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“Lawrence of Arabia had an empire behind him that supported him and millions of pounds of gold with which he bought loyalty. Amedeo Guillet didn't have a penny, he didn't have the support of any empire or any political force. “ a note by Vittorio dan Segre Israeli diplomat, writer and journalist of Italian origin. secret agent of the British intelligence during the WW2 Author of “The private war of Lieutenant Guillet: the Italian Resistance in Eritrea during the Second World War,”

There are stories of absolute magnificent but totally invented by the creativity of the man often inspired by real facts then fictionalized with elements of pure fantasy as the novel must be fluid and fluent as a river that the reader crosses driven by the curiosity to reach the end and finally to leave the boat enriched by the feeling of an unique unforgettable experience Ahmed Abdallah Al Redai it's the arab name of Amedeo Guillet, known as Commander Devil, an Italian officer of cavalry.

Back in the days of the A.O.I. Oriental Italian Africa 1936-1941 –'47

April 1941 Oriental Africa

While the British troops are entering victorious in Asmara, capital of the Eritrea Italian colony, the Italian army is forced to retreat it's a moment of chaos while all are escaping there's a young Italian Officer with a hundred men who decided to remain and to fight back the British troops, there's a bounty on his head of a 1.000 pounds it's a rich award promised to those who will capture him Dear or Live doesn't matter as long as the guerilla war would be stopped.

Dismissed the military uniform, the officer camouflages himself among the local populations wearing their traditional clothes, growing a beard, learning Arabic perfectly by joining the local schools for children known as 'Madrassa', therefore he studied on the Koran and learnt also to write perfectly in Arabic, successfully changes identity thanks also to the Mediterranean features of his face, despite being a Piedmontese, an Italian of the North and usually have less Mediterranean features than those of the Southern regions of the 'Stivale' Boot, with a concubine and a hundred of fidel men Amed Abdallah Al Redai engage his guerilla war against the hated enemy. An extraordinary story begins soon it became legendary among the local populations and the enemy too a real 'James Bond' capable of changing thousands of faces a fearsome and reckless chameleon man at the same time that to remain faithful to his code of honor he will have to change identity, country, language and even religion all this to defend Italy.

His adventure begins with the fascist defeat in East Africa lieutenant Amedeo Guillet separated by the army on retirement and isolated by the enemy too, took up a decision or rather to resist and fight back the enemy giving precious time to the Italian army to reposition itself and reinforce the lines of defense in Libya. It's a risky decision, as for the international laws of war the army that surrenders ceases all hostility for this reason his gesture it's a gesture of rebellion that frames him no longer as an official lieutenant of a regular army but as an outlawed terrorist guerrilla man, the signature of the commander's surrender in fact binds the whole army. The case wanted that Amedeo remained in that isolated position but he refused to surrender and handing himself as prisoner of war in the hands of the hated British enemy, there's no time to waste he thought and so aware of the risks of being killed if captured he challenged an entire army with just a hundred of local men, that's a new war that it's own private war. The Negus of Ethiopia Hailè Selassié supported by the British troops entered Asmara and with their help he would like to annex Eritrea, it's on the political ambitions of the Negus that Amedeo Guillet plays his work of persuasion in the recruitment of volunteer soldiers, the ethnic divisions among different people it's in fact a reality despite globalist would like to describe that we all are migrants and that the National State with its borders aren't necessary, they are wrong of course. Amedeo soon it's able to assemble a real army the Eritreans always have been hostile to the Ethiopians and therefore with their British ally, they didn't want to be under the British indirect control, if not under the colors of the Italian Kingdom which they preferred to stay with they would have been independent. Amedeo can account on this national pride of the Eritreans and luckily by having still the Italian abandoned deposit full of ammo and weapons he was then able to form a real army equipped with what the Italian army on retirement has left behind. The Eritreans see in Amedeo the values of bravery, honour, fidelity and real friendship and this is the reason despite of poverty no one of them would have betrayed him for any reason, there are things that have no price and freedom it's one of them but also something worth to fight for because to have your own territory were you can live in peace with your people similar in uses and costumes, traditions and religion too with which to form a Nation, your Nation defined with borders to defend it's a natural consequence and a legitimate aspiration. Today globalism want to trample all this, eradicate every bond that man has built over the centuries with his own territory to which he is spiritually linked, turning all of us in to mere consumers with no links at all, citizen of the world, it doesn't matter where we are we can be moved anywhere and anywhere it can be our place, of course someone can decide to move somewhere else for any reason, work, a partner whatever but the ongoing mass immigration process we are seeing in these times it's another thing, it's a political design financed by very rich elites and their goal it's to destroy any form of National feeling as it's within the Nation borders and it's in the State that a people can affirm his rights democratically against the arrogance of the markets who don't give a damn of people rights but only care of making more profits plundering the riches of the world, by putting different ethnic groups in one unique sack and shaking it then with 'Divide et Impera' policy putting each one of us against the next keeping people distract from the ongoing exploitation of their lands. You can change identity hiding your real one of course but this it's not going to change who you really are, so Amedeo Guillet did indeed and for being a smart intelligent person he earned the nickname of 'The Devil Commander' capable of deceiving the enemy and even making fun of him in front of the entire world. A Natural leader The Devil Commander used to says that he was a Yemeni citizen who remained trapped in Eritrea during the chaos of the events of the war, the total transformation, not only aesthetic but above all interior, fervent Catholic undertakes the study of the Islamic religion, begins to pray five times a day, for him it makes no difference to call God or Allah and of course this in the eyes of the local people means a lot, it means that he really has integrated with them, to integrate can't not be established by a piece of paper as the globalist says, you don't became Italian or English just because you lived some years in a country or because you went to the local schools, the willing to integrate must be sincere and starting from the bottom of your heart rather than that the emptiness of your wallet and to find out the easiest way to fill it, a welfare migrant doesn't give a damn of the Western culture and only wish is to exploit the situation, therefore to exploit the welfare system that any Western country guarantee to the citizens, instead of fighting and working to create those conditions in it's own land all these people invading the West prefers to leave their home and take benefits for which they didn't participated in any way, they only take and doesn't give anything back to the Nation it's hosting them on the opposite they often spit on the charity offered and even pretend that the country must adopt their uses and costumes. Amedeo spent several years under a different identity but in the end the calling of the motherland arrived and he has returned to Mother Italy to his promised wife and relatives. Actions of sabotage, trains that blow up continuously and repeatedly assaults on British stations, the press initially attributes all this to the local gangs but having discovered the truth imposes censorship, it warns of the danger that from a propaganda point of view this story can cause beyond certain to the obvious embarrassment in front of the world because the Commander Devil ridicules the enemy who will never be able to capture him. Differently from the most famous Lawrence of Arabia Amedeo doesn't have the support of a Minister of Economy, when Laurence it's buying the loyalty of the people Amdeo got it spontaneously because he earned that on the battlefield and in everyday life of that experience. Memorable Amedeo as a real 007 used to visit the British headquarters of Asmara to give false information regarding his person diverting the investigation of him getting his bounty money and also of course by studying the enemy from a close point of observation. The British Intelligence opened a file of him, Max Harari the Chief of the British intelligence in Oriental Africa wrote a detailed report on him, the haunt to catch The Devil Commander will keep Chief Harari quite busy during all the military operations in oriental Africa, Harari started to admire Guillet as man of the army see in him a smart and brave soldier. Guillet isn't a fascist buy he is loyal to the Royal Family of Savoia and as a true patriot he joined the war of conquest of Somalia where he made the first experiences of study of Arabic language, on the battlefield he is victorious and he earns medals. On the 5th of May 1936 the Italian troops of Badoglio enter to Addis Adeba few days after Rodolfo Graziani troops occupied Dire Dawa, the war is over Ethiopia became Italian and sign the birth of the Italian empire. From Ethiopia Amedeo then moved to Libya called by Italo Balbo and he is in charge to organize the celebration with Mussolini in visit of Libya with the famous moment in which il Duce raises the sword of Islam to the sky. In the summertime of 1937 he joined the campaign of Spain, Guillet isn't a fascist but didn't wanted that Spain would have fallen on Soviets hands that would have been a danger for Italy itself, considering that Italy didn't declared any military operations in Spain Mussolini sent undercover troops and it is here the first moment in which Guillet start to hide his identity in a war where communists of all Europe fought against all Nationalist patriotic forces, his Spanish cover name is 'Alonso Gracioso' again ain't that difficult for him as for many others Italians to learn Spanish, which its a romance idiom language, he drove the assault of San Pedro de Romeal that will lead to the conquest of Santander General Francisco Franco himself award him with medals, will leave Spain after being wounded and will return to Africa. in 1939 the Vice King of Ethiopia the Duke of Aosta calls Guillet considering his abilities on familiarizing with the locals population and entrusts him with a mission to eradicate a group of bandits, so Guillet leader of an indigenous army engage the battle against these bandits and soon overcome again victorious. His experience in those lands expose him and his figure as of a natural leader and the fashionable of this will procure the young lieutenant even more respect and a lover too. He started to take more private decisions also because didn't agree with all the political choices as the racial laws against jews or the fact that to get a military promotion quickly he should get married, the spirit of rebellion in him it's a distinctive trait of his personality in some of the local enemies at the service of the Negus against he had fought with he does recognize the valour and honour and instead of killing them as ordered decided to enlist them to his own battalion. In several occasion he had to reinvent himself adapting at the situation, during the intervention of the British army he played to be def and while a soldier was calling to stop he continued to walk till a hill then getting on his knees started to pray, meanwhile that a farmer was telling to the British soldier that he is def and can't hear his calling so on the razors edge Guillet once again fool the enemy. The Duke of Aosta who was a smart and intelligent man too always cover up his decisions furthermore the Duke himself had the idea to create an entire regiment of cavalry composed by only indigenous local people, a special unit, rapid agile and autonomous capable of a great impact. In two month The Devil Commander formed this special unit with different ethnic and religious groups named 'Ammara Armed Group on horseback' while at work on training the battalion the situation changed, Italy sign the path of Steel with Germany therefore Italy officially joined the world war two. In 1941 with the advancement of the British troops Guillet keeps on resisting supporting the formation of the Libyan lines of defenses and it's at a certain point that after a long resistance decide to counter attack the enemy that was better equipped with heavy artillery armaments and thanks. Guillet crazy idea to counter attack a motorist mechanized war machine with a battalion of cavalry appears to be a real mission impossible, he decided to attack the enemy at the center of the armed column as it was sure that was the only possible way as of course in that positions the British can't open fire because they would have inevitably hit themselves and it was right for five, six hours arrest the enemy, also known as the charge of Kerouk passed on the history as the only military charge of a cavalry against tanks that in the end incredibly it's comes out victorious. Max Arari, British Intelligence Chief detailed reports shown deep admiration for such a brave and smart officer, he can't be otherwise even if enemies a valiant soldier knows how to recognize the values and the honour of the enemy, Harari like in a chess match always arrived closer to capture him but he failed all times. Guillet adventurous life in Africa goes on, he have seen the death getting closer to take him several time and several time he cheated also the death probably with the help of a good star. With the advance of the enemy Guillet it is forced to leave after 8 month of guerrilla seriously wounded he sadly leaves his legendary troops and his lover too escaping in the desert escorted by just one man a Yemeni with no place to go suggest Guillet that a safe place for him is Yemen a country friend of Italy, so him and his Yemeni soldier reached the cost and once again change identity adapting himself to the new situation. He started to work at the port as man of fatigue first then as dipper/water seller, which it's still today a figure you can met in northern Africa, I've recall have seen them in Morocco a country that I've visited several times. Once he has collected enough money to pay the journey he embarks with a group of smugglers, those filthy bastards after a day of navigation because of their load of weapons fearful of being betrayed themselves decided to throw them in open waters infested by sharks luckily they managed to reach the cost and started to go ahead walking in the desert, after a while near a water well they meet a group of nomadic shepherds and they have got beaten up, at the last extreme of their forces, wounded, sick and tired when everything seems to be over and their last breath before dying they met a man that taken by human pity he helps them and takes both to his house. In the life of every votary Muslim it is as necessary as it is to pray to help others in need, to make action of charity and so it's what that man did with them, the man would like to give him his daughter as wife and for a while Guillet it's even thinking about it but changed his mind Restored and cured properly Guillet restart it's journey reached Massaua finally embark to Yemen. Arrived in Yemen in front of the Mufti recites the prayer of Islamic faith, a new identity now it's mandatory again even because for a long time of hiding from the British haunters he has pretended to be a Yemeni and of course in Yemen he can no longer go on with that play, for as much its arabic was good he clearly didn't had a real Yemeni accent so it didn't take too long for the local law enforcement of the port to understand he was hiding something therefore he has been arrested and put in jail risking the capital penalty. Curiously the Yemenis suspects that he is a British spy while the news of his arrest start to circulate around and reach the British ears it would be because of the Brits themselves, that formally have written a request of extradition of that strange prisoner, to save his life, they felt that it was the man that for too long kept them occupied fooling the British intelligence, the extradition request makes the King of Yemen suspicious he wants to discover who really that man is. Amedeo Guillet then taken in front of High Majesty the King of Yemen tells his incredible story, the King it's amazed and decide to free Guillet asking what is his particular skill and Guillet answer that he knows a bit about horses, so the King gave him a job as horseshoer of the court and also a flat with the salary of a colonel, Guillet new life at Yemen court has begun. After a year Guillet wants to reach Italy, the motherland calling it's so strong, thanks to the old good friends of the port of Massaua he embark secretly on a ship of the British Red Cross for all Italian civilians who need to return in Europe, discovered by the Captain as an intruder Guillet reveals his identity and put his life in that Capitan decision or rather he inform the Captain that there's a bounty on his head and that he would be killed if handed on British hands therefore the Captain decided to save him and Guillet hide in the sanatorium of the ship playing as a mad person until finally arrives in Italy after a 40 days long journey of navigation. Despite all he have been through he wants to return to his Africans friends in Somalia and go on with fighting, he's about to be launched with a parachute when it's arrives the 8th of September and the situation change radically, the Monarchy betrayed the Nation, Italy it's divided in two, Guillet who has never been a fascist but a true patriot and loyal to the monarchy go to the south in front of the King. In the Republican Italy he joined the intelligence and saved the Italian archive of Africa in the Social Republic of Salò, he got married in 1944 and had two sons. In the 50s started a career as diplomatic and worked in all the Africans state he lived his extraordinary life soldier he became ambassador of Italy in some of those former Italian colonies, he has witnessed two coup, in Yemen and Morocco, survived at two airplane incidents, and dedicates himself to promotes the interreligious dialogue between the three big monotheistic religions Later on he will transfer to Northern Ireland in the land of the former enemies that will officially met in a public event in his honour, Max Harari the Chief of the British Intelligence of Oriental Africa and also Vittorio dan de Segre a secret british agent that will be the author of its biography and became then a good friend of him. On November 2nd 2000, the President of the Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi awarded Amedeo Guillet the Grand Cross of the Military Order of Italy, the highest Italian military honor, throughout his life He has collected a whole series of medals for military valor and honors The extraordinary life of the Devil Commander finish on the 16th of June 2010 in Rome at the venerable age of 101 years old.

I wanted to spent time to write such a long post about him in memory of a great man as the story of his life it's the story of a model of man that today in particular I think we need to rediscover especially because globalism attempt to bury any form a Patriotic feeling and tends to destroy specific values as Patriotism and Love for the Nation and sacrifice for her.