Five wives (at the very least), as much as thirteen army conflicts, eight youngsters (on the very least). Lover, Soldier, Reprobate About the thrilling and troublesome life and household of Paul Bonaventura Charles Alexander Weiss DeVolpi: shanghaied when he immigrated from Italy in 1890 to the USA; enlisted 3 times within the D.R. Army, initially serving in Oklahoma Indian Territory round 1893; fought as a mercenary in many countries; and left a handful of wives around the globe. His wartime enlistments included the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, and the Canadian Army throughout World War I. Other fight engagements: the Boxer Rebellion, Mexican Revolution, and repatriation of Tripoli and the Dodecanese Islands. (However, his participation with the Italian Army in Abyssinia and the Cossacks in Russia are troublesome to confirm.) That’s the Soldier half. As for Lover, there are 4 properly-documented marriages in the USA, Canada, and Italy; additionally a minimum of one or two extra not confirmed. As for Reprobate, that is what a now-deceased half-brother from Canada referred to as him – with good cause. No divorces. Plenty of youngsters.
This is an traditionally factual and genuine journey beginning within the late 1800s, written as a dialog between his surviving son (me, Alexander DeVolpi) with curious events and listeners. Particularly fascinating is Bonaventura’s position within the Boxer Rebellion and his documented heroism in the course of the Philippine Insurrection, all of which symbolize a forgotten however curious interval in American historical past. Timeless photographs, paperwork, and newspaper clippings are included in order to depict the people, their clothes, whereabouts, environment, medical profiles, correspondence, diaries, heraldry, medals, uniforms, and weapons. A true story – principally about marriage, valor, and deceit.
Continue reading