From 'Little Italy' To The Somme

One of those to fall in action at Bazentin with 4th Suffolk, was Corporal Umberto Amedie Motroni.
English by birth but of Italian immigrant parents, "Albert Hubert" Motroni as he was better known, has enlisted into 4th Suffolk in October 1913. He crossed with them to France in November 1914 and was promoted Lance Corporal in May 1915, following the Battalion's actions near La Basse. He was promoted Corporal in March 1916.
Albert was the second of three Motroni sons to fall in action. His older brother Peter, fell in action at Hooge in July 1915 whilst serving with 2nd Suffolk and his younger brother, John, would fall in 1917 whilst serving with the Royal Field Artillery.
Perhaps it was the example of his older brother who had become a regular soldier in 1913, that inspired Albert to enlist. His working for his parents - who had both a successful fruit and vegetable business and a popular ice cream parlour in the town, probably made regular service an impossibility for him, but the Territorial Force was a likely option and the town boasted the HQ Company of the 4th Battalion and the Battalion Band. It was a natural choice.
No. 14 Permit Office Street, Ipswich; home to the already widowed Mrs Motroni, had no sooner gotten over the loss of Peter, when this tragic news was received of Albert. Having lost her husband in late 1914, just after all three sons went to war, the black crepe hung in the window of Carri Motroni's  house for almost two years. Another son of Ipswich's "Little Italy" had been killed in action; another victim of the Great European War.
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