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Category: Italy

The Medal of Aeronautic Valor (Kingdom of Italy)

The Medal of Aeronautic Valor was awarded for acts and enterprises of singular courage and skill aboard an aircraft in flight.

The Medal of Aeronautic Valor (or Medaglia al valore aeronautico in Italian) is a medal awarded “for acts and enterprises of singular courage and skill aboard an aircraft in flight.“

Proposals for a medal awarded to aviators had begun as early as 1913 but were put on hold with the outbreak of World War I. The medal was finally instituted by Victor Emmanuel III of Italy‘s decree of 27 November 1927. The criteria for conferral remained virtually unchanged until 1939, when a decree restricted its award solely to members of the Italian military. In 2010, the medal was absorbed into the Italian Military Code. The principal change was the restoration of eligibility to civilians.

The Medal of Aeronautic Valor Criteria

Instituted in 1927, it is awarded at three levels: Gold, Silver and Bronze. The medal may be conferred on both Italian and foreign persons and entities and on both civilians and members of the Italian armed forces. It can also be awarded posthumously.

Prior to the outbreak of World War II, the recipients were primarily those who had distinguished themselves in air races or had set speed and distance records. However, the medal was also awarded for participation in daring air rescues.

The Medal of Aeronautic Valor Design

From 1927 to 1945 the Obverse of the medal shows The Savoy Cross surmounted by an eagle with spread wings. Above the eagle is the Crown of Savoy. The Reverse shows Two fasces with the name of the recipient and the place and date of the award engraved between them.

The Maurician Medal

The Maurician medal is an honorary degree granted to a soldier after 50 years of service in the Italian army.

The Maurician medal is an honorary degree granted to a soldier after 50 years of service in the Italian army.

The medal was established by Carlo Alberto di Savoia, on 19 July 1839 on the decree of the Regie Magistrali Patenti, with the name of “Maurician Medal to the Military Merit of Ten Lustrums”. It became official with royal decree of 21 December 1924.

The people who can receive this medal are the officers and non-commissioned officers belonging to the Carabinieri armed forces, the Italian Navy, the Italian Army, the Italian Air Force, the custom officers of Italy, and the Italian Police forces. 

The Maurician medal Design

General officers and flag officers receive a medal with a diameter of 52 millimeters (2 inches), while other recipients receive a medal with a diameter of 32 millimeters (1¼ inches).

The Colonial Order of the Star of Italy

The Colonial Order of the Star of Italy was founded as a colonial order of knighthood on 18 June 1914 by King Victor Emmanuel III.

The Colonial Order of the Star of Italy (or Ordine coloniale della Stella d’Italia in Italian) was founded as a colonial order of knighthood on 18 June 1914 by King Victor Emmanuel III.

It was awarded to soldiers deployed to the colony of Libya. The order had fallen into abeyance by 1943, when Allied forces conquered the colonies of Italian North Africa. This marked the end of Italy’s colonial ambitions and the order’s active issuance.

The Colonial Order of the Star of Italy Medal Design

The Colonial Order of the Star of Italy medal is shaped like a star, with white, green and red enamel. The obverse shows the initial EV and the year 1911.

The Bronze Medal of Military Valor

Time Period: Pre World War I, World War I

Institution: 26 March 1833
Country: Italy

The Bronze Medal of Military Valor (or Medaglia di bronzo al valor militare in Italian) is a medal given for gallantry.

It was established by Charles Albert of Sardinia on 26 March 1833, along with the higher ranking Gold and Silver Medals for Military valor. Their purpose is defined as “To distinguish and publicly honor the authors of heroic military acts, even ones performed in time of peace, provided that the exploit is closely connected with the purposes for which the Armed Forces are constituted, whatever may be the condition or quality of the author.”

These medals, as well as the “Croce di Guerra al Valor Militare” (War Cross of Military Valor – which can only be awarded in time of war) are established by the Royal Decree of 4 November 1932.

During the First World War, the medal was given out some 60,244 times for individual acts of heroism (compared to 38,614 Silver medals and 368 Gold Medals).

The Bronze Medal of Military Valor Design

The Bronze Medal of Military Valor is shaped like an oval, with a blue ribbon. The medal is made of bronze.

The Commemorative Medal for the Italo-Turkish War 1911-1912

The Commemorative Medal for the Italo-Turkish War 1911-1912 was  instituted by Vittorio Emanuele III of Savoy on 21 November 1912.

The Commemorative Medal for the Italo-Turkish War 1911-1912 was instituted by Vittorio Emanuele III of Savoy on 21 November 1912 for all civilian personnel and Italian and colonial troops who fought against the Ottoman Empire in the Italo-Turkish War of 1911 to 1912.

The Italo-Turkish or Turco-Italian War (or Trablusgarp Savaşı, “Tripolitanian War” in Turkish and Guerra di Libia, “Libyan War” in Italian) was fought between the Kingdom of Italy and the Ottoman Empire from September 29, 1911, to October 18, 1912. As a result of this conflict, Italy captured the Ottoman Tripolitania Vilayet (province), of which the main sub-provinces (sanjaks) were Fezzan, Cyrenaica, and Tripoli itself. These territories together formed what became known as Italian Libya.

The Commemorative Medal for the Italo-Turkish War Design

The medal is shaped like an oval and struck in bronze.

The obverse shows the profile of King Vittorio Emanuele III. The reverse of the Turkey Medal bears the inscription “GUERRA ITALO-TURCA 1911-12”. The reverse of the Libya Medal bears the inscription, “LIBIA”. The medal can have the “1911-12” bar for the Turkish campaign, and a “1912” and/or “1913”, or “1912-13” bar for the Libyan campaign.

The ribbon consists of blue and red stripes.

The War Merit Cross

The Italian War Merit Cross (Croce al Merito di Guerra) was instituted by King Victor Emanuel III in 1918 and awarded to the armed forces.

The Italian War Merit Cross (Croce al Merito di Guerra) was instituted by the King Victor Emanuel III in 1918, and was awarded to members of the armed forces with a minimum of one year’s service who had been in contact with the enemy, or to those who, when mentioned for war merit, received a promotion.

If an act of valour was deemed insufficient for the Medal of Military Valour, the War Merit Cross could be awarded instead.

From its institution until 30 May 1927, 1,034,924 Crosses were issued.

The Italian War Merit Cross Design

The War Merit Cross is made in bronze, it measures 38mm wide (1-1/2 inches) and has a blue ribbon. A second award was indicated by a bronze star on the ribbon. The reverse side of the medal bears a 5-pointed star on a background of rays, and the obverse shows the royal cypher (“VE III” under a crown) in the upper arm, with the words “MERITO DI GVERRA” (War Merit) on the horizontal arms and a Roman sword point upwards, on oak leaves, in the lower arm.

The Allied Victory Medal (Italy)

The Allied Victory Medal (Medaglia interalleata della vittoria) was the Italian variant of the Victory Medal of other nations.

The Allied Victory Medal (or Medaglia interalleata della vittoria, or Medaglia della vittoria commemorativa della grande guerra per la civiltà in Italian) was the Italian variant of the Victory Medal of other nations.

The Allied Victory Medal was established by royal decree number 1918 on 16 December 1920, and was awarded to all who had been given the “fatiche di guerra” distinction before, on 21 May 1916. It was also given to those who had served for four months in an area under the jurisdiction of the armed forces and who had been mobilized and directly worked with the operational army.

The Italy Inter-Allied Victory Medal Design

The Victory Medal measures 36 millimeters (1.4 in) in diameter and its obverse was designed by William McMillan. The design and ribbon was adopted by Great Britain, Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Romania, Siam, Union of South Africa and the USA.

Each allied nation would design a ‘Victory Medal’ for award to their own nationals, all issues having certain common features, including a winged figure of victory on the obverse and the same ribbon.

The Italian medal’s design was done via public competition, which was won by Gaetano Orsolini. His design features the ‘Victory on a triumphal chariot, with the torch of liberty, drawn by four yoked lions’.

The obverse of the medal shows the winged, full-length, full-front, figure of ‘Victory‘ with her left arm extended and holding a palm branch in her right hand.

The 39 millimeters (1.5 in) wide watered ribbon has an iridescent color scheme, with the violet moving through to a central red stripe where both schemes meet. It attaches to the medal through a ring suspender. The recipient’s name, rank, service number and unit were impressed on the edge of the medal. The name of the regiment or corps was omitted on medals awarded to Army officers.

All the Inter-Allied Victory Medal Variations

Although each country designed its own version of the Inter-Allied Victory Medal, all of them shared some common elements, such as a winged victory figure on the obverse and a similar ribbon with rainbow colors symbolizing unity among the Allies. Here are the versions for all countries:

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