Awards of
World War IIAfter Italy entered the war on the side of Germany and Japan, the need arose to establish an award for the Allies, which became the Order of the Roman Eagle, established by Royal Decree No. 172 of March 14, 1942.
This award was very similar in rank and statute to the Order of the German Eagle, a Third Reich award for foreigners, the highest degree of which, the Grand Cross, was awarded to Italian leader Benito Mussolini in 1937.
Like other orders of chivalry, the award had five degrees:
Cavaliere di Gran Croce - Grand Cross;
Grand’Ufficiale - Grand Officer;
Commendatore - Commander;
Cavaliere Ufficiale - Officer;
Cavaliere - Knight.
Following the model of the German order, the same decree established bronze and silver medals of the order - awarded for military and civilian merits, and considered its 6th and 7th degrees.
This order, like most other Italian awards during World War II, has two The first was awarded to the Kingdom of Italy, and the second as an award of the Republic of Salò (the Italian Social Republic created after the defeat of the royal troops).
The badge of the order was a cross with flared arms, covered in white enamel with a gold border. In the center of the cross was a gold medallion with a superimposed golden eagle bearing the royal coat of arms on its chest. Between the arms of the cross was a laurel wreath of green enamel. The reverse of the badge is identical to the obverse, with the exception of the central medallion, which, instead of an eagle, features three fasces, the emblem of Italian fascism.
The award for military personnel featured crossed gladius swords placed between the ends of a cross, points up.
In the second version of the award, the Savoy eagle was replaced by a Republican eagle, and the imperial fasces were replaced by Republican ones.
The two highest degrees of the order were awarded stars with the award's insignia (cross) superimposed on the center. The star of the 1st degree was eight-pointed, while the star of the 2nd degree was diamond-shaped. The 1st degree badge existed in gold and silver.
The ribbon of the order was originally two-colored, yellow and crimson, with narrow stripes of the national tricolor (green, white, red) along the edges. In August 1942, it became crimson, with yellow stripes along the edge.
The Grand Cross was worn on a ribbon over the right shoulder, at the left hip. The order's star was worn on the left chest.
The Grand Officer and Commander's Cross of the Order was worn on a neck ribbon, along with the Grand Officer's Cross of the Order of the Roman Eagle. The star of the Order was worn on the left chest.
The Officer's and Knight's Cross, as well as the Order's medal, were worn on the left chest. The ribbon of the Officer's Cross of the Order of the Roman Eagle is complemented by a rosette in the colors of the order's ribbon.