[1][2] He participated in the Italo-Turkish war with the rank of captain, being decorated for military valor, and then in the First World War, by the end of which he had reached the rank of lieutenant colonel (in command of the 1st Battalion, 88th Infantry Regiment) and had been decorated with a Silver Medal of Military Valor (for his conduct during the withdrawal after the battle of Caporetto).

[6][7][8] He then participated in the Spanish Civil War in command of the Flechas Negras Mixed Brigade, participating in the battle of Santander, in the battle of Bilbao and in the Aragon Offensive and receiving another Silver Medal and the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Savoy as well as promotion to brigadier general for war merit on 27 December 1937.

[17][18][19][20] In December 1940 he was promoted to major general and sent to Albania where he commanded an ad-hoc Special Alpine Division which helped halt the Greek offensive towards Vlore, for which he was awarded the Officer's Cross of the Military Order of Savoy.

[24][25][26] In December 1941 he was injured in a car crash and repatriated, being replaced by General Arnaldo Azzi, and in early 1942 he was given command of the 15th Infantry Division "Bergamo", stationed in Dalmatia with headquarters in Split.

[35][36][37][38][39] He was then sent to Oflag 64/Z in Schokken, Poland, until its liberation by the Red Army on 21 January 1945, having refused collaboration with the Germans and the Italian Social Republic.