War Horse: the real story

[Haydn]

Last night I have seen the touching Spielberg movie, War Horse. I wonder
how many readers know the real WWII story the scriptwriter has probably
drawn inspiration from.

Albino, a horse born in 1932, served in the Savoy Cavalry Regiment of
the Italian Army (established 1692) and took part in the Russian
campaign, charging Soviet infantry with his regiment at Isbushenskij on
August 23, 1942 - the famous last but one Italian cavalry charge in WWII.

During the charge his rider, Sergeant Major Giuseppe Fantini, was killed
and Albino was also wounded. He was eventually found shaken, but still
galloping on the battlefield.

Back to Italy, Albino kept serving throughout the war and in April 1945
he was with the Autonomous Squadron of the Italian (Fascist) Republican
Staff headquarters in Milan. He surrendered to partisan units with his
comrades as all surviving Republican forces were melting away.
Afterwards he was sold to a civilian.

Four years later, a Savoy Regiment officer came across a battle-scarred
horse dragging a cart in the street - it was Albino. The horse was
bought back by the Regiment and taken care of like a veteran hero ever
since at the Regiment's barracks. On hearing the sound of the trumpet,
the old horse would still break into a gallop.

When Albino died of illness and old age in 1960, the Regiment commander
had an obituary notice published and the Regiment mourned him. A donkey
whom he had befriended in the Regiment's stable fell into a state of
deep depression at his death.

Haydn

[w***@aol.com]

Post by Haydn
Last night I have seen the touching
Spielberg movie, War Horse. I wonder
how many readers know the real
WWII story the scriptwriter has
probably drawn inspiration from.....

Thanks for this most interesting story
about Albino. It surely shows the close
attachment which service men of any
country can form with animals who shared
their experiences, not just in war but in
peacetime too.
I was reminded that about a year or so
ago the magazine "Military Officer" ran a
somewhat similar story to that of Albino only it
was about a dog mascot of a Marine Corps unit
which had adopted him somewhere in the South
Pacific during WWII. .
The dog had been with them during a lot of
their war experiences, and when they came back
to the States the Marines had somehow managed
to bring him back with them to their home base in
California. There he had lived for years while
receiving honored treatment from the many
Marines who came and went, until he died of old
age. The Marines buried him with honors and
erected a fitting monument to his memory which
stands today.
I'm sure there are many such stories in the
history of warfare over the ages. .

WJH

[Mario]

Post by Haydn
Albino, a horse born in 1932, served in the Savoy Cavalry
Regiment of the Italian Army (established 1692) and took part
in the Russian campaign, charging Soviet infantry with his
regiment at Isbushenskij on August 23, 1942 - the famous last
but one Italian cavalry charge in WWII.
During the charge his rider, Sergeant Major Giuseppe Fantini,
was killed and Albino was also wounded. He was eventually
found shaken, but still galloping on the battlefield.
Back to Italy, Albino kept serving throughout the war and in
April 1945 he was with the Autonomous Squadron of the Italian
(Fascist) Republican Staff headquarters in Milan. He
surrendered to partisan units with his comrades as all
surviving Republican forces were melting away. Afterwards he
was sold to a civilian.
Four years later, a Savoy Regiment officer came across a
battle-scarred horse dragging a cart in the street - it was
Albino. The horse was bought back by the Regiment and taken
care of like a veteran hero ever since at the Regiment's
barracks. On hearing the sound of the trumpet, the old horse
would still break into a gallop.
When Albino died of illness and old age in 1960, the Regiment
commander had an obituary notice published and the Regiment
mourned him. A donkey whom he had befriended in the Regiment's
stable fell into a state of deep depression at his death.

I remember I read the story of "Albino, cavallo d'Italia" in
the "Corriere dei piccoli" a weekly children magazine
supplement of the most important Italian newspaper.

Maybe one can still find it in libraries.