Italy WW1 - Medaglia commemorativa della guerra italo-austriaca - "bronzo nemico"

[claudio2574]

It is probably the most common Italian medal, and probably one of the first in every Italian collection.


(Type 3 as follows. This medal was awarded to general Enrico Broglia)

In 1916, one year after the declaration of war from Italy to the Austrian Empire, a badge for the "fatiche di guerra" (war effort) was created: a ribbon with the green-white-red colours repeated six times and a star for each year.
The ribbon (from wiki)

Here is the diploma:

In 1918 a badge for the railway staff was created (ribbon: red with two white lines). Even if no medal was ever associated to this ribbon, since 1920 it has been always weared with this medal.

(Medal type 6)

[claudio2574]

In 1920 by royal decree the elements of the medal were defined. In this decree was stated that the medal would have been made using the bronze of the enemy gunnery, thus the medal has been called "bronzo nemico".

It is interesting to note that at least two times the Austrian Empire marked its medals with the same words: the first time in the 1814, after a war against France, and in 1864, after the Schleswig-Holstein war. Both these medals were awarded to Italian people also.

The Kanonenkreutz

The Schleswig-Holstein medal (austrian variant, with the words AUS EROBERTEM GESCHUETZ)

[claudio2574]

In 1923 another decree defined a medal for the navy people: ribbon with 6 blue lines and 5 white, again with the same medal.
The ribbon (from wiki)


There are several bars with the year of campaign:
1915-1916-1917-1918-Albania 1919-Albania 1920
The bars "Albania 1916", "Albania 1917" and "Albania 1918" are unofficial.

The diploma. This item has the "stamp" for the medal of unification of Italy

[claudio2574]

There are 7 variants of the medal, all having a different mark on the bottom (under the neck or close to the rim)

Type 1 : Lorioli e Castelli

Type 2 : Nelli, with wrong ribbon.


Type 3 : Sacchini, which was introduced at the beginning of the topic

Type 4 : S.I.M.

Type 5 : S.I.M. Roma


Type 6 : Johnson, already introduced for the railway staff

Type 7 : anonymous, several subtypes

[RRA227]

Those are nice. You are fortunate. Yours has 4 year bars. Mine has 2. Rich A. in Pa.

[Elmar Lang]

Just a little note, regarding the Austrian "Metallenes Armeekreuz", better known as "Kanonenkreuz" (Cannon Cross): this decoration was never marked "Aus erobertem Geschütz". The officially produced pieces are struck with the imperial mint mark of a stylized double-headed eagle on the suspension loop only.

Many pieces, were engraved with the recipient's name though.

Best wishes,

E.L.

Attached, two pictures of one of my Kanonenkreuze, of a well-known, quite uncommon, "adapted type" (Adaptierte Form), fitted with gold border and laurel wreath. It is complete with its original ribbon, although I believe it as dating from the '20s of 19th Century.

Edited January 22, 2014 by Elmar Lang