Feedback appreciated on a photo: Military Training?

[AngelaGrace56]

I would appreciate anyones thoughts on the following photo, which was taken circa 1936-1939. The two men in the middle row are wearing uniforms, the other nine men look to be wearing suits and ties. All men have rifles. Some of the men are wearing coptic looking caps - I've heard people descibing similar hats as "smoking hats" which were worn in the UK?. The photo may have been taken in front of the church of St Antonio Martire in Grumento Nova, though the church appears to look nothing like this today, so maybe not. Maybe someone recognises either the church, the men in the photo, the uniforms worn or has the same photo. (Because of the coptic hats and even the church, initially we had wondered whether the photo was taken in Libya?)

Thanks for any suggestions.

Angela

[PippoM]

Hi Angela,
that kind of cap is called a "fez".
It was used by young members of Fascist organizations:

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opera_nazionale_balilla

[AngelaGrace56]

That's very interesting. Thank you so much Pippo. I remember one of my childen suggesting "black shirts" when we were looking at the photo recently, so I think that fits in with what you have said here. I'm guessing the photo was probably taken, if not in Grumento Nova, then one of the local towns?

Grazie ancora.

Angela

[mmogno]

@AngelaGrace56

Buonasera Angela
Sei sicura che la foto sia stata scattata in Italia?
Potrebbe trattarsi invece di "vulmentari" o "kachaki", miliziani musulmani di nazionalità albanese in Albania e Kosovo, che combatterono contro i serbi nella 2a Guerra Mondiale.
G.
https://books.google.it/books?id=eDA5Dw ... 22&f=false
http://www.cnj.it/24MARZO99/amnesie.html
http://global-politics.eu/kosovo-honoring-nazis-ss/
https://www.infoaut.org/seminari/i-fals ... olidarieta

[AngelaGrace56]

@AngelaGrace56

Buonasera Angela
Sei sicura che la foto sia stata scattata in Italia?
Potrebbe trattarsi invece di "vulmentari" o "kachaki", miliziani musulmani di nazionalità albanese in Albania e Kosovo, che combatterono contro i serbi nella 2a Guerra Mondiale.
G.
https://books.google.it/books?id=eDA5Dw ... 22&f=false
http://www.cnj.it/24MARZO99/amnesie.html
http://global-politics.eu/kosovo-honoring-nazis-ss/
https://www.infoaut.org/seminari/i-fals ... olidarieta

Buonasera G

Thank you for the reply.

No, I'm not sure that the photo was taken in Italia. I don't really know where it was taken. I would say either Libya or somewhere in Potenza.

There is only one man that I recognise in the photo. He lived in Italia – Grumento Nova, Potenza - until February 1940, when he was called to Military Service. His Military Service Training took place in Libya. He was there until January 1941 when he was captured at Battle of Bardia and spent the rest of the war in various POW camps.

To me it looks like most of these men are about the same age, so it is possible that they were in Libya at the start of their training but I would expect them to be wearing uniforms as well? I'm hoping that someone might chance upon this thread and recognise some of the men as their ancestors and be able to tell me more about the photo.

Does the uniform that the man on the right is wearing look Italian or not? I'll crop the photo and see if I can get a clearer pic.

Angela

[AngelaGrace56]

Following on from my previous post:

I'm not sure whether this photo here, of the men in iniforms, is any clearer, to determine whether they are Italian uniforms or not?

Angela

[mmogno]

Quello di sinistra mi pare che sia un tenente del regio esercito, quello di destra un sottufficiale delle camicie nere

[AngelaGrace56]

Grazie G. So we are back to the "black Shirts" then - (so youth army?) and this would be in Italia then?, probably in the same Province? - same town? where these young men lived?

Angela