sleuth required - Libya, Tripoli - The Monument to the Dead on the Field of Honour

[Jim Strawbridge]

I am researching Maria Brighenti who, whilst not a combatant, died in a fierce battle in Tarhuna, Libya in June 1915, whilst nursing the wounded. She is the only woman to have received the Italian Gold Medal for Military Valor. Her husband committed suicide in captivity in 1916. Maria's remains were found in 1924 and placed with those of her husband under the monument that translates to "the monument to the Dead on the Field of Honour, Tripoli." Having Googled for the monument I have still been unable to find it's location. There is a run down Italian Cemetery in Tripoli which seems to have taken WW2 war dead with many local civilians into it in recent times so has lost it's military "flavour". Much of this latter information comes from here :- http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/libya-the-italian-cemetery-of-tripoli.14218/     Does anyone know where the monument is that translates to "Monument to the Dead on the Field of Honour" in Tripoli" ?

[DavidOwen]

Jim

Could it be this one "monumento ai caduti" and tripoli - Search Images (bing.com)

Not sure where exactly it might be though,

 

[DavidOwen]

Unless of course it was the one referred to in ww2 as "Marble Arch" The Battle of Tripoli | CWGC (image courtesy CWGC). But I think that is less likely of the two - not least because it appears to be spanning a road.

[DavidOwen]

There is a 1930s military map here but I am struggling to spot the monument Tripoli (oldmapsonline.org)

[DavidOwen]

Jim

This website describes where it was located The Lido district - My terrace (ernandes.net) 

[DavidOwen]

Taking the description from the website above and the close proximity mentioned of the Israelite cemetery and the Lido and enlarging the map linked above it would appear to be in this area, but not sure exactly where...

[DavidOwen]

The likelihood is that the monument has been lost - the Jewish Cemetery is now high rise tower blocks... Libya's Jewish graveyards were destroyed. They are being rebuilt online. - Jewish Telegraphic Agency (jta.org)

[Gareth Davies]

Here’s another shot from a different angle.

[Gareth Davies]

[DavidOwen]

Modern map courtesy Bing Maps

 

Zooming in finds "The Italian Cemetery" - so might it be here?

 

[DavidOwen]

OK, the monument is not in the Italian Cemetery (courtesy Google Maps)

[DavidOwen]

I have scanned the google satellite view of Tripoli and cannot find the monument Gareth and myself have identified above. I can only conclude it is no more.

[TullochArd]

As identified above ........ and below.

The acclaimed Italian architect Armando Brasini was responsible for the design of the Italian Monumento ai Caduti (Memorial to the Fallen/Dead) built in Tripoli 1922-1925.  

It was demolished in the 1950s.

Edited 22 October , 2023 by TullochArd

[DavidOwen]

5 minutes ago, TullochArd said:

Identified above ........ and below.

The acclaimed Italian architect Armando Brasini was responsible for the design of the Italian  Monumento ai Caduti (Memorial to the Fallen) built in Tripoli 1922-1925.  

It was demolished in the 1950s.

Thanks for the confirmation it has been demolished, one wonders what they did with the bodies.

 

[TullochArd]

6 hours ago, Jim Strawbridge said:

Does anyone know where the monument is that translates to "Monument to the Dead on the Field of Honour" in Tripoli" ?

....... here's a 1929 Tourist Map of Tripoli.  The new Monumento ai Caduti is annotated as "1"

 

[DavidOwen]

Modern map for comparison (Courtesy Google maps)

[TullochArd]

1 hour ago, DavidOwen said:

I have scanned the google satellite view of Tripoli and cannot find the monument Gareth and myself have identified above. I can only conclude it is no more.

The monument is gone but your modern map confirms that it's site within the Hammangi Italian Cemetery is still there. (arabic link between the Corinthia Hotel and Almaddina PGCC).  The surviving circular garden layout may be it location?

[DavidOwen]

This is the same area viewed as a satellite image (courtesy Google maps) - don't be confused re Italian cemetery on the modern map as that is in a different location to that of the original Monumento ai Caduti

[DavidOwen]

Realised my earlier cropped early map had missed the Monument off at the top! Doh!!

[Jim Strawbridge]

As I read it from the 1929 tourist map and David's Google earth map, the former shows the Al Kurnish Road as being the boundary to the sea whereas the latter shows a stretch of land reclaimed on which is the Bulila Tower roundabout and the Government offices. The 1929 tourist map confirms the location for me and the little blue "tower" on David's map seems to confirm that the site is still there, almost opposite the Bulila Tower, although the monument has long gone. As to why the memorial was not built in the Italian cemetery is surprising but perhaps there was a lack of space. For me there are still unanswered questions. Were there Italian casualties interred at the location where the monument was to be erected ? If so, how many ?  Could it be, as Maria's husband was Italian and most likely Catholic, that having committed suicide he was denied burial in the Italian cemetery so was interred where the monument was planned to be ? As Maria's remains were found in 1924 could they be placed with her husbands whilst the monument was being built (claimed to be 1922 - 24) ? Indeed, from the limited information to hand are we any more certain as to where they are buried ? The mystery may never be unravelled unless Italian newspapers of the time reported on the funeral. What I have found, however, are photographs of Maria's funeral for sale on eBay. Background buildings not sufficiently unique to be able to identify the site.

[DavidOwen]

Jim, just found this - your lady is now buried together with her husband in the Overseas Shrine at Bari Maria Boni Brighenti (koaha.org)

Sacrario militare dei Caduti Oltremare - Wikipedia

Ossuary of the Overseas Fallen - Bari - TracesOfWar.com

esercito.difesa.it/storia/pagine/il-sacrario-militare-dei-caduti-doltremare.aspx

[Neill Gilhooley]

20 hours ago, DavidOwen said:

the Jewish Cemetery is now high rise tower blocks

Just to point out this location, it was called Zhat al Imad when my office was there. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That_El_Emad_Towers

[Neill Gilhooley]

A couple of random pics from the water tower location

[Jim Strawbridge]

Thank you DavidOwen for finding her final resting place. It's been a long but interesting journey on this thread to find her and my sincerest thanks to all have spent time, effort and contributed.