Sandro Neri

Don Sandro Neri
Official photograph of Neri, 1959.
First Minister of Salisford
In office 1950 – 1 May 1968
Monarch	Maria III
Preceded by	Giacomo Ottone
Personal details
Born	Sandro Muhammad Neri (1899-09-10)10 September 1899 Alessandria, Egitta, Salisford
Died	1 May 1968(1968-05-01) (aged 68) Savotta, Savotta, Salisford
Cause of death	Assassination by gunshot
Nationality	Salisfordian
Political party	Fronte del Lavoro Cattolico
Spouse(s)	Adriana Nicolo Mazzesi (m. 1923; his death 1968)
Children	Anna Alberto Matteo Silvia
Occupation	Politician, military officer
Military service
Allegiance	Salisford
Branch/service	Royal Salisfordian Army
Years of service	1918–1964
Rank	Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces
Commands	Gruppo di Volontari
Battles/wars	Creeperian Civil War Siege of San Salvador March on Savotta Rubicon War

Sandro Muhammad Neri (10 September 1899 – 1 May 1968) was a Salisfordian military officer and politician who founded and led the Catholic Labor Front. He was First Minister of Salisford from his March on Savotta in 1950 until his assassination in 1968.

Early life

Neri was born to a poor peasant family on the outskirts of Alessandria in the Salisfordian province of Egitta.

Ethnically a Norano, Neri was raised as a Sunni Muslim and was educated in a local Muslim school. Neri was a hard-headed student, gaining a repuation for stubbornness and disobedience in the classroom. However, he was noted for having above average grades in most subjects.

In 1914, following his completion of primary school, Neri was enrolled in the Alessandria Military Academy with a scholarship from the local government.

Military career

Neri graduated from the Alessandria Military Academy in 1918, and was granted a commission in the Royal Salisfordian Army as a Second Lieutenant (sottotenente). Assigned to the 42nd Infantry Regiment, he served on the staff of its commanding officer, being responsible for assisting in headquarters operations. However, in 1923, most likely due to a personal request, Neri was reassigned as an infantry officer and granted command of a platoon.

Serving with distinction, Neri's superiors noted his exceptional leadership skills and his own personal bravery. In 1924, he was promoted to First Lieutenant (tenente)

In 1925, Neri was granted a commendation by the commander of the 42nd Regiment and was promoted to the rank of Captain (capitano).

Neri would continually be promoted in the nine years between of 1925 and 1936, until he reached the rank of Colonel (colonello) and was granted command of the 17th Savari Battalion of the 42nd Regiment.

Rubicon Incident

Main article: Rubicon Incident

In 1936, following the arrest of a Castillianan Diplomat and the renewal of Salisfordian claims in Sant Pau in Castilliano, the 42nd along with a few other Salisfordian regiments were ordered to move across the Rubicon River and to secure the region. Part of this invading force was Neri's own 17th Battalion.

Over the course of the short incident, Neri gained a reputation as a formidable commander, and his Savari battalion was one of the most successful Salisfordian units in the short conflict. Notably, using the then-unproven technology of tanks and motorized infantry to great effect.

The Incident would end shortly after it began, with Creeperopolis stepping in and negotiating a settlement between Salisford and Castilliano.

Later, as First Minister, Neri stated that Salisford should've "never taken the Creeperian deal" and should've "marched straight on [the city of] Sant Pau."

Creeperian Civil War

Neri with Romero I and Ramón Serrano Suñer.

As a condition of the settlement negotiated by Creeperopolis, Salisford agreed to send an expeditionary force of volunteers to assist the Catholic Imperial Restoration Council in breaking the stalemate which was quickly-developing in the Creeperian Civil War. These volunteers, which were officially organized as the Gruppo di Volontari ("Group of Volunteers"), were drawn from regular army units of the Royal Salisfordian Army.

Neri was assigned as the Group's commander by the Salisfordian army staff, and was promoted to the rank of Major General.

March on Savotta

Main article: March on Savotta