In 1888 he was assigned to the Special Operation Corps of Alessandro Asinari di San Marzano in Eritrea and took command of the 1st Cacciatori d'Africa Regiment.

When the fighting started the Italian forces were divided into two operational Corps, one in Adigrat and the other in Mek'ele: the latter, almost entirely composed by ascari under general Arimondi, won the victory at Coatit, the opening engagement of the war.

By November, when the negus finally started marching towards Italian positions, the occupation was complete, and a line of outposts and pickets was established on the borders.

His conflictual relationship with Arimondi, however, led to the massacre of Toselli's column at the Amba Alagi and the loss of the isolated Fort of Mek'ele (Macallè in Italian sources) after a two-weeks siege.

[3] By mid February 1896, the Italian expeditionary force concentrated on the Sauria hills, near Adwa, a small settlement where the Ethiopian army was encamped.

After an hour, not seeing Arimondi coming into line on his right as he expected, Albertone deemed that he was on the wrong position and decided to resume the march toward the real Kidane Meret, 6.4 km (4 mi) away.

By 5:30 a.m., at sunrise, while the two Italian brigades deployed on the Rebbi Arienni, from his position overlooking the Mariam Shavitu valley Albertone sighted the Ethiopian camp.

The assault was so fierce that it reached the Italian second line, and the entire Native Brigade was forced to retreat, protected by the fire of Albertone's two mountain artillery batteries.

Once Dabormida discovered the Native Brigade was further away, he continued to slowly march westwards, reaching the Mariam Shavitu valley 3 miles north of Albertone's positions.

For about two hours, the ascari under Albertone held their position, the artillery inflicting heavy casualties on the attackers, but then the Ethiopians set up quick-firing batteries on the Kidane Meret.