The son of Jacomo and Rosa, Franco Vanciano was born in Rome, Italy, on 11th June 1926. After completing elementary school, he studied tailoring, but it did not satisfy him. His thoughts were always centered on working on the land in Eretz Yisrael. He joined the “Hechalutz” Zionist movement, and worked diligently on a preparation farm named “To the Negev,” near Rome.
In 1946 he was compelled to return to the city to assist his parents in supporting the family by working in his trade, having previously learnt his craft at a government tailoring school; this way, he was able to contribute to the family’s income.
His move to Eretz Yisrael was again postponed for some time, until the War of Independence broke out. His heart would not allow him to remain far from the war and he volunteered for the IDF at the Eretz Yisrael office in Rome. In the summer of 1948 he parted from his parents, his brothers and one sister who remained in the Diaspora; another sister was a member of the religious Kibbutz Sde Eliahu.
After a period of training, Franco left for his first battle at Iraq-el-Manshiya on 16th October 1945 as a member of the Palmach Hanegev. He was seriously wounded and taken to a military hospital. He remained there on an emergency basis for a number of months but all attempts to save his life were unsuccessful. He died on 21st December 1948 and was buried at the Nachlat Yitzhak military cemetery on 23rd December 1948.
Source: Translated from the Yizkor website by Joe Woolf.