Help needed to I.D an Italian Badge

[nzef1940]

Greetings all.

Hoping someone may be able to help with an i.d on this badge, its a nice heavy quality piece. I am guessing its a bring back from North africa from a Pith helmet?

[nzef1940]

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[90th Light]

Greetings all.

Hoping someone may be able to help with an i.d on this badge, its a nice heavy quality piece. I am guessing its a bring back from North africa from a Pith helmet?

An easy question to answer Micheal,

your badge is for the "Carabinieri Reali" with the initials in the middle being "V.E." for Vittorio Emanuele.

These guys were basically military police known as the CCRR. They did have a fighting ability at a battalion level if needed but their main role was one of a select corp of well trained police over quite a range of activities.

Let me know if you need more info, Chris

[nzef1940]

Thank you Christopher

It is WW2 period? and what kind of headgear is it off?

thanks

Mike

[90th Light]

Thank you Christopher

It is WW2 period? and what kind of headgear is it off?

thanks

Mike

What size is it ? but I agree with your idea that it is from a pith helmet and it is WW2 or earlier. Hard to say if it has come from Africa or Italy during the war because there would have been military police in both places.

These guys carried out a wide range of duties with one being the King's palace guard hence the "V.E." in their badge but they were also regular "chain-dogs" too as the Germans called their MP's and who ever liked the "red-caps in the british army ?

In fact were you not charge by the MP's during your time of service ???

Hope this helps, Chris

[nzef1940]

Its 65mm wide and 58 high. Is it rare and worth half a million dollars?

[90th Light]

Its 65mm wide and 58 high. Is it rare and worth half a million dollars?

Yes, I would say definitely for the pith helmet.

Those "red-caps" must have hit you on the head one too many times when you were in the army. You seem to have lost touch with reality when it comes to prices however

Chris

[Paolo Marzetti]

For your files friends! Bye, PaoloM

[nzef1940]

Many thanks Paolo.