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Published: June 14th 2012
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Finding Rodolfo
Tuesday 12 June 2012.
Today I am on a mission. It was my intention to go to the military archives to see if I could find out some information about my great grandfather. Ultimately I would like to find out the address where he lived when he joined the forces in 1914 so that I may then be able to follow through to find other family members. It's only 8.30 in the morning and I’ve already hit a barrier. My B&B host, Eduardo telephoned the archive library for me. “Tell her she must come back in July” he was told. “There are too many people wanting to access the archives at this time, we’re sorry, but we cannot help for at least another month”. I couldn’t believe it.
That’s that then I thought. What’s the use? I lay on my bed and thought things through a bit more. I had done some homework using the information given to me by Nicola, the kind man with a passion for all things military (Maledetti Toscani shop in Montepulciano) and I decided to run with the idea that he may have been a
Grenadier. Remember I said I thought he, Nicola was saying something about bombs, well I worked out that he could have been saying the badge on the hat that Rodolfo (my great grandfather) was wearing in the photograph might have been that of a grenadier. The emblem is a bomb. Grenadiers were the soldiers who threw the grenades to clear the area to pave the way for the rest of the troupes.
Back on the internet (thank goodness this B&B comes with WIFI access) and... bingo! I found a museum specifically dedicated to the Grenadiers of Sardinia. My intuition told me I was getting closer. Sanna’s originated from Sardinia. If he, Rodolfo, were to have a choice in what regiment he would sign up to, it would probably be tradition to sign up to one from the original homeland. I searched a bit more and found there were six battles during 1918. I estimated this to be the year of his death as his Australian-born wife, Elsie and his two Italian-born girls returned to Australia alone in 1919; the ship records show Elsie a widow. I mulled over which theatre he would have died in, given of
course that's how he died. I thought maybe it would be one of the battles carried out up in the Alps north of Venice.
I had no time to waste as the museum closed at midday. I was up off the bed and gone within minutes. After a half hour bus ride I was becoming increasingly worried that I wouldn’t find the museum. I couldn’t see it anywhere. Rome has so many museums and old buildings and thinking I must have missed my stop, resigned myself to the fact that I was going to run out of time. I might as well just forgo the whole idea and stay on the bus and enjoy the scenery. Then I saw it; ’Granatiere di Sardegna’. The bus had stopped right outside. I quickly scrambled off, took a few photos of the outside of the building, and went in. I was immediately greeted by some former soldiers who now dedicate their time to the museum. They were eager to help me with my quest and after looking at the photo I was carrying of Rodolfo, they took me straight to the chapel where the honour roll adorns the walls. They
agreed that he was indeed wearing the badge of the ’Granatiere di Sardegna', and I had come to the right place. Yes!
Up and down the walls, up and down, up and down checking all the battles of the First World War. And there right under the 1
st Regiment was his name ‘SANNA’.
That’s it, that’s all it said… but it was enough. Rodolfo Salvatore Francesco Sanna was Grenadier of the 1st Battalion; a Lieutenant in fact and yes he died in the Battle of the Solstice on the Piave River in The Alps north of Venice against the Austrian-Hungarian Army. The Battle took place 15 - 23 June 1918). I had a tingle up my spine when I realised that that's exactly 94 years ago
this week. I felt so proud, and happy to find him, yet at the same time, so sad for the way he and many, many other men died.
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Jane
non-member comment
Your efforts were rewarded.I too feel proud so thank you.I expect you are cruising now,hope all is well.chow bell a.