I only heard this today

[fpb]

Delfino Borroni, former Bersagliere and the last surviving Knight of Vittorio Veneto, passed away last Sunday. The Order of Vittorio Veneto, of which both my grandfathers were members, was probably the largest, but certainly the most exclusive order of chivalry in the world. Its membership was restricted to the members of the Italian armed forces which, recovering from the nearly annihilating defeat of Caporetto one year earlier, took on the great armies of the Austro-Hungarian double empire in the great battle of Vittorio Veneto, between October 24 and November 2, completely annihilated them, and effectively ended the First World War (the sober last communique' of the victorious commander, Field-Marshal Armando Diaz, mentions 300,000 prisoners, 5,000 field pieces captured, whole general staffs surrendered, and of "the remains of what had been one of the greatest armies in the world climbing back in disorder and despair the valleys down which they had marched in arrogant certainty"). This man was the last of those who took part in the greatest and most glorious victory in the long history of the Italian nation. Whatever may be thought of that war or of its results, something great has slipped away from us for ever; and as for me, I feel as if I had lost both my grandfathers again.

Comments

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

I;m very sorry. Indeed, a memorable bit of Italy's long and amazing history.