Ernesto Burzagli Ernesto Burzagli CB ( June 7 , 1873 – September 13 , 1944 ) was a prominent figure in the Kingdom of Italy during the early 20th century . During a lifetime career in the Italian Royal Navy ( " Regia Marina Italiana " ) , he rose to the rank of Admiral and Chief of Staff . In 1933 , King Victor Emmanuel III appointed Burzagli as a Senator in Rome . Despite his life service to the state , Burzagli was arrested in 1944 after clashing with Italian dictator Benito Mussolini . Although he was released a short time later , Burzagli was forced to withdraw from public life . Early years . Burzagli entered the Italian Naval Academy ( " Accademia Navale " ) in Leghorn ( Livorno in Italian ) in 1887 ; and he was commissioned as ensign in 1892 . Burzagli was from a noble family of Montevarchi , but was born in Modena , as his father had relocated there to assume a position as a professor of physics at the Military Academy of Modena . Burzagli graduated from the Accademia Navale di Livorno in 1892 , and after serving on a number of ships in the Royal Italian Navy , he was assigned as a military attaché to Tokyo , Japan in May 1904 . He arrived just in time to become an official foreign observer of the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Russo - Japanese War , and witnessed first - hand the naval bombardment of Port Arthur . After the end of the war , in April 1906 , he was received by Emperor Meiji of Japan , and received the Order of the Rising Sun before his return to Italy . Naval career . In 1912 , Burzagli was assigned command of an " Intrepid " - class destroyer . Promoted to commander in 1914 , he saw combat in World War I as commander of a squadron of destroyers , and from May 1916 to March 1917 , served on the General Staff of the Italian Navy . In 1917 , Captain Burzagli sailed the RN " Libia " across the Atlantic Ocean to New York . Near the end of the conflict , he was promoted to higher rank . In February 1918 , he was awarded the Military Order of Savoy . At the end of the war in 1919 , Burzagli was sent to Albania to command the Vlore naval base , and played an active role in the suppression of pro - independence Albanian uprising , personally undertaking several reconnaissance flights over rebel - held territory , for which he was awarded the Bronze Medal of Military Valor . Burzagli was given command of the cruiser RN " Libia " from February 1921 to February 1923 , and during this period , the ship circumnavigated the globe . On his return , Burzagli was promoted to the rank of rear admiral ; and he and assigned to head the " Accademia Navale " and the Italian Institute of Marine War . He wrote a treatise in four volumes , " Manual of Navigation " ( 1927 ) . He left his place at the academy in 1927 in to accept the position of Chief of Staff of the Navy , a post he held until 1931 . Burzagli was a Technical Advisor in the Italian delegation at the London Naval Conference of 1930 for the reduction of the armaments . Burzagli was promoted to Divisional Admiral in 1926 , and promoted again to Vice Admiral in 1928 . He was Naval Chief of Staff from 1927 - 1931 . He was no longer Naval Chief of Staff in 1932 when Italy announced plans to retire two battleships , twelve cruisers , 25 destroyers , and 12 submarines — in all , 130 , 000 tons of naval vessels . In 1933 , he was also named a Senator . In the Senate , he served as a member of the Commission for Examination of Law Conversion ( 1936 – 1939 ) , a member of the Commission for Finances ( 1939 – 1943 ) , and a member of the Commission for the High Court of Justice ( 1940 – 1943 ) . Later years . Burzagli withdrew from the active service in 1936 . After the withdrawal to Montevarchi near his estate of Moncioni , he entered in friction with Benito Mussolini for his clear opposition to Italy ' s entrance into the Axis Powers , and for his subsequent opposition to Italy ' s entrance into World War II . In the spring of 1944 , he refused to collaborate with the authorities of the Italian Social Republic and was arrested . However , he was released in consideration of his reputation and his advanced age . He is buried in a monumental tomb in the cemetery of Montevarchi .