Umberto Utili

Umberto Utili was an Italian general known as commander of Primo Raggruppamento Motorizzato of the Regio Esercito.

Umberto Utili
Born18 July 1895
Rome
Died27 October 1952(1952-10-27) (aged 57)
Milan
Buried
Mignano Monte Lungo War Cemetery, Italy
Allegiance Kingdom of Italy,  Italy
Service/branchRegio Esercito, Italian Co-Belligerent Army
Years of serviceWorld War I-1952
RankGenerale di Corpo d'Armata (Lieutenant General)
Unit1 Raggruppamento Motorizzato; Gruppo di Combattimento "Legnano"
Commands heldCommandant of Central School of Artillery; Chief of Staff Corpo Italiano di Spedizione in Russia (1941-42); Chief of Staff 25 Corps, Russia (1942); Commander-in-Chief, Corpo Italiano di Liberazione (1943); Gruppo di Combattimento "Legnano" (1944-1945); 58 Infantry Division Legnano (1945); 3 Territorial Defence Command (1950-1952)[1]
Battles/warsFirst World War, Second World War (Greco-Italian War, Eastern Front);
Battle of Mignano Monte Lungo (Italian Campaign)
AwardsKnight of the Military Order of Italy; Officer of the Military Order of Italy.

Biography

He took part in the Greco-Italian War and in the Russian Campaign. At the time of the Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces (8 September 1943) he was in Apulia just as Allied troops started their advance towards North. In late January 1944 he was appointed command of the Primo Raggruppamento Motorizzato (the early Italian Co-Belligerent Army) which, under his leadership was widened in size and became the Corpo Italiano di Liberazione, attached to the British 8th Army.[2]

After the battles sustained in early 1944, Lieutenant General Utili proposed an upgrade of Italian forces. The Allies accepted and the strength of Italian units (by then called Gruppi di Combattimento) was brought up to 25,000 men.[3] Immediately after the war he commanded the 3 Army Corps in Milan.

He died in 1952 and was buried in the Mignano Monte Lungo Military Cemetery, where 975 Italian soldiers, who were killed fighting on the Allied side, also lie.[4]

Honors and awards

Knight of the Military Order of Italy

4 August 1942.[5]

Officer of the Military Order of Italy

26 October 1945.[6]

Legion of Merit rank commander

Acknowledgements

Bergamo dedicated a plaque to him in the Rocca (city castle).[7]

Bibliography
  • Utili, Umberto; Gabrio Lombardi. Ragazzi, in piedi! La ripresa dell'esercito italiano dopo l'8 settembre. Mursia. ISBN 978-88-425-1896-9.

See also

References
  1. http://www.generals.dk/general/Utili/Umberto/Italy.html
  2. ANPI Roma - The Corpo Italiano di Liberazione Archived 2008-07-04 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ANPI Roma - Scheda sul CIL Archived 2008-07-04 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Sito dal Volturno a Cassino
  5. Sito Quirinale scheda 3412, data del conferimento: 4 agosto 1942 R.D. n. 281
  6. Sito Quirinale scheda 3411, data del conferimento: 26 ottobre 1945 D.L. n. 315
  7. Sito Chi era costui - Lapide alla memoria a Bergamo
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