An original Italian Commemorative Medal of the Nationalist Campaign 1920–1923, awarded to Italian volunteers and nationalist forces, known as the Italian Nationalist Association (Associazione Nazionalista Italiana, ANI) and nicknamed the Blueshirts, who participated in operations and actions during the turbulent period of Italy’s early Fascist rise and nationalist movements. Instituted as an award to those who took part in the conflicts that shaped the unstable years following the First World War, including actions in Fiume, Dalmatia, and other contested territories.
This bronze medal features an eagle with its wings spread on a podium with the inscription “Sempre Pronti Per la Patria e Per Il Re” (Always Ready for the Fatherland and for the King). The reverse depicts a plaque within a wreath that reads “1920-23”. It is suspended from a blue ribbon with an Italian tricolour centre.
This piece represents an important part of Italy’s interwar military and political history, marking the transition from nationalist paramilitary actions to the rise of Mussolini’s Fascist regime. It’s an unusual addition for collectors of interwar European medals, Fascist Italy militaria, or those studying the nationalist movements that shaped the early 20th century.
Condition: Good, fairly worn, with the finer details being indistinct
