Page 567 - Le Operazioni Interforze e Multinazionali nella Storia Militare - ACTA Tomo II

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time every carabiniere had to lead a patrol with a native changing the duty daily with the
other carabinieri and natives dividing the activities in patrols and station guard in Buia
in three different shifts during the morning (from 0600 to 0800, from 0800 to 1000 and
from 1000 to 1200), four shifts in the afternoon (from 1200 to 1400, from 1400 to 1600,
from 1600 to 1800 and from 1800 to 2200. Finally the patrolling of Buia was divided
in two shifts during the night (from 2200 to 0200 of next morning and from 0200 to
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0600) .
The native guards accomplished very well the duty if “Cavedagni suggested to
recruit them in the carabinieri station and to keep under the rule of the military law,
with a special training on the specific duties led in the Carabinieri corps and giving them
some special uniform or badge. So it happened and the disposition was really effective
in the way that in small time the strength of the new native police forces was augmented
by the Royal governor” .
26
To accomplish in the best way their tasks, the Carabinieri received by the governor
four mules with Arab harness to use in far patrols and during some visits in different
villages of the colony . After a while, the Carabinieri Headquarters suggested to buy
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the four mules because the governor used to lend the mules to all people (native and
Italian) that asked him the animals that were inside the barracks area so that there was
some problems because many people entered in the barracks to take the mules and after
all when they were returned generally were not in good condition. So there was other
problems connected with the duty of the carabinieri because in cause of need they cannot
use the animals, especially during the night.
After some letter among Carabinieri Headquarters, War Ministry and Foreign Affairs
Ministry, the Assab commander bought the mules. The governor would have anticipated
money and received refund by the Carabinieri legion of Naples. At the end the legion
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would have load the four personnel “massa individuale” of the cost for each mule .
To be honest, it is important to say that the carabinieri station was very decent. The
carabinieri lived in a barracks organised in this way: “three carabinieri live in a big
room, each of them has a bed with a mattress, two pillows and a chair; in room the
warrant officer put a trunk full of carabinieri uniforms that are not in their boxes; there
is a vi è a rack for guns, an hall stand and two tables. The office is in a small room and
is used as accommodation for the warrant officer. There is a kitchen with all materials, a

25 I carabinieri reali in Assab cit., p. 230.
26 g. boella, Ricordi d’Africa cit., p. 263. In Italian: “Cavedagni, propose di incorporarli nella stazione
carabinieri e assoggettarli a vera e propria disciplina militare, istruendoli nelle particolarità del servizio
loro richiesto e dando loro qualche speciale distintivo d’uniforme. Così fu fatto, ed il provvedimento
riuscì oltremodo efficace, tanto che ben presto il numero di questi nuovi militi indigeni fu dal R. com-
missario aumentato”.
27 ASMSCC, fald. 110, fasc. 4, letter n. 12993 dated 3rd November 1883 Carabinieri General Headquar-
ters t War Ministry, subject: Si rassegna la proposta di far passare in proprietà ai militari della stazione
di Assab quattro muli.
28 ASMSCC, fald. 110, fasc. 4, letter n. 13760 on 21st November 1883 Carabinieri General Headquarters
to War ministry, subject: Quadrupedi da provvedersi pei militari della stazione di Assab and letter n.
14266 on 3rd December 1883 to Assab Station, subject: Quadrupedi da provvedersi per i militari della
stazione di Assab.