The Youngest of the Fallen. Bersagliere Giuseppe Fortunato (Turi, 24 settembre 1899 – Monte Corno, 4 marzo 1918)

TuriBorgoAntico
Jan 16
2 min read

Among the names engraved in the memory of Turi, that of Giuseppe Fortunato shines for his poignant youth. Born on 24 September 1899, he was one of the youngest men from Turi to fall during the First World War, a symbol of a generation forced far too early to confront the horrors of the front.

The son of Cosimo Fortunato and Maria Cardone, Giuseppe was a young farm labourer, raised between field work and the simple life of his town. In June 1917, at just seventeen years of age, he was called up for military service. After his initial training, he was assigned to the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment and later transferred to the 6th Regiment, a unit engaged in some of the harshest sectors of the mountain front.

The winter of 1917–1918 was particularly cruel. The Bersaglieri operated amid mud, snow, freezing temperatures and relentless bombardments, under extreme conditions that tested even the most experienced soldiers. It was in this context that Giuseppe Fortunato took part in operations on Monte Corno, the scene of fierce fighting.

On 4 March 1918, during a military action, the young bersagliere was struck down by enemy fire. He was only eighteen years old. His death, recorded in the official documents of the Royal Italian Army, consigned to history a life cut short too soon, sacrificed on the altar of a war that overwhelmed entire generations.

The story of Giuseppe Fortunato is not merely an archival record, but a deeply human account that speaks of youth, courage and destiny. To remember him means giving a voice back to those young men who left without knowing whether they would return, leaving behind families, dreams and a future never lived.

The memory of the fallen must not slip into oblivion: it is a civic and moral duty, so that their sacrifice may continue to question the present and foster awareness.