Emilio De Bono

Emilio De Bono was born in Cassano d'Adda, a son of Giovanni de Bono and descendant of the Counts of Barlassina, and Elisa Bazzi. He entered the Royal Italian Army in 1884 as a second lieutenant and had worked his way up to General Staff by the start of the Italo-Turkish War in 1911. De Bono then fought in the First World War in which he distinguished himself against Austria-Hungary in Gorizia in 1916 and Monte Grappa in October 1918. In 1920, he was discharged with the rank of Major General. In the early 1920s, De Bono helped organize the National Fascist Party. In 1922, as one of the four Quadrumvirs, he organized and staged the March on Rome. The event signaled the start of the fascist regime in Italy. After the march, De Bono served as Chief of Police and Commander of the Fascist Militia. In 1925, De Bono was tried for his role in the 1924 death of the leftist politician Giacomo Matteotti. De Bono refused to implicate his superiors and was unexpectedly acquitted in 1925. Later that year, De Bono was appointed governor of Tripolitania, in Libya. In 1929, De Bono was appointed Minister of Colonial Affairs. In 1935, De Bono became Supreme Commander of the Italian operation against Ethiopia during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War. De Bono was appointed because Mussolini wanted the victory in Ethiopia to be not just an Italian victory but also a fascist, hence the appointment of a well-known fascist general. On 3 October, forces under De Bono's command crossed into Ethiopia from Eritrea. On 6 October his forces took Adowa. Soon afterward, De Bono entered Axum. On 8 November, the I Corps and the Eritrean Corps captured Mek'ele. In December, De Bono was relieved of his command. His place was taken by Marshal Pietro Badoglio, and De Bono was appointed Inspector of Overseas Troops. In 1940, De Bono commanded a southern defense corps headquartered in Sicily and was opposed to the Italian entry into the Second World War. However, he kept a low profile and in 1942 was appointed Minister of State. On 24 and 25 July 1943, De Bono was one of the members of the Fascist Grand Council who voted to oust Benito Mussolini. That led to the dictator's downfall, arrest and imprisonment. Later in 1943, Mussolini was rescued during the Gran Sasso raid and returned to power by Nazi Germany. He was set up in Northern Italy by the Germans as the leader of a new Italian Social Republic. Upon his return to power, Mussolini had De Bono and others who voted against him arrested. He then had Alessandro Pavolini try them for treason at Verona in what became known as the "Verona trial". De Bono was convicted in a show trial. On 11 January 1944, the 77-year-old De Bono was executed by firing squad at Verona. He was shot along with Galeazzo Ciano, Luciano Gottardi, Giovanni Marinelli and Carlo Pareschi.