In 1916 he participated in the Senussi campaign, and later returned to Italy and fought on Monte Grappa in the final stages of World War I, with the rank of Major, earning another Silver and a Bronze Medal for his role in the fighting in January and June 1918.

After the occupation of Addis Ababa, he was placed at the head of the commissariat of Debre Berhan, and tasked with suppressing the resistance by the Abyssinian ras who had not laid down their arms in the Scioa.

The Arbegnoch operated near the road that connected Addis Ababa with the Gojjam, threatening the flow of supplies to the capital; the intensification of the actions of Aregai's men led the Italian command in to planning Operation F, aimed at capturing Fiche in order to secure the roads to Addis Ababa, but by early December 1936 nothing had been done, therefore Tracchia decided to take the matter into his own hands and act with the troops he had at his disposal.

[1][6][7][8][5] Tracchia then continued his advance towards Fiche, finding several villages burned by the retreating forces of Aregai; those that had been left intact, if suspected of hiding weapons, were destroyed, and the men executed.

[9][10][11][12][13][5] On 4 January 1937 Tracchia advanced from Fiche towards the Blue Nile, in order to subdue the entire region; resistance leaders such as Ilma Woldeyesus and Hailé Selassié Zerrofu were captured and shot.

On 4 January Tracchia and General Alessandro De Guidi, commander of the 63rd Infantry Division "Cirene" , rejected a surrender offer by a British delegation, aimed at avoiding further bloodshed, but on the following day they were taken prisoner at their headquarters.