Military medal
Category
Coins and medals
Date
circa 1918
Materials
Bronze, Silk
Measurements
23 x 15 mm
Place of origin
Italy
Order this imageCollection
Attingham Park, Shropshire
NT 609992
Summary
Military medal of c.1918. Small bronze medal, the Italian Cross of Military Valour. Cast with VE monogram under a coronet, 'MERITO DI GUERRA' and on the reverse a five-pointed star. Hung on a blue and white striped silk ribbon. This medal was awarded to Edith Teresa Hulton, later Lady Berwick (1890-1972) by the Italian government in Decemer 1918 in recognition of her service with the British Red Cross in Italy during the First World War. Her Red Cross armbands and headdress remain in the collection at Attingham Park, see National Trust Inventory Numbers 609766.1 and 609745. Letters and certificates relating to Teresa Hultons service in the Red Cross are in the Attingham Collection, Shropshire Archives Accession 112. In a letter to her soon to be husband Thomas Henry Noel-Hill, 8th Baron Berwick of Attingham (1877-1947) dated 18th January 1919, Teresa describes receiving her medal: 'General Caviglia assembled his HQ staff and presented each of us with the Croce di Guerra, making a charming speech. We were much touched and it is a nice ending to our war work especially coming from such a fine soldier’. In his reply to Teresa dated 22nd January 1919 Thomas writes: 'My dear Teresa, I was delighted to hear that you had been decorated by General Caviglia with the Croce di Guerra. My very best congratulations – I feel this is a very great compliment to you and a surely well earned reward for your devoted work for Italy during the war and it gives me the greatest pleasure that you have it'. Edith Teresa Hulton became Lady Berwick when she married Thomas Henry Noel-Hill in Venice on the 30 June 1919.
Provenance
8th Lady Berwick collection; bequeathed to the National Trust by Edith Teresa Hulton, Lady Berwick (1890-1972).