Italy Al Valore Militare after 1945

[claudio2574]

yes, which mark is over it?

[Elmar Lang]

Is the mark a "F.G." or a "F.G"?

[medalman90]

hey guys even under a magnafine glass its hard to see. i think its either FJ or SJ

[claudio2574]

SJ could be Stefano Johnson, a well known firm in Milan

[chechaco1]

photo of an award, a gold medal awarded to a Soviet citizen, photo 1949, Feeder Alexander Portman Poet an. This is the official award with a convex star, the type with a flat star and an F crown was later.

[Elmar Lang]

Chechaco1, you've shown an interesting medal: an enlargement and less blurry picture of the naming, would be most interesting indeed.

 

I need to say that the only "official" medals for valour of Italy's republic should bear a "Z" (symbol of the State Mint), to the obverse, below the coat of arms.

 

But it is also to say that after 1945, a lot of these medals have been awarded to former partisans, so also to Yugoslavs and to some Soviet combatants, involved in the guerrilla actions in Italy.

 

To partisans, between 1946, until the late 50s, have been awarded medals struck by an until now not identified firm, then named to the people indicated by the special commission in charge to the awards for partisan activity.

 

Such awards were not directly sanctioned by the Ministry of Defense, but by the special commission for the partisan activities, although the award documents are those from the Ministry of Defense.

 

The medal shown, awarded to a Soviet citizen, belongs to the first series of medals, as made by a private firm.

 

I have in my collection of italian medals for valour, also one of them, named to a well-known partisan from my region, Mr. Luigi Emer, of which I would like to add some pictures. The reverse, is struck with the "A.800" silver mark, as it's partially visible on the medal awarded to the Soviet individual.

 

 

 

 

As a further detail, I would like to add the pictures of an officially-struck silver medal for valour, posthumously awarded to the partisan Mario Cesura, taken prisoner and shot by a Nazi firing squad amongst others, taken prisoner in Liguria, December 1944. The "(M)" engraved under the recipient's name means "Alla Memoria" (to the Memory), or a posthumous award.

 

This medal, bears the already mentioned "Z" to the obverse and is also struck with the state mint's silver mark "Z-986". This type, identical to those awarded to military personnel by the Ministry of Defense, have been used for award to former partisans, either posthumously or still living, from the early 60s, until today.

 

Best wishes,

 

Enzo (E.L.)

Edited February 7, 2022 by Elmar Lang

[chechaco1]

https://visualrian.ru/category/war/660754.html

The newspaper photo and the photo of the document belong to the Sputnik agency at the link. This is the source.The fact is that this type of medal, even in the turmoil of the post-war years, was awarded on behalf of, after all, a public legal entity - the state.Private models with a convex star were awarded, interestingly, and not to partisans. But in the picture - it is the fixed delivery in the USSR.

[chechaco1]

[chechaco1]

There is an opinion that initially the partisan medals were made by the company ROTA from Genoa

[chechaco1]

Fantasy?

https://www.spink.com/lot/329000558

[Elmar Lang]

Not a fantasy piece, but a private purchase medal, then privately engraved. 

[chechaco1]

tell me, please, is the inscription normal, a pantograph of the 1950s, or is it modern laser creativity?

[chechaco1]

[Elmar Lang]

Hello,

 

the medal is a private purchase piece made by the firm Stefano Johnson of Milan (thus the mark "SJ"), the naming looks like a laser one, not a pantograph or and hand-done one.

 

This man, Ettore Muzi, a Sergeant Pilot of the Royal Italian Air Force, on board of his bomber airplane, received  his bronze "Al Valore Medals" for an action on Berbera, British Somaliland, where he displayed great courage and valour in action, his plane was severely damaged by anti-aircraft fire and enemy airplanes part of his grew wounded, but he calmly completed the action releasing his bombs on the target and being able to return to the base.

 

I fear though, that Ettore Muzi never saw the medal pictured in this thread.

[chechaco1]

It also seemed like a laser, although the description was "pantograph with a letter writing defect".A paper package was attached to the medal

[chechaco1]

Partiqiani medaglia type 1, bronze, muta