Ruggero Tracchia

Ruggero Tracchia (11 June 1884 – 29 November 1955) was an Italian general during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War and World War II. He spent most of his career in Italy's African colonies.

Biography

Early life and career

After enlisting in the Royal Italian Army and becoming an officer, he was sent to Eritrea in 1909. In 1911-1912 he participated in the Italo-Turkish War with the rank of Lieutenant, earning a Bronze Medal of Military Valor during the battle of Zanzur; after the end of the hostilities against the Ottoman Empire he remained in Libya and participated in the campaign against the Senussi rebels, being wounded in action and awarded a Silver Medal of Military Valor in December 1913. In 1916 he participated in the Senussi campaign, and later returned to Italy and fought on Monte Grappa in the final stages of World War I, with the rank of Major, earning another Silver and a Bronze Medal for his role in the fighting in January and June 1918. He continued his career after the war, and in 1930 he was appointed commander of the 30th Infantry Regiment "Pisa".

Ethiopia

In 1935, with the rank of colonel, he participated in the conquest of Ethiopia at the head of the 2nd Eritrean Brigade, participating in the battles of Tembien and of Maychew; he distinguished himself in the fighting and was promoted to brigadier general for war merit in May 1936. After the occupation of Addis Ababa, he was placed at the head of the commissariat of Debre Berhan, and tasked with suppressing the resistance by the Abyssinian ras who had not laid down their arms in the Scioa. Among them were Abebe Aregai and the Kassa brothers – Wondosson Kassa, Aberra Kassa, and Asfawossen Kassa – who from Selale supplied weapons to the guerrillas. The Arbegnoch operated near the road that connected Addis Ababa with the Gojjam, threatening the flow of supplies to the capital; the intensification of the actions of Aregai's men led the Italian command in to planning Operation F, aimed at capturing Fiche in order to secure the roads to Addis Ababa, but by early December 1936 nothing had been done, therefore Tracchia decided to take the matter into his own hands and act with the troops he had at his disposal. On 9 December he occupied Mendida, which he found deserted; nevertheless, he set fire to the buildings and crops of Aregai's family and his supporters. Immediately afterwards he occupied Dannebo, where he was joined by a column led by Colonel Amedeo Tosti. On December 13 the Italian troops occupied the villages of Abdella and Dirma, where they clashed with the Arbegnoch; 88 guerrillas were killed in action and twenty-three were executed after capture, and the two villages were razed. Altogether, from 9 to 15 December Tracchia's troops killed 126 Arbegnoch in battle and shot 72 more after capture, and captured a heavy machine gun, nine light machine guns and 1,557 rifles. Italian losses amounted to ten askari.