Gilt bronze and enamel Greek cross with looped ribbon, between and as though threaded through the arms, with loop for ribbon suspension; the face with the cross in gilt-edged grey enamel with black and white enamel looped ribbon between and as though through the arms, a central circular medallion imposed with a gilt Balkan Moslem townscape on an orange enamel ground within a circular gilt studded border; the reverse inscribed ‘ORIENTE BALCANICO / 1914 = 1919 / ALBANIA = MACEDONIA’; on an old incorrect ribbon, the face age-faded. The Cross was instituted in 1924 by the Unione Nazionale Reduci Oriente Balcanico for the veterans of the Balkan campaigns of World War I against Austro-Hungarian and Bulgarian forces who had over-run Serbia and was announced in the Domenica del Corriere of 23 March 1924. Qualifying veterans, many of whom were struggling financially at this time, had to purchase the medal and, as a result of this and the relatively small number of veterans of this theatre of war, it is very rare.