Giuseppe Pennella

Giuseppe Pennella (1864–1925) was an Italian lieutenant general who was a highly decorated officer of the Royal Italian Army. During the First World War, he held very high positions, commanding in succession: the "Grenadiers of Sardinia" Brigade, 35th Division, XI Army Corps, 2nd Army, 8th Army and XII Army Corps. At the head of the 35th Division, he operated in the Macedonian front, but was relieved of command at the request of the French general Sarrail, who was commander of the Armée d'Orient, as both had a strong disagreement over command.

Biography He was born in Rionero in Vulture on August 8, 1864, the son of Antonio and Maddalena Plastino. He left his hometown at the age of 13 to enter the Nunziatella Military School in Naples and graduated in 1882 to attend the Military Academy of Modena, where he was made a second lieutenant. He subsequently attended the , ranking second out of 30, and was appointed Chief of Staff.

Between 1894 and 1899 and in 1902, he carried out accurate surveys of the areas of San Gottardo, Haute Savoie, the Ligurian Apennines, the Jura and Switzerland. With the outbreak of the First World War, he was promoted to colonel, and in May 1915, with the approach of Italy's entry into the war he became head of the secretarial office

He then assumed command of the Army Corps of Florence and also held the position of president of the Florentine Provincial Deputation, being placed in reserve in 1920. After obtaining various decorations, he died in Florence in 1925.

Legacy Commissioned by a committee chaired by Benito Mussolini, Armando Diaz, Luigi Cadorna and other civil and military personalities, his native town of Rionero in Vulture erected a bronze statue dedicated to him. In June 1968, on the fiftieth anniversary of the Second Battle of the Piave River, the municipality of Pergine Valsugana conferred honorary citizenship on him and dedicated the main street to him; in Giavera del Montello a monument was erected in his honor by the sculptor Memo Botter.

Awards Military Order of Savoy, Knight (December 28, 1916) Military Order of Savoy, Commander (February 24, 1918) Medal of Military Valor, Silver (Awarded Three times: August 9–15, 1916, May 29 – June 3, 1916 and September 14–15, 1916) Medal of Military Valor, Bronze (November 1–4, 1918)

War Merit Cross Commemorative Medal for the Italo-Austrian War 1915–1918 Commemorative Medal of the Unity of Italy Allied Victory Medal Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, Commander Order of the Crown of Italy, Commander

Foreign Awards Croix de guerre 1914–1918 Legion of Honour, Commander Order of Karađorđe's Star, Commander Order of the Bath, Commander

Works Comparative study of the exercise regulations for the infantry in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France (Reg. In force and projected), Russia and Austria, Italian publishing house, Rome, 1902. The urgent question: the problem of paintings in the Royal Army, Italian publishing house, Rome, 1902. The new regulation of exercises for the infantry: commented and compared to the one in force up to now, Italian publishing house, Rome, 1905 The land of the region including the surroundings of Florence: geographic and topographical tactical study, Italian publishing house, Rome, 1905 Essays on applied tactics for minor departments of the three weapons, 3 Vol., Italian publishing house, Rome, 1907–1908. Today's machine guns in field warfare, La Speranza, Rome, 1908. The combatant officer's vademecum, Rome, 1909. The vademecum of the complement officer: complete summary of the ministerial programs of: tactics and service in war, fortification, topography and staffing, complementary notions, Tipografia del Senato, Rome, 1915. The breviary of the duties of a war platoon commander, Tipografia del Senato, Rome, 1915. Our renewed tactical-logistic regulation summarized and ordered by topic affinity, La Speranza, Rome, 1915. Twelve months under the command of the Grenadier Brigade, 2 Vol., Printing house of the Senate, Rome, 1923.