Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Wednesday 4 March 1942, page 10


DUKE OF AOSTA

DEAD

Former Viceroy of

Abyssinia

NAIROBI, March 3 (A.A.P.).—

The death has occurred of Prince

Amadeo of Savoy, Duke of Aosta,

the former Viceroy of Abyssinia,

who was a prisoner of war. A few days ago he was reported to be ill with tuberculosis, from which he had suffered for a con-

siderable time before his cap-

ture.

He had been living in comfort in

a nursing home in Kenya.

Amadeo Umberto, Duke of Aosta, was born in 1898, the eldest son of Duke Emmanuele Filiberto.

When Italy entered the war of 1914-18 he enlisted as a volunteer in an artillery regiment and attained the rank of captain.

After the war the Duke's interest in Africa caused him to join an ex-pedition to Somaliland and Zanzi-bar. In 1926 he went to Tripoli tania, where he served in a camel

corps taking part in the re-conquest and pacification of this country. He then was transferred to the Air Force with the rank of general.

In November, 1937, his appoint-ment as Viceroy of Abyssinia was an-

nounced. He succeeded Marshal Graziani, who was forced to retire because of injuries suffered when an attempt was made on his life at Ad-

dis Ababa.

There were rumours in January, 1939, to the effect that Mussolini had chosen the Duke to be King of Spain. Later reports claimed that he was to be the first Viceroy of Albania. The Duke of Aosta, however, remained in Abyssinia.

When Italy entered the war in June, 1940, her initial successes in East Africa did not last long. At the end of the year British forces ad-vanced deeply into Eritrea, South African forces swept into Italian Somaliland, and in Abyssinia bands

of patriots harried the Italians. The Duke, however, still hoped that his efforts would succeed and cabled

to Mussolini: "We shall last some-

how."

Events proved the opposite. After

the fall of Dessaye the Duke of Aosta flew to Amba Alagi. On May 18 he accepted the British terms for the surrender of the 18,000 men of the Italian forces at Amba Alagi and went into captivity himself.

The Duke married in 1927 Princess Anne of the House of Bourbon. There are two daughters of the marriage— Princess Margherita (11) and Princess

Maria-Cristina (8).