Born in Monza, Galbiati was a lieutenant in the Royal Italian Army's elite Arditi during the First World War.

[1] Involved in the March on Rome, Galbiati gained a reputation for his brutality as a squad leader and in 1924 he charged with, although later acquitted of, murder.

[3] Despite his earlier involvement in the consuls' revolt Galbiati became a staunch Mussolini loyalist in later years and opposed the motion against him on 25 July 1943.

When news of Mussolini's arrest was released at 7 o'clock in the evening the headquarters of the MVSN in Viale Romania were surrounded by army units.

Although the majority of his officers wanted to react, after consulting with four generals he called the under-secretary of the interior Umberto Albini and told him that the MVSN would have "remained faithful to its principles, that is to serve the fatherland through its pair, Duce and King.