Black fascist coccarda

[Ariete]

Hi everyone, ive just received a bunch of original tricolore coccarda's and one black fascist coccarda. In all my italian militaria reference books I don't see this being used for CCNN in north Africa. Any ideas of its auhenticity? I ve only seen the larger size type used with a different material then the typical coccarda's.
heres a photo
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...Emblems004.jpg

[Paolo Marzetti]

Ariete, never seen a black Fascist cockade like the one you show us.However
here I'm posting thanks to the courtesy of R.A.D'Angelo two interesting photos
of the time keft from a rare collection of L'Illustrazione Italiana,showing black cockades made with black wool used mainly by Engineers of the CCNN in East Africa:issue cockades? We don't know.Probably a special unit initiative.

[Paolo Marzetti]

badge:

[Paolo Marzetti]

Another pic of the time:the man with the Breda 30 seems to bear a common
CCNN badge, while the one on his left side, seems to have his M.28 tropical helmet with an Enginneer CCNN badge. Common practice ? We don't know.
Ciao PaoloM

[Ariete]

Paulo,

Thanks for your view on the black Coccarda. It is an interesting item. Thanks for the photo's. I did see them both in Rex Trye's book and also Rudy sent me the same one's when i asked him about the coccarda in question. Not too many photo's floating around showing the Black coccarda. I do know that only certain units would of worn the coccarda, mainly fascist engineers. Can you tell me what other CCNN units other then the engineers used them ?More specifically what CCNN assualt battalions of the colonial militia used them? Why did some Battalions choose not to wear them while other battalions did?

I did buy G.Rosignoli book MVSN, and was hoping it would shead some light on the subject for me. I was told it was in both English and Italian text. To my disappointment the only English text in the book was describing the plates. Seems ive got 99 pages of translating to do. Oh boy.

Thanks again

[Paolo Marzetti]

... I do know that only certain units would of worn the coccarda, mainly fascist engineers. Can you tell me what other CCNN units other then the engineers used them ?More specifically what CCNN assualt battalions of the colonial militia used them? Why did some Battalions choose not to wear them while other battalions did? ..

Well, on the photo posted at #4 you can see the machine gunner with the
Breda 30 with a common CCNN badge with round felt black cockade, so it
is sure that not only the CCNN Engrs had this cockade. For what I know the
cockade was not widely used on the field, but it was very common the matter
to put the CCNN badge on the M.28 tropical helmet with a black wool background (several photos of the time are known..). Here below an M.28
formerly in my old collection with this characteristic.This helmet had been used
only once by the owner for the victory's parade on Ethiopia.It is clear that
the black background replaced the too visible round black felt cockade!
Ciao, PaoloM

[Ariete]

Awesome photo Paulo Very nice helmet aswell.

Ive only ever seen one other Fascist Pith helmet with the chevrons stitched to the side. It was also a caposquadra chevron aswell if im not mistaken. I had the opp. to buy it in 2004 before it evenually sold on ebay the following year. very nice to see another example.

As for the question i asked regarding what battalions wore the Coccarda. I was under the impression that there existed some assualt battalions that never wore it and others that did with the pith helmet??? why i don't know?

Thanks again for the photo of your helmet. I do appreciate photos of Italian pith helmets. My favorite of all Italian Militaria!

[Paolo Marzetti]

This photo too, for reference. Cheers, PaoloM