Ugo Montemurro

Ugo Montemurro (* 1891 in Portoferraio ; † September 7, 1979 in Sirmione ) was an Italian officer .

Military career

After his training at the Accademia Militare di Modena , he joined the Bersaglieri as a lieutenant in 1913 . During the First World War he was one of the youngest battalion commanders and received numerous awards, including a French one. In autumn 1917 the young Erwin Rommel took him prisoner at the Battle of Karfreit , but Montemurro managed to escape shortly afterwards. With the 8th Bersaglieri Regiment he took part in the 1918 Piave battles.

In 1939 Montemurro became the commander of this regiment , with whom he arrived in North Africa in early 1941 at almost the same time as Rommel. Since Rommel still personally remembered Montemurro, he immediately placed himself under him with the 8th Bersaglieri Regiment at times. Montemurro stood out again and again with his so-called “Column M” in North Africa and soon became known to friends and foes. Churchill mentioned him in a speech in the House of Commons after Montemurros Bersaglieri ripped up a British armored division near El Mekili on April 8, 1941 and captured its commander.

Montemurro was promoted to brigadier general in 1946 and retired from active service in 1949. In the following years he looked after war orphans and worked in the Associazione Nazionale Bersaglieri , of which he became vice-president.