Italy Star

 

World War II.

 

Further relevant historical context can be found at the foot of this entry.

 

 

The Italy Star was a British Commonwealth campaign medal presented for service during World War II. The medal was instituted in 1945 and was awarded for operational service (on land) in Italy, Greece, Yugoslavia, Pantelleria, the Aegean area and Dodecanese Islands, and Elba at any time between 11 June 1943 and 8 May 1945.

 

Other areas to qualify for the award are: Sicily - between 11 June 1943 - 17 August 1943, Sardinia - between 11 June 1943 – 19 September 1943, Corsica - between 11 June 1943 – 4 October 1943

 

Additionally, Royal and Merchant Navy service in the Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea and operations in and around the Dodecanese Islands, Corsica, Greece, Sardinia and Yugoslavia after 11 June 1943 would also qualify. The six months service for the 1939-45 had to be earned, before service could count towards the Italy Star.

 

Naval shore-based personnel were covered by the Army qualification requirements.

 

Army personnel had no prior time qualification.

 

Air Force personnel had no prior time qualification. Qualification involved participation in aircrew service within the Mediterranean theatre, including sorties from the Mediterranean area over Europe.

 

Entry into Austrian Territory during the last few days of the Second World War qualified for this star.

 

The star was immediately awarded if the service period was terminated by death, disability or wounding.

 

To wear the Italy Star also enables the wearer to join the Italy Star Association.

 

 

The medal is of a six–pointed star design and was struck in yellow copper zinc alloy, with a height of 44mm and a maximum width of 38mm.

 

The obverse of this medal has a central design of the Royal Cypher of King George VI, surmounted by a crown. The cypher is surrounded by a circlet containing the inscription; ‘THE ITALY STAR’.

 

The reverse is plain, with the recipient's name impressed only on the medals issued to Australian and South African forces. The ribbon is attached to the medal by a ring that passes through the uppermost point of the star.

 

 

 

The ribbon is 32mm wide and consists of a number of equal width stripes of red, white, green which represent the colours of the flag of Italy.

 

The ribbon for this medal, along with those of the other Second World War campaign stars, is reputed to have been designed by King George VI.

 

 

None were authorised for this medal.

 

Further relevant historical context can be found at the foot of this entry.

 

 

 

* It should be noted that the values quoted above reflect the average price that a medal dealer may expect to sell this medal for - please see the ‘things you should know’ web page for more details about valuing medals.

 

 

This section contains information on:-

 

- The Italian Campaign.

 

The Italian Campaign - The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters (AFHQ) was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the invasion of Sicily and the campaign on the Italian mainland until the surrender of German forces in Italy in May 1945.

 

It is estimated that between September 1943 and April 1945, some 60,000 Allied and 50,000 German soldiers died in Italy. Overall Allied casualties during the campaign totalled about 320,000 and the corresponding Axis figure (excluding those involved in the final surrender) was about 336,650.

 

No campaign in the West (Mediterranean, Middle East and Western Fronts) cost more than the Italian campaign in terms of lives lost and wounds suffered by infantry forces.

 

The independent states of San Marino and the Vatican, both surrounded by Italian territory, also suffered damage during the campaign.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.