Summary

War Merit Cross ( Croce al merito di Guerra), Italy, World War I, Italy, 1918 AD

Medal awarded to Antonio Zarro in recognition of his military service in Italy during World War I, 1914-18. He brought this and three other service medals with him when he migrated to Australia from Italy in 1924.

"The War Merit Cross (Italian: Croce al Merito di Guerra) is an Italian military decoration. It was instituted by King Victor Emmanuel III during World War I on 19 January 1918". War Merit Cross (Italy), Wikipedia. Accessed 11 Jan 2024.

Physical Description

Bronze cross-shape medal with ring for suspension. The obverse features the royal cypher under a crown in the upper arm, MERITO DI GVERRA on the horizontal arms and a Roman sword point upwards, on oak leaves, in the lower arm. The reverse features a five pointed star on radiate background.

Obverse Description

Star at centre

Reverse Description

Inscription (in Italian): MERITO DI GUERRA

Significance

This collection represents the important theme of internment and restriction of 'enemy aliens' and POWs during World War II, and complements other material in the Museum's collection relating to German and Italian internment.

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