Enrico Toti (20 August 1882 in Rome – 6 August 1916 in Monfalcone) is a well-known Italian hero, but less known abroad, here are a few lines about him (taken from Wikipedia, with some editing). He was an Italian cyclist, patriot and of course a hero of World War I.
Enrico lost his left leg while working for Italian railways, at the age of 24. After his injury he became a cyclist. In 1911, riding on a bicycle with one leg, he cycled to Paris, and then through Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark, up to Finland and Lapland. From there, via Russia and Poland, he returned to Italy in June 1912. In January 1913 Toti started cycling again, this time in Egypt; from Alexandria, he reached the border with Sudan where the English authorities, considering the trail too dangerous, ordered him to end the journey, and sent him to Cairo where he came back to Italy.
When war broke out between Italy and the Austrian Empire, Toti tried to volunteer for the Italian army but was not accepted due to his injury. Undaunted, he reached the frontline with his bicycle and managed to serve as an unpaid, unregistred, fully non-regulation “civilian volunteer” attached to several units. Forced to leave the combat zone and return home by the Carabinieri, Toti stubbornly returned to the front and finally managed to join, still unofficially, the 3rd Bersaglieri Bicycle Battalion. He was killed in the Sixth Battle of the Isonzo. Fatally wounded in a clash, he hurled his crutch at the enemy. He was posthumously awarded the Medaglia d’Oro al Valore Militare, Italy’s highest award for valour.
This picture was realized in 1971 for a veterans’ meeting.
Some WW1 Photographs... 
This is the definition of a hero! The comic book stories of Superman could not match Enrico’s true life..
Someday you must follow up with a photo visit to Toti’s statue in Villa Borghese, Rome which I saw under his Wikipedia entry. A Hercules with one leg!
my name is Luigi De Luca and I live Melbourne Australia. Enrico Toti was my grandfathers second cousin, my grandfathers mother which her maiden name was Toti and Enrico were first cousins, next year I plan to go to Italy to my grandfathers and Enrico;s parents home town called cassino near Rome to get a photo next to the statue of Enrico which there is also one there in cassino. My grandfather was also a ww2 veteran, also was a prisoner of war for 3 years in Africa. he passed away in 2008 aged 92 years.
Hello Luigi,
many thanks for your message! I sometimes follow an Italian forum named “Cime e Trincee”, and I remember that one of the members was the grand-daughter of Enrico Toti. Are you in contact with her?
Kind regards
f-xavier
hi f-Xavier, sorry for the late reply i have relatives scattered all around Italy, I migrated to Australia in 1971 at the age of 5 years old, I have been back to Italy many times, but most of my family live around the Naples region, and my grandfathers relatives are around the Lazio region so I don’t know many of them as my grandfather moved to the Naples region after ww2 THANK YOU
Awesome to read this telling of his story. Enrico was my great uncle, the uncle of my grandfather, Joseph Toti (my father is American, hence the name change). We all live in Virginia, in the USA. I’m actually here in Rome now to see Enrico’s statues. Hope you distant relatives out there are doing well!
Many thanks for your comment, Ryan, I am amazed by the number of Toti’s relatives scattered around the world!
Enjoy your journey in Rome,
f-xavier
Hi my name is Sherrie Toti Johnson, I am some relation to Enrico, but haven’t put the pieces together yet. Our family also from Lazio near Cassino…San Giovanni Incarico..
My Grandfather was Vincenzio Toti and his father Carlo Toti…My grandfather would have been about the same age as Enrico, so probably a cousin…I look forward to whatever I can uncover….Best, Sherrie.
My grandfather was Giulio Toti – from Cassino
There us a strong family resemblance in Enrico to my paternal family and I’m sure if it that he is a relative
If anyone has any details I would be interested to hear 🙂
Hi , i know that my great grandmother Giuseppina Toti was Enrico, s first cousin an she was from Cassino and my grandfather her son looked very similar to him as i have many photos of my grandfather. Thanks
Hi Sherrie just wish to say that Lazio is a reigon (STATE) of Italy and Cassino is a town of that reigon. I,m preety sure Enrico,s reletives were only from Cassino, and i know he had a first cousin named Giuseppina Toti from Cassino which is my great grandmother
Luigi,
Just happen to look this up today…happy new year…
my Toti family was acutally from San Giovanni Incarico but some of the relatives lives in Cassino….my father visited there during WWII….I don’t have much to go on except carlo Toti was my greatgrandfather and Rosa Marsella my great grandmother…any of this familiar….thanks Sherrie
Sherri i will try and find out more information on the relatives you mentioned. My great untie passed away recently in Rome which was enrico, s second cousin. But i will try to find out from my unties in Italy,which are her nieces more information and let you know.
Luigi thank you….My auntie passed away 5 years ago and she knew everything but didn’t write it down…..best sherrie
Sherrie hello. Could you please tell me which part of the world you live in as it may help with more information regarding Enrico Toti such as to see if any relatives did migrate overseas thank you. LUIGI
Luigi,
My Toti family. here in the USA, are located in Rhode Island…when they immigrated, back in 1906, they ended up in Rhode Island…That is all y Aunt knows. She said they didn’t talk about it they were so happy to be here..I live in California as my father moved away from our family in 1948. We were the only ones to come West…Sorry I don’t have much to go on…Thank you for your efforts..Sherrie