Rare WWII Italian Colonial Al Valore Militare Medal Named 1940 East Africa
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:8175518 | Featured Refinements: Italian Medal |
A rare WWII Italian named Colonial Al Valore Militare (Bronze). Colonial issues had the King's effigy not the Coat of Arms.
Named on reverse: "ELMI Gure - Adadleh 12/8 1940 XVIII"
This is a rare named WWII issue of this medal. Certainly on of the last to be issued as the Italian colonial army was disbanded the following year.
Adadleh is a village in the Tug Argan gap in British Somaliland. The battle of Tug Argan was fought from 11-15 August... 1940 between the Italian Army of East Africa and the British. This medal was awarded on the second day of the battle.
There is no citation for this medal in the Italian Official Gazette. By this point they had stopped listing the colonial issues. BUT... Gure Elmi is listed in the Official Gazette a few years earlier as having won a Croce di Guerra in 1937 during the Ethiopian War. The citation for that award states:
"Elmi Gure, Head of Band (Capo banda) of the 5th battalion of Dubats commanded by Barracu (Dubats, or "White Turbans" were colonial irregular troops that fought for Italy) - Commander of the machine gun section, he showed, in rough combat, handsome fighting skills and command skills. Having very few men he was attacked violently from the side and brilliantly counter-attacked, beating back the enemy at the critical moment. An example to all of courage and contempt for danger. - Uara Combo, 3 March 1937".
This same band of dubats is documented as one of three dubat battalions to attack the extreme right flank of the Italian line at ... Adadleh during the battle of Tug Argan in 1940.
Interestingly the commander of that 5th battalion of Dubats in 1937 was Francesco Barracu. He earned a Gold Al Valor Militare on the same day (March 3, 1937). He also lost his eye the same day. He went on to be a close associate of Mussolini until the end. He was executed along with Mussolini at Dongo in 1945. He is hanging to Mussolini's immediate left in the famous image of Mussolini's body hanging upside down.
Named on reverse: "ELMI Gure - Adadleh 12/8 1940 XVIII"
This is a rare named WWII issue of this medal. Certainly on of the last to be issued as the Italian colonial army was disbanded the following year.
Adadleh is a village in the Tug Argan gap in British Somaliland. The battle of Tug Argan was fought from 11-15 August... 1940 between the Italian Army of East Africa and the British. This medal was awarded on the second day of the battle.
There is no citation for this medal in the Italian Official Gazette. By this point they had stopped listing the colonial issues. BUT... Gure Elmi is listed in the Official Gazette a few years earlier as having won a Croce di Guerra in 1937 during the Ethiopian War. The citation for that award states:
"Elmi Gure, Head of Band (Capo banda) of the 5th battalion of Dubats commanded by Barracu (Dubats, or "White Turbans" were colonial irregular troops that fought for Italy) - Commander of the machine gun section, he showed, in rough combat, handsome fighting skills and command skills. Having very few men he was attacked violently from the side and brilliantly counter-attacked, beating back the enemy at the critical moment. An example to all of courage and contempt for danger. - Uara Combo, 3 March 1937".
This same band of dubats is documented as one of three dubat battalions to attack the extreme right flank of the Italian line at ... Adadleh during the battle of Tug Argan in 1940.
Interestingly the commander of that 5th battalion of Dubats in 1937 was Francesco Barracu. He earned a Gold Al Valor Militare on the same day (March 3, 1937). He also lost his eye the same day. He went on to be a close associate of Mussolini until the end. He was executed along with Mussolini at Dongo in 1945. He is hanging to Mussolini's immediate left in the famous image of Mussolini's body hanging upside down.
