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Ruolo Matricolare/Atto di Servizio dates for medal ribbon clasps.

James

New Member
Hi all,

There are usually two initial dates on the Ruolo Matricolare and/or Atto di Servizio - the first is when they were called up for the Leva, and the second is when they were again called up and actually inducted into the relevant military service.

In order to ensure the date clasps for medal ribbons are correct, is the first Leva date included as service, or only the second "Chiamato alle armi" date and onwards?

Thanks for any replies.

Kind regards,

James
Perth
Western Australia
 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
Good day James

Do you have a specific award in mind? Generally the date of conscription doesn't factor into awards or service.

Most of the medals/ribbons for service are based on whether the soldato was in service during the time indicated for the award.

For example, the Medaglia commemorativa del periodo bellico 1940-43 could be awarded if the soldato served at least three months in any of the years covered by the award. The three months do not need to be continuous. The soldato could have been mobilized and served three months in 1940, released and then called up again for three months in 1943. The soldato would be authorized two stars on his ribbon. The soldato could have served less than three months but was wounded. That also makes the individual qualified for a campaign star for that year.

If the soldato was captured, he was still considered in service and was eligible for any awards based on that timeframe.

If there is a specific award you are looking at, it would help to know what it is.

Pista! Jeff

 

James

New Member
Hi Jeff,

The medals are, as you firstly guessed, the 1940-1943 commemorative war medal, and the 1943-1945 commemorative war of liberation medal.

My Uncle Gildo’s foglio matricolare states that he was first called up for the Leva and then placed on leave in 1941, and was then called up again and added to a unit in 1942, with the dates being about a full year apart. Does this qualify him for the 1941 clasp, or only the 1942 onwards?

Also, his Brother, Angelo, was fighting with the Carabinieri in Africa and was captured two days before the official end of hostilities in Tunisia in 1943. I know for certain he was still in a U.S POW camp in Algeria in September 1944. Does this make him eligible for the 1944 clasp for the war of liberation medal? From what I understand, it does not.

Unfortunately, I have not yet found Angelo’s Foglio Matricolare to determine exactly when and where he served - an extensive search has been conducted all over Italy to no avail - I will keep looking!

Always appreciate your replies, Jeff. Thanks again.

Kind regards,

James
 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
James

The awards an individual are authorized are normally listed on the first page of the foglio matricolare in the Campagne box.

I am assuming that zio Gildo was classe 1920-21? If zio Gildo only reported to the local leva board and was released (congedo illimitato), he wouldn't be eligible for a star for 1941. The records written on p.2 in the Arruolamento, Servizi, Promozioni box should tell you how long he was held by the board. If he reported and for some reason wasn't released for three months, even if he hadn't been assigned to a unit, he should be eligible.

1942. If he served for at least three months, OR was wounded, OR was recognized for exceptional service (like being mentioned in dispatches or a letter from his commanding officer), OR got sick from an illness based on being in the army, OR received a medal for valor, then he would be eligible for a star of 1942.

Remember that the three months for eligibility in a given year need not be consecutive in that year. Eligibility for multiple years need not be consecutive.

Zio Angelo. If he was released from the POW camp and didn't join any of the Co-belligerent forces or worked as a partisan, then no. POW status didn't confer eligibility. What counted was active service. The original name of the award was Distintivo della guerra di liberazione in corso contro i tedeschi. As you can see, the award was for service against the Germans. Eligibility was later modified to included those working battlefield clean-up (clearing mines, obstacles, etc.).

RE: Zio Angelo's foglio. I assume you have his original place and date of birth. Note that some of the districts were redrawn after the war, so the district in where the records are now kept might not be the same one as named on his birth record. I have not previously research a carabinieri foglio, so I don't know if it follows the army system (as it is the senior corps, it might). The 2GM military records for enlisted are now maintained in the Archivio di Stato and not by the military. I assume you already know this, but just in case. You might try contacting the Carabinieri Museum to ask if they can help. If he was an officer, then the Army would still have those records.

Pista! Jeff
 
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James

New Member
Hi Jeff,

Yes it appears that he was called up and then left in congedo illimitato, until being properly called up the following year. So, I guess his service actually starts in 1942 (he served all the way up until 8 September 1943) and then became a partisan leader all the way through until 1945, being awarded a silver medal of military valour in 1963 for actions during the second battle of Mortirolo in 1945.

Am I correct in assuming that Zio Gildo is eligible also for the war merit cross due to his partisan activities?

Concerning Zio Angelo, his records are a mystery. I have the first page of his Atto di Servizio (often incorrectly called the Foglio Matricolare) which shows his voluntary service from 1931 up until 1939. I know that when my Cousin was born in 1941 he was already in Africa, and didn’t return until his eventual repatriation (date unknown).

His detailed foglio matricolare, or even the second page of his atto di servizio appear to be missing. I have contacted every official entity that SHOULD have his documents.

What is interesting, and may assist other members with their researching, is that for months and months I was told that there was no foglio matricolare for Zio Gildo, even though I knew there had to be. The relevant authorities in his correct province of birth had nothing. I persisted and eventually received his foglio matricolare from the army document centre in his 1941 place of residence.

As many know, all records should be with the original province of birth, however in this case, one slipped through the cracks. Even though he moved back to his birth province after the war, the documents did not follow him as they should have.

Concerning Zio Angelo, I have a photo of him in U.S Army uniform, with Italian insignia (Carabinieri fregio and Vice Brigadiere rank). I’m unsure if this was in Italy or elsewhere. It makes me think he may have volunteered with either the Co-Belligerent Forces or some type of Italian Service Unit.

I will now contact all other archives within his birth region, and last known residence region, as I hope, like Zio Gildo, his foglio matricolare has slipped through a crack and still exists somewhere.

The Carabinieri and Army officials presume it may have been destroyed by allied bombing, however he remained in Carabinieri service for his entire career so his foglio matricolare must have been updated during the 1950s and 1960s - so where is it?

I have contacted the relevant departments in Italy to have their medals issued but I have never received a reply. Other people I know received a reply (with the medals!) within 3 months, so go figure.

Kind regards,

James
 

jwsleser

Administrator
Staff member
James

RE: Zio Gildo. From what you have provided, he should be eligible for two stars on the Medaglia commemorativa del periodo bellico 1940-43, and possibly three stars for the Distintivo della guerra di liberazione in corso contro i tedeschi (depending on whether he was a partisan for at least three months in 1943.

Am I correct in assuming that Zio Gildo is eligible also for the war merit cross due to his partisan activities?
From my reading of the criteria, no. Partisan activities don't appear to be recognized for this award. Soldiers taken by the Germans and held as POW do qualify. As a similar statement for partisans is not included (like seen in the commemorative medals), I feel they are excluded. He is entitled based on his military service. Unlike the commemorative medals, the five months for the croce al merito di guerra must be served in a combat theater.

RE: Zio Angelo. You are correct, it is not a foglio Matricolare. The foglio is an actual copy of his military records. An attestato di servizio is a statement of service pulled from official records.

Have you tried to contact l’Arma dei Carabinieri al Centro Nazionale Amministrativo dell’Arma dei Carabinieri di Chieti. (PEI): cnasa@carabinieri.it, (PEC): cnaservamm@pec.carabinieri.it. That is the contact info I got for an attestato di servizio.

Concerning Zio Angelo, I have a photo of him in U.S Army uniform, with Italian insignia (Carabinieri fregio and Vice Brigadiere rank). I’m unsure if this was in Italy or elsewhere. It makes me think he may have volunteered with either the Co-Belligerent Forces or some type of Italian Service Unit.
No, that is likely postwar. The Co-Belligerent Force worn UK uniforms. AFAIK, there were no carabinieri units in the service units.

The Carabinieri and Army officials presume it may have been destroyed by allied bombing,
No records were destroyed by bombing (or a very few if some were).

I have contacted the relevant departments in Italy to have their medals issued but I have never received a reply.
For zio Gildo, what does the 1st page of the foglio state are his awards? That could be the issue. For zio Angelo, you likely need to go through Carabinieri channels. I do feel the museum could really help you with him. With a long service history including wartime, he is a good candidate for them to assist. They tend to like this type of issue.

Pista! Jeff
 

James

New Member
Hi Jeff,

Thanks for your replies!

After having trawled through a lot of Italian documentation and reviewing news articles regarding the recent awarding of medals to Italian WW2 veterans, it does appear clear that La Croce al Merito di Guerra WAS/IS awarded for "Partisan activity". A good source to confirm this (apart from news articles) is to view the "Diploma/Attestato/Certificato" of the veteran where it will be stated that the medal was awarded for "Attività Partigiana".

Now, I have re-organised all of my documents and have re-sent them to the Commando Militare Esercito - Lombardia (as told to by an Army staffer in Milano) in order to have the medals issued. Let's hope something materialises this time!

Kind regards,

James
 
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