Proper wear of Italian Afrika Medal

[Johnnie]

I posted this ribbon bar on the General Awards forum, and again the question of proper direction of the Italian Afrika Medal is of interest to me.
Most of the ribbons on bars, as well as those threaded through medals themselves seem to be as mine, black to the left. Yet I have seen others mounted on both bars and medals the other direction.
Can anyone quote a regulation either German or Italian, as to which is the proper direction for this ribbon to be mounted?

Cheers to all,

Johnnie

[BrunoC]

Hi Johnnie,

I know that Italians wear green to the left, Germans (like your) the black.
I don't know about official regulation, sorry.

BrunoC

[afrikasandman]

To the left as its a lower award. Many were taken off bars after the italians defected but i have seem pics of them in wear through the end of the war. I believe its considered higher than the Oct and Marz medals but i have seen these ribbons in numerous places on bars. Just because it doesnt fall where it should on a bar doesn't mean that the bar is wrong. Matt

[Paolo Marzetti]

Hi Johnnie,

I know that Italians wear green to the left, Germans (like your) the black.
I don't know about official regulation, sorry.

BrunoC

Confirmed: the Italians wore the green on the left side. 'Probably' the
Germans, had the black on the same side.For what I know also after the
1943 armistice, the Germans continued in using the ribbon PaoloM

[Johnnie]

This is interesting to me as I am now doing my "research" before adding one of these medals to my collection.
It was my understanding that Italian servicemembers were not awarded this medal, only German. I thought that was odd as the obvious intent of the design of the award was the solidarity of Italian/German soldiers against the British.
So, were Italian soldiers awarded this medal?
Are there any surviving Italian awards criteria for it?

Cheers,
Johnnie

[Paolo Marzetti]

The Campagna d'Africa medal called also 'Italo-Tedesca' was worn for sure by the Italians as 'memory' medal and only those who took part to the WWII North Africa Campaign, could wear that mainly by the ribbon on the left breast with the green of the flag on the left side.The medal is Italian and was authorized on Jan 7 1943 .I've never seen Italian certificates about that, but problably they exist.At the beginning (end of 1942) the only ribbon was authorized, then the Lorioli firm in Milan produced the medal also for the Germans.CheersPaoloM

[Paolo Marzetti]

Recto of the medal with the correct ribbon:

[Paolo Marzetti]

Verso of the medal. After WWII a similar medal without Fascist and Nazi symbols was produced. It remained the Savoy knot below.

[afrikasandman]

Is the green stripe always to be on the right of the medal? I have several dak medals that are opposite and the ribbon has never been off of it that i can tell as they are cut like the example that is posted but also sewn to make sure the medal doesn't move the the ribbons are back wards. Matt

[Paolo Marzetti]

The recto of the medal is at #7,where you can see the green on the left.
The German usually wore, I repeat, the black on the left, so backward. PaoloM

[Paolo Marzetti]

Italian ribbons on an Officer's WWII tunic:

[afrikasandman]

Paolo, thank you for straightening that out for me. Matt

[Jody]

Italian Afrika Medal

Hello,
Great thread. I have a simple question, was the reverse of the medal the more common side displayed on the obverse by the Germans? I ask this because I have this stickpin (from an old collection), that displays the reverse of the award.

Regards,
Jody

[Paolo Marzetti]

Yes Jody,the reverse of the medal was the more common side displayed on the obverse by the Germans.The stickpin is rarer than the medal...Ciao PaoloM

[afrikasandman]

Jody, that is a super sweet stick pin!!! Matt