Ray's Great Great Grandfather
12 January 2009
According to family tree research done by Veola's husband, Ron, their Great Great Grandfather was an Italian hero before he immigrated to Australia in the 1800's. His name was Michelangelo Tocchini who saved a Prince, among other people, from a shipwreck off the coast near Pisa. We went in search of the plaque that commemorates the event. It supposedly hangs in the Vittoriano, a building erected to in honour of Vittorio Emanuele II and is the tomb of the 'unknown soldier'. The plaque was given on Oct 24th 1867, some six days after he rescued the prince, on18th October 1867near Sanossoni, Bocca D'Avaro just out side Pisa. The plaque apparently says 'His Majesty on October 24th 1867 issues a royal decree to Micheloangelo Tocchini, a labourer, a silver medal of valour. The Prince earned himself a gold medal of valour for holding the line on the beach as Michelangelo swam out to rescue others.