D’ANNUNZIO’S CRUISER

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 156, 22 September 1927, Page 1

D’ANNUNZIO’S CRUISER

SET UP AT PALACE A REMARKABLE CEREMONY ITALIAN POET-PATRIOT By Cable.—Press Association. —Copyright ROME, Wednesday. A salvo of guns from a cruiser set ipon an eminence in the grounds of the palace of the famous Italian poet, Gabriele D’Annunzio, at Gardonne, near Lake Garda, inaugurated a ceremony of a remarkable character. In connection with it D'Annunzio opened his doors to the world for the first time for some years. The cruiser is the Puglia, on which the poet-patriot served in the war. He recently received it from the Prime Minister, Signor Mussolini, as a present. He had it taken ashore in parts and reassembled in his grounds. Five hundred guests saw a play performed. Each scene was heralded by a. cannon’s shot.—A. and N.Z.

Gabriele D’Annunzio was born at Pescara in 1863, his name being Rapagnetta. Developing early as a novelist and poet, his brilliant work v/on him great fame. In May, 1915, D’Annunzio returned to Italy from France, where he h«d become fired with hatred of German vandalism, and his eloquence in the spoken and written word had a great influence in determining Italy’s choice to fight on the side of the Allies. He soon became a daring airman, and flew over enemy towns and bombed Austrian troops losing the sight of an eye in an accident. In August, 1918, he led a flight of eight Italian airplanes over Vienna, dropping thousands of leaflets. He also fought on land. In 1919 D'Annunzio appeared as a new Garibaldi. Dissatisfied with the delay of the Peace Conference in deciding the future of Fiume, he led a raid thither in September, 1919, and occupied the port, which he declared annexed to Italy. He administered its affairs and issued flamboyant manifestos. In November it was announced that he had occupied Zara, where he acted in the same manner. He refused to accept the Rapa.Ho Treaty and the Italian Gove: naent had to use force. After declaring that he wDuld resist to the last he capitulated and left Fiume in January, 1921. His further plan to conquer Dalmatia and the Adriatic generally had not been realised, as the elections in November, 1919, had resulted in a victory for the Socialists and Popolari, and Mussolini himself polled scarcely 4,000 votes in Milan. In 1922 D’Annunzio resentfully saw Mussolini carry out what he had dreamed of doing during his Fiume days. In recognition of his services he was in 1924 created Count of Fiume, and then Prince of Montenivoso. In May, 1925, Mussolini visited the poet at Gardonne, and it was assumed that he had become reconciled to Fascism.