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Circular silvered bronze medal on laterally-pierced cylinder suspension; the face with the Gallic cockerel, a rayed rising sun beyond, circumscribed ‘CORPS EXPEDITIONNAIRE FRANÇAISE D’ITALIE * 1943-1944 *’ within a laurel wreath border; the reverse inscribed ‘CEF’, circumscribed ‘REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE ' and signed ‘CARLIER DEL BENARD SC’ within a laurel wreath border, with Paris Mint cornucopia bronze assay mark; on original ribbon.
The Medal was created on 1 April 1953 and awarded to members of the French Expeditionary Corps on active service in Italy from 1st December 1943 to 25th July 1944.
The corps, composed largely of Free French troops from North Africa, saw fierce fighting at Garigliano near Monte Cassino and played a crucial part in the breakthrough to Rome.
Both the laurel wreath round the edge of the medal and the red and white vertically-striped ribbon recall the Medal for the Italian Campaign of 1859.
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