Circular bronze medal with integral ribbon bar; the face with a laurel-crowned female head facing right with castellated crown, circumscribed ‘ • PER • L’ITALIA •’ (for Italy); the reverse with the full length figure of a warrior, a shield in his left hand, his right arm outstretched holding a sword, a female figure beyond, clutching his arm, the letters ‘A.O.’ (for Africa Orientale = East Africa) to the right, circumscribed ‘VOLONTARI • DI • GUERRA • MCMXXV MCMXXVI’ (Volunteers of the War 1935 1936); on original court-mounted ribbon. The medal was instituted by Royal Decree 2163 on 26 October 1939 for those who volunteered for service in East Africa. It was designed by the sculptor and medallist Publio Morbiducci (1889-1963), and produced by a number of makers.
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