Circular bronze medal with integral bar for ribbon suspension; the face with the head of King Vittorio Emanuele III facing right, circumscribed ‘VITTORIO EMANUELE III RE D’ITALIA’, maker’s mark ‘MARIO NELLI INC.’, signed ‘C. RIVALTA MOD.’; the reverse inscribed ‘UNITÀ D’ITALIA 1848-1918’ and ‘ASS. NAZ. MADRI E VEDOVE DEI CADUTI’ (National Association of the Mothers and Widows of the Fallen) within a circular laurel wreath, maker’s mark “CBC’ (Casa Benvenuto Cellini) below; slight surface wear; on replaced correct ribbon. The medal was instituted on 19 January 1922 and awarded to combatants in the war of 1915 to 1918 since it was regarded as the final phase of the Risorgimento (the unification of Italy) begun in 1848. This version was produced to acknowledge those killed in action and awarded to both their mothers and their widows. A number of versions are known by different makers; this is the official version.
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