Italy - Kingdom of: The rare ‘non-operational’ Sicily incident May 1908 Al Valore Militare in Bronze for breaking up a brawl in Syracuse, Great War Cross of War Merit, Italo-Turkish War 1911-1912 and long service group awarded to Sergeant Salvatore Fuggetta, 90th Infantry. Fugetta was from Syracuse in Sicily, and was on home service when on 17th May 1908 he earned a rare non-operational award of the Al Valore Militare in Bronze for having courageously rushed to break up a serious brawl. Despite threats and insults, with the help of others he arrested one of the contenders who was armed with a knife. He later took part in the Italian Turkish War of 1911 to 1912 which led to the conquest of Libya, and subsequently served in the First World War. His regiment was one of two which formed the Salerno Brigade and saw service on the Asiago Plateau from 1916, and then over in France with the Italian forces that fought there during 1918. For this period he added the Cross of War Merit for a further act of outstanding service.
Italy - Kingdom of - group of 4 awards: Al Valore Militare in Bronze, obverse with F.G. initials, reverse officially engraved: ‘SALVATORE FUGGETTA 17-5-1908’; Cross of War Merit, Royal issue with cypher of Victor Emmanuel III; Long Service Decoration with Crown for 16 years, in silver, post 1912 issue; Commemorative Medal for the Italo-Turkish War 1911-1912, official version being Zecca maker mark.
Condition: some contact wear, specifically to last, overall Very Fine.
Salvatore Fuggetta came from Syracuse, Sicily, and saw service in the Italian Army. It was whilst he was serving as a Sergeant (Sergente) (No.18443) with the 90th Infantry, and when in his home town of Syracuse (Siracusa) he broke up a serious brawl that occurred there on 17th May 1908. He assisted in arresting one of the brawlers who was armed with a knife, and for this courageous act, was awarded the Al Valore Militare in Bronze, this being a scarce award when awarded for an act of bravery not performed in battle. His award was announced in the Official Gazette of the Ministry of War for 1908.
The citation reads as follows: “Accorso animosamente a sedare una grave rissa, senza lasciarsi intimidire da minaccie, affronto e, con l'altrui aluto, trasse in arresto uno dei contendenti armato di coltello.” This translates as: “He courageously rushed to break up a serious brawl, without being intimidated by threats, insults and, with the help of others, he arrested one of the contenders armed with a knife.”
Fuggetta went on to see service in the Italo-Turkish War of 1911 to 1912 when engaged in operations which led to the conquest of Libya which was wrestled from the hands of the fading Ottoman Empire. The Commemorative Medal for the Italo-Turkish War 1911-1912 was awarded to the expeditionary force, colonial troops and attached civilians and the naval military and civilians involved in the conquest of Libya.
Fuggetta was a long serving soldier with over 16 years service and he appears to have gone on to see service during the First World War, as he then received the Cross of War Merit, which was instituted in January 1918, and awarded to all those whose military conduct deserved public recognition. His regiment formed part of the Salerno Brigade (Brigata Salerno) and saw service during the fighting on the Asiago Plateau from 1916 through to 1918 when it transferred to France for service on the Western Front.
