Italy (Kingdom): War Merit Cross. 1st type (Great War)

The War Merit Cross (Italian: Croce al Merito di Guerra) is an Italian military decoration. It was instituted on 19 January 1918, by King Victor Emmanuel III

This cross is of the type warded during the Great War, including awards to allied personnel from the British & British Empire armed forces

Basic award criteria eligibility required Italian personnel to have experienced a minimum of one year's combat service, to those who had received the Medal of the Wounded, or to those who, when mentioned for war merit, received a promotion. Also, if an act of valour was deemed insufficient for award of the Medal of Military Valour, the War Merit Cross could be awarded instead

Condition: GVF

Code: 22709