of Dogali h 9.30 AM

Reaching the defensive position

1) The main Italian Coloumn is rushing towards the Mehatel Hill to take defensive position

2) The supply rearguard is taking position on the second and smaller hill, but towards the enemy

3) The Abyssinian Army is heading towards the Mehatel Hill to catch up with the main Italian Coloumn, leaving the rearguard to deal later with the supply coloumn

4) The screen of Bazi-Bouzok slow down the advance of the Abyssinian and then the leave the zone

MAP 8

Battle of Dogali h 10.30 AM

Holding the first defensive position

The Italians are defending the first position on the Mehatel Hill in a semi-circular formation (1) while the Abyssinian are attacking in front (2); the coloum with camels (3) is on the little hill already surrended; the Abyssinanian (4) are manoevering to encircle the defensive position of the Italians.

MAP 9

Battle of Dogali - Final phase

1887 DOGALI "CORPO SPECIALE PER L'AFRICA" - Ranking

 Because of my love for precision I started to investigate the ranking of the Italian Army at the epoch of the Battle of Dogali.

NCO
As NCO there were sergeant and major-sergeant (ofter also called "furieri"). It is important to note that the NCO carried also a sword (the curved one of the Bersaglieri's corps, but with browned scabbard. It is not clear if they carried along during missions, but I think so. So I represented it

1887 - DOGALI
CORPO SPECIALE PER L'AFRICA
Major-Sergeant of an of Infantry Regiment
(Copyright Michele L. Savasta Fiore)

it is instead known that the troop and graduated (along with the officers, obviously) at the beginning of the campaign used a blue (Savoy) ribbon around the helmet to make clear that they were Italians, instead of other European nations. After a little while this habit was abandoned. Just the Officers retained it. Being at the beginning of the Campaign with the Battle of Dogali I represented one Sergeant-Major with the Savoy-blue ribbon.

1887 - DOGALI
CORPO SPECIALE PER L'AFRICA
Major-Sergeant of an Infantry Regiment with Savoy-blue ribbon
(Copyright Michele L. Savasta Fiore)

Now I represent a normal Sergeant, with his ranking (in this case I avoided to represent the sword, considering he was lower than the previous one):

1887 - DOGALI
CORPO SPECIALE PER L'AFRICA
Sergeant of an Infantry Regiment 
(Copyright Michele L. Savasta Fiore)

Graduated Troop
They were troop distiguished in battle of with a little of instruction.

1887 - DOGALI
CORPO SPECIALE PER L'AFRICA
Major-Caporal of an Infantry Regiment 
(Copyright Michele L. Savasta Fiore)

1887 - DOGALI
CORPO SPECIALE PER L'AFRICA
Caporal of an Infantry Regiment (different pose)
(Copyright Michele L. Savasta Fiore)

1887 - DOGALI
CORPO SPECIALE PER L'AFRICA
Caporal of an Infantry Regiment 
(Copyright Michele L. Savasta Fiore)

1887 - DOGALI Transforming the posture of a papersoldier

 I am very happy because my blog for the battle of Dogali was very visited by my friends of TMP. I also have to admit that this battle, for its romantic athmosphere, gives me more that Adua. Maybe the uniforms.

In any way, I prepared a posture of infantry very useful to be placed just behind firing/aiming postures or also as a repelling unit.

1887 - Battle of Dogali
6th Regiment "Aosta" 
(Repelling position)

just after a while I was watching this posture I found it quite unnutural. Well. It could be, but in the fight I dont' see it. So I improved (at least I think) the posture in a more dynimic stand.

1887 - Battle of Dogali
6th Regiment "Aosta" 
(Repelling new position)

1887 DOGALI: 500 ITALIAN HEROES

 Very little is known by English-speaking readers (and historians as well) about this fighting in Eritrea in 1887. Italy after conquering around 1000 km of coast in that Region decided to enter into the internal regions of Eritrea (or Abyssinia as called at the epoch) ro expand and set up her first colony.

As the Italians considered themselves strong enough to advance in Abyssina they seized some internal villages and the town of Sahati (now Eirtrea) setting up a little fort. Ras Alula Engida - governor of that zone - while in mission elsewhere decided to attack the Italians. The Italians hence reinforced the fort fo Sahati. By 25th January 1887 the Fort of Sahati was held by 167 Italians and 1000 native troops. The Ras attacked the Italians with 25.000 men but he was strongly repulsed and just 4 Italians were injured. The besieged Italians needed anyway some ammunition and supplies.

It was decided then to send to the Fort a relief coloumn under the Command of Lietenant Colonel Tommaso de Cristofori, with around 550 men. The Ras learned of their departure and decided to attack the coloumn with around 10.000 or 15.000 men. The Italians were outnumbered and notwithstanding the better guns they could not resist to the attack. They held out for hours, fighting like real lions untill they exhsuseted all their ammunition. 

In that moment, the Commande, surrounded by his last men asked them to pay their military honours to the dead all around them. He asked them to shout aloud "VIVA L'ITALIA!"; they shouted, knowing to die on the battlefield, like heroes Then he died along with the men.

Out of 548 men (518 Italians - whose 24 officers - and 12 allied Bazi-Bozuk) 453 Italians (whose 23 Officers) died , 83 were wounded (whose 1 Officer) and the rest of Bazi-Bozouk fled, ; even not 1 men was able to escape or survive the battle sound and safe. 

ONORE!

Battle of Dogali 
26 January 1887

Italian Order of Battle

Commander in Chief: Lieutenant Colonel Tommaso de Cristofori

9th Company of the 41st Regiment "Modena"

11th Company of the 15th Regiment "Savona"

20th Company of the 41st Regiment "Modena"

Commissioned Company:

                                1 Peloton of the 6th Regiment "Aosta"

                                1 Peloton of the 7th Regiment "Cuneo"

                                1 Pelotono of the 48th Regiment "Ferrara"

Horde of Bazi-Bozouk

1 Section of the 17th Fortress Artillery Regiment with 2 authomatic-gun "Gatling"

Coloumn with camels

To honour this heroes I decided to transform a soldier of the Adua Campaing into a Caporal fighting at Dogali; there is no doubt that the uniforms were white with some differences. The kaki uniforms were indeed issued that year (1887) but they came to the troops in Abyssinia just in 1889.

1887 - Caporal of the 15th Infantry Regiment "Savona"
Battle of Dogali 

Leutenant - Colonel

Tommaso de Cristoforis

(1841 - 1887)

1896 BATTLE OF ADOWA (ADUA) - ITALIAN BERSAGLIERE & CACCIATORE

 It was time to celebrate and Italian soldier. Usually they speak about a disaster in Adua (as we call it); actually the foes were 100.000 men all well gunned. We fought quite well, with bravery, but impossible to win.

Here I represent a papersoldier of a Bersagliere (see his feathers) at the battle. The unifor was quite modern.

ADOWA (ADUA) - Cacciatore a piedi
Copyright Michele Savasta Fiore

1898 ADOWA (ADUA) - Bersagliere
Copyright Michele Savasta Fiore

1898 ADOWA (ADUA) - Bersagliere
Copyright Michele Savasta Fiore

Ascari - Native mountain artillery

1848 - 1849 SZABADSAGHARC - HUNGARIAN HUSSARS' REGIMENTS

Having done the Austrian 5th Regiment of Hussars (that was loyal to the Habsbourg) I easly converted it into the 2nd Hussar REgiment Hannover, that fought for the Hungarian Revolt, called "Szabadsàgharc" i.e. the "fighting for liberty".

I decided then to draw the uniforms of the Hungarian Regiments that fought for Hungary.

The fascination of the Hussars' uniforms always attracted a lot of volunteers (all Hussars were on volunteer basis) and looking at these 2 regiments I just drew, I have to admit I understand why.

Hungarian Army
Hussar Regiment Wurtemberg - Nr. 6

1848 - 1849 Hungarian Army
Hussar Regiment Hannover - Nr.2

1848 - OFFICER OF THE 5th HUSSAR REGIMENT "RADETZKY"

 Today I achieved to draw a Lieutenant of this Regiment, that by chance I read in 1858 became 5th Montenuovo Hussar Regiment. (Just for your info, the Count of Montenuovo, Later Prince of Montenuovo was the son of Maria Luisa of Austria, ex-wife of Napoleon. He was the son of of Count Neipperg whose family name was changed into Italian; the same is the 6th forefather of my sons, so actually this regiment  belonged to my family)

1848 - AUSTRIA - HUNGARIAN HUSSAR 5th REGIMENT RADETZKY - Corrections

Sometimes I like to prepare my papersoldiers and I fix the details is a second time. In my previous post I modified the shako of this Regiment to make it precisely as it was.

Following the reaserches about unifors of Hussars and through a calm reading of all details I noticed that the dolmann I did was too long, that the belt was mistaken in color and position as well as the breeches that should have been drawn highy with embroided lace on the front. 

So I took  my time on Saturday and I modified my plate; here the results:

Wrong version

Correct version

Well, this above is not the very correct version... just a way to get to it... here I added particular to make this Hussar really precice: so have a look at the boot and and the gilded lace on the dolman.