After taking an active part in the interventionist campaign, he participated in the First World War as an infantry officer, together with four of his brothers, and earned a Silver Medal of Military Valor for his behaviour during the fighting near Selz and Monfalcone in 1916, as well as the War Cross for Military Valor and the Belgian Croix de guerre.

He was called to be part of various study commissions appointed by the government and was co-speaker of the ministerial commission for the reform and codification of war pensions, preparing a first draft of 123 articles, which, after being reviewed by Arturo Rocco (undersecretary of state for war pensions), became law on 12 July 1923.

From 1932 to 1935 he was deputy Undersecretary of State for Communications, and during the 1930s he served as secretary of the Acireale section of National Fascist Party and Podestà (mayor) of his hometown, Noto.

[4][5][6][7] After the Armistice of Cassibile of September 1943 he joined the Italian Social Republic and was appointed Minister of Public Works.

His body was among those hanged in Piazzale Loreto in Milan and was later buried for a few years in the Cimitero Maggiore, before being returned to his hometown.