Italy Italy - Italian WW2 ribbon bar

[Mossy]

This ribbon bar, currently sewn onto a post ww2 naval officer jacket, reads as follows:

First row: Medal for valour, War merit cross, WW2 service

Second row: Albanian campaign, (Unknown, any ideas?) , Long navigation

Third row: Army long service

The ribbon looks like it could be the Eritrean army corp. cross, but i'm not really sure on that.

Thanks to Chris L, who helped me alot with the ID thusfar!

Sam.

[Hendrik]

Second row: Albanian campaign, (Unknown, any ideas?) , Long navigation

Hello Sam,

If one considers the ribbons to have been added on in chronological sequence instead of the correct order of wear, the ribbon could be the Italian Republic's Order of Merit, Knight Class.

Cheers,

Hendrik

[Kev in Deva]

This ribbon bar, currently sewn onto a post ww2 naval officer jacket, reads as follows:

First row: Medal for valour, War merit cross, WW2 service

Second row: Albanian campaign, (Unknown, any ideas?) , Long navigation

Third row: Army long service

The ribbon looks like it could be the Eritrean army corp. cross, but i'm not really sure on that.

Thanks to Chris L, who helped me alot with the ID thusfar!

Sam.

Hallo Mossy

just a quick question, you say the last one is "Army" Long Service, do you mean a "Military Service" Medal?? because its confusing when its a NAVAL bar if you get my drift

Do the Italians issue the same service medal & ribbon for all three services??

Kevin in Deva.

[Mossy]

Ah, yes. sorry 'bout that, it should be 'armed services long service' Thanks kev.

Hendrik, it looks like it could indeed be the Order of merit. Chronological sequence is an unusual system for a ribbon bar, have you seen this sytle on bars before?

Sam.

[Hendrik]

have you seen this sytle on bars before?

Hello Sam,

I have occasionally seen examples of officially incorrect types of wearing medals by veterans from Belgium, France and indeed Italy. Even seen examples of Belgian active senior officers wearing their decorations in the wrong order etc. I can only deduce that, sadly, in some countries the military are not fully informed on how to properly wear their gongs or don't bother to check. Your ribbon bar appears to me as if the recipient wore his WW2 medals first and then his postwar awards ... it could be he personally valued his war medals more than the long service ones (and can one blame him for that ?).

Cheers,

Hendrik