Italian ? or french ? General ?

[Robert Noss]

Found this photo on german Ebay and as nobody seemed to be interested, I got it for 1.- Euro.

Who is he ?

Detail of his medals

...

[Robert Noss]

There is a dedication on the back in german:

1.9.1924

Zur freundlichen Erinnerung an die sch?nen Tage (n)

von Rico ........ ???

Italian ? French ?

A General ?

His name ?

Any infos are highly appreciated as always

Robert

[Great Dane]

Nice find

Well, the medals are Italian, so that will be my starting guess...

/Mike

[Mike Dwyer]

I'm fairly certain he's Italian, possibly a brigadier general. I tried to find a website that had historical royal Italian rank insignia and failed.

Edited January 25, 2009 by Mike Dwyer

[Hendrik]

Hi,

I also think it's a brigadier general ... have a look at this : http://www.esercito.difesa.it/root/Uniform...palline_1gm.asp - the last link on the page deals with general officers.

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Mike Dwyer]

Hi,

I also think it's a brigadier general ... have a look at this : http://www.esercito.difesa.it/root/Uniform...palline_1gm.asp - the last link on the page deals with general officers.

Cheers,

Hendrik

I don't know now, Hendrik. After looking at the web site you provided I think he's a major. The generals all have a lace background to the rank emblem on their cuffs, the majors and colonels have a cloth background with either a silver or gold border, which fits with what this officer is wearing. I also could be mistaken, but I believe generals had more lace on their hats too.

Brigadier General (1918)

Major General in command of a brigade

Major

[speedytop]

Hi,

a major general (Maggior Generale in Comando di Brigata), and the highest decoration is an officer cross of the Order of the Italian Crown?

An officer cross is adequate to a major (Maggiore).

Regards

Uwe

Edited January 26, 2009 by speedytop

[Hendrik]

Gents, I stand corrected ... a major it is ! Knowing next to nothing about uniforms, I only looked at the general officers page thinking the man looked too old to be anything less

Cheers,

Hendrik

[lilo]

Hi All,

He is a Major of the Italian Army in a post WW1 photo.

The medals/Orders He wears are :

Ordine della Corona d'Italia, Ufficiale;

Medaglia Veterani Guardia d'Onore al Pantheon;

Medaglia della Guerra Italo-Austriaca 1915-18 (coniata nel bronzo nemico) + 1 bar (I suspect it can be '1918');

Medaglia Unit? d'Italia 1848-1918;

Medaglia Interalleata della Vittoria.

The name on the back is 'von RICCIONE'.

Regards

Lilo

Edited March 31, 2009 by lilo

[ARDITO]

It's a rare photo of a Major of the Fencing Instructors, he wear the tunic M24 for officers.

Regards, Luca