Croce Di Guerra Al Valor Militare

[mmiller]

Hello All,


I'm on a mission to understand the Italian Award "Croce Di Guerra Al Valor Militare". I have a grouping to a Luftwaffe Pilot, which includes an award Document, and on a tunic, a ribbon bar.


From what I have researched, the ribbon and medal for the Croce Di Guerra Al Valor Militare, should be solid blue. However, the ribbon on the tunic has 2 white stripes surrounded by blue stripes. The document is dated 20 November 1941. I am assuming that the Award was for valor during the Abyssinian campaign.


1) Is the white and blue ribbon correct for the award?
2) What would be the correct Medal for this award?


I have been searching this award but the more I read, the more confused I get! Appreciate your help.



Mark

[mufasa]

white and blue ribbon (the last one on the right) : 1941 laying of mines in the Mediterranean Sea… very nice documentes..

the medals motivation:

he participated with courage and enthusiasm in numerous war actions, violently opposed by the enemy reaction, always brilliantly bringing to an end the difficult task of laying mines in areas of the sea strongly defended and equipped by the enemy ...

[mmiller]

Mufasa,


Thanks very much for the quick reply and the translation! A question I still have is the medal itself. I have read that two styles exist. The earlier style you present with the 'VE III', and then the 1942 style with the 'RI'. Which is correct for the Pilot's 1941 service?


Thanks Again,
Mark

[mufasa]

Mufasa,


Thanks very much for the quick reply and the translation! A question I still have is the medal itself. I have read that two styles exist. The earlier style you present with the 'VE III', and then the 1942 style with the 'RI'. Which is correct for the Pilot's 1941 service?


Thanks Again,
Mark

VE III is (King) Vittorio Emanuele III (until 1943)
RI is Repubblica Italiana (after 1946)
ciao Oriano

[mmiller]

Oriano,


Appreciate the clarification! In my internet searches on the subject, I found much contradictory information. You helped me out.


Molte Grazie,
Mark

[Ironcrown]

That ribbon itself is for the "Croce al Merito di Guerra", the War Merit Cross. To represent the Croce al Valor Militare, a gladium should be added, like in the case of this ribbon...

[Ironcrown]

Probably the gladium is missing on the german ribbon because that specific device was not available.

[enorepap]

Probably the gladium is missing on the german ribbon because that specific device was not available.

I agree.

This is the historical development of these specific decorations:

Cross for military valor:

- from January 7, 1922 to October 17, 1941, unique bronze class, to "reward those who have held in the carrying out of military operations, both land and sea and air, a military conduct that makes them worthy of public praise", (Royal Decree of January 7, 1922, No. 195, Provisions on War Merit Crosses, in Official Gazette of Kingdom No. 55 of March 7, 1922)

- from October 17, 1941 to May 10, 1943, unique class in bronze,: "The sign of the cross for military valor will bear on its back the words" cross for military valor " (royal decree October 17, 1941, No. 1480, Article 3, Extension to the peace time of the granting of the cross for military valor, in Official Gazette of the Kingdom No. 10 of January 14, 1942); «The sign of the cross for military valor will bear the words« for military valor» (Royal Decree of September 5, 1942, No. 1273, Article 1, Amendment to the Royal Decree of October 17, 1941, No. 1480, concerning the extension to the peace time of the granting of the cross for military valor, in the Official Gazette of the Kingdom No. 267 of November 11, 1942);

- from May 10, 1943 to June 2, 1946 (de facto until September 8, 1949), unique class in bronze and a plain dark blue ribbon, "art. 25 of the Royal Decree of November 4, 1932, No. 1423, is replaced by the following: "Without prejudice to the provisions in force with regard to metal signs and patents, the badge of decorations for military valor is identical, in terms of color and size, for all grades. This badge is made of a ribbon of light blue celestial color of the width of thirty-seven millimeters, it is devoid of marks for the cross to military valor (...) » (Royal Decree of May 10, 1943, No. 629, single article, paragraph 1, Extension of the use of blue ribbon to the cross for military valor, in Official Gazette of Kingdom No. 165 of September 19, 1943).

Consequently the blue/white ribbon with roman sword was used until May 1943 and the plain blue ribbon without any sign until the fall of the monarchy and the establishment of the Republic (which is not interested here).

Then there was the war merit cross:

- from March 27, 1918, unique class in bronze, (Royal Decree of January 19, 1918, No. 205, Establishment of a War Merit Cross, in Official Gazette of the Kingdom No. 73 of March 27, 1918). Conferred «to those who have held in the carrying out of military operations, whether land or sea or air, a military conduct that makes them worthy of public praise», for a maximum of three concessions (royal decree January 19, 1918, No. 205); "The grant of war merit cross can be repeated when the decorated shows new titles of merit. However, it will never be possible to exceed the number of three concessions. These, then, will always be represented by a single decoration, subsequently affixing on the relative ribbon a royal bronze crown in the middle or two lateral, according to whether it is a second or third concession »(Article 8). The ribbon had 6 blue and 5 white alternating stripes

- These provisions were almost immediately replaced from March 1918 to December 14, 1942. Unique class, bronze. A cross for each war. (Royal Decree of March 10, 1918, No. 356, Amendment to the paragraph of Article 2 of the Royal Decree of January 19, 1918, No. 205, concerning the establishment of a war merit cross, in the Official Gazette No. 73 of March 27, 1918). With royal decree March 21, 1938, n. 538, Integration of the art. 8 of the R. decree January 19, 1918, n. 205, concerning the institution of the war merit cross, in Official Gazette of the Kingdom n. 115 of May 21, 1938 the limit of the grant of more than three total contributions was abrogated: "However, the number of three concessions can never be exceeded for each war; this number can not even be exceeded when, being a colonial war, military operations are followed by operational cycles of great colonial police. The concessions, then, will always be represented by a single decoration, for each war and any subsequent cycles of operations, by placing on the ribbon a royal bronze crown, in the middle, or two lateral, according to whether it is a second or third concession "(Article 1); Then the ribbon became the same as the cross for military valor 1922-1943 (blue / white / blue / white / blue) but with the crown (or nothing in the case of a first concession) instead of the sword

- from December 14, 1942 to June 2, 1946 (de facto until August 5, 1947): unique class in bronze, (royal decree December 14, 1942, No. 1729, Concession of the war merit cross to the personnel who from June 10, 1940, participated in military operations in the ongoing war, in the Official Gazette of the Kingdom No. 29 of February 5, 1943). In December 1942 the authorization to wear a single cross was established again, with the subsequent conferments indicated by royal crowns: "The granting of the war merit cross can be repeated when the decorated obtains new titles of merit. However, no more than one cross can be awarded for each period of twelve consecutive months of participation in the war, even if more than one title has been obtained during this period. The winners of several war merit crosses carry only one ribbon, even if decorated with other war merit crosses achieved for previous campaigns. The different concessions are distinguished by one up to three royal crowns applied on the ribbon, made of bronze, silver and gold, according to the number of war merit crosses they represent "(article 4).

Best regards

[mmiller]

OK, now it's getting complicated again! I have been checking images of the Military Valor medals. Is the gladium only made in one color/ metal? Some images show them in Silver, some copper, some bronze. What do you guys consider 'correct'?


Mark

[Ironcrown]

The gladium was in bronze, but if the device has lost the finish it may appear like copper or even gilt.

[mmiller]

Ironcrown & enorepap,


Thanks for the additional info and details. Just a thought on the FERT gladium. From what I have found, the length is about 25mm, so it easily fits on the Medal's ribbon, AND on the Italian ribbon bar. However, the German ribbons are only 14 mm wide, so the 25 mm gladium would be too wide and wouldn't fit. Or so it seems! Hope I explained it clearly.


Saluti,
Mark

[Ironcrown]

Exactly!
That's why the device was not added to the german ribbon, too big! Very probably a reduced device to fit the german ribbon was not available in the german military shops.
Something that could fit (although not perfectly) actually existed: the gladium for the reduced ribbons measured 16mm.