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Donato Etna
(1858–1938)

Biographical

Grand Officer of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus 1920 [Italy] Commander of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus 1919 [Italy]
Grand Cordon of the Order of the Crown 1919 [Italy]
Commander of the Military Order of Savoy 1916 [Italy]
Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown 1917 [Italy]
Officer of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus 1913 [Italy]
Commander of the Order of the Crown 1912 [Italy]
Officer of the Order of the Crown 1910 [Italy]
Knight of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus 1907 [Italy]
Interallied Victory Medal [Italy]
Commemorative Medal of the Unity of Italy [Italy]
Commemorative War Medal for the Italo-Austrian War 1915–1918 [Italy]
War Merit Cross (awarded twice) [Italy]
Cross for Long and Distinguished Service, gold [Italy]
Medal for Military Valour, silver 1898 [Italy]
Knight of the Order of the Crown 1897 [Italy]

Senator of the Kingdom of Italy 1933
Mayor of Turin 1925–26
Commissario prefettizio of Turin 1925-26
Regent of the prefecture of Alessandria 1923
Lieutenant general 1915
Major general 1912
Colonel 1906
Brigadier general 1901
Lieutenant colonel 1901
Major 1897
Captain 1888
Second lieutenant 1879

After attending military school at Modena, Etna was made second lieutenant to the 230 infantry regiment in 1879. He then joined the Alpine troops, where he remained for the rest of his life. He spent a short period at the Italian colony at Eritrea, before resuming his military carer in Italy. He took part in the Italo-Turkish War between 1911 and 1912, and in 1913 he fought at Libya against the Arab resistance. During the First World War, he distinguished himself at Monte Nero in 1915, and in 1916 he defended Valsugana against the Austrians. He took part in the failed attempt to take the town Carzano, with the intention of eventually reaching Trento, which is considered one of the events that lead to the disaster of Caporetto. Etna was one of the military leaders investigated over this episode, and was relieved of his command. Later that year, Etna redeemed himself through his success commanding the XXX Corps at Grappa, and in the following year, he was awarded a silver medal for his command of the First Army Corps at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto. After the war, he was in command of the Turin army corps in 1919, and having threatened the use of force after a demonstration supporting D'Annunzio's coup where some officers were arrested, he was relieved of his command and placed in an administrative position. Under the fascist regime, he served the Ministry of the Interior. From 1925 he continued to serve in an administrative capacity, and retired in 1930. He was vice president of the Turin savings bank between 1929 and 1936, and between 1934 to 1938, he was a supplementary member of the Commissione d'accusa dell'Alta Corte di Giustizia. Although his parents were said to be unknown, Donato's biographical file at the army archives contains a handwritten note which states that he was an illegitimate son of King Vittorio Emanuele II of Italy.

Place of birth: Mondovì
Place of death: Turin

Illegitimate son of Vittorio Emanuele II of Italy and an unnamed woman. He was married to Anna Fusignani.

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