DAK D Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 (edited) This thread is a work in progress and it will be updated with information about each version of the medal and the known fakes. The obverse shows two gladiators (Germany and Italy) in armour, battling an Nile crocodile (Britain). The Reverse has the inscription “Campagna Italo-Tedesca in Africa”, and, “Italienisch-Deutscher Feldzug in Afrika” surrounding a depiction of the Arco dei Fileni. The medal is nicely maker marked “De Marchis” and “Lorioli Milano”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marble_Arch_(Libya) The type one version was issued in early 1942 and this would have been the version that many of the orginal DAK would have been awarded after the retreat back to El Agheila in Libya. When the medal dies were worn out and the type two version replaced it. Type one obverse note maker mark "Lorioli Milano" is on the right side of the first version. Type one obverse close up. Type one reverse close up. Type 2.2 obverse Type 2.2 obverse close up. Type 2.2 reverse. Type 2.2 reverse close up. Note the damage to the die on the knot that defines this version. Type 3 version will be added to this thread soon. Type 4 Obverse. Type 4 obverse close up note : "De Marchis" is engraved and not embossed. Type 4 reverse Type 4 reverse close up. Note how the size of the knot has changed in length and the the top of the arch does not connect to top of the medal. Edited January 13, 2017 by DAK D 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davejb Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Trust an idiotic tyrant like Gaddafi, to blow the thing up, after it had stood since the late 30s, I,ve always seen these medals in books and every now and then at Arms fairs, but never thought of buying one 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAK D Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share Posted June 17, 2016 3 hours ago, Davejb said: Trust an idiotic tyrant like Gaddafi, to blow the thing up, after it had stood since the late 30s, I,ve always seen these medals in books and every now and then at Arms fairs, but never thought of buying one Hi @Davejb, I agree and it's sad it has gone I have a type 1.0 and a 2.2 and I will buy more, as I really like them. D 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manu Della Valle Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 (edited) On 18/6/2016 at 00:33, DAK D said: Hi @Davejb, I agree and it's sad it has gone Yep! The Hon. Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini dragged this Country into a War nobody was prepared for and nobody really wanted (apart from the "usual suspects" who benefit from Wars and many thousands people who couldn't realize that it would have been a War lost from the very beginning!) BUT he turned acres and acres of desert into a garden and Tripoli was one of the most beautiful cities of the World until and after WW2!Some say that Colonel Gaddafi destroyed the arc because it was considered as a sign of Italian domination in Libya,but since he'd have destroyed cities,roads,monuments as well and since the two bronze statue that ornated the arc and other marble reliefs had been located in a museum in a city not far from Sirte before blowing the monument up seems that the real reason why this landmark was demolished boils down to the fact that the Fileni Arc represented the saparation between Tripolitania and Cyrenaina and Gaddafi wanted to show the World that there wasn't such a separation anymore and that Lybia was one! It remains a crime against history nonetheless,and we've all witnessed the worst ones in the last two or three years in Iraq and Syria! Edited June 20, 2016 by Manu Della Valle 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manu Della Valle Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 Oh,yeah,the medal!CRACKING specimen,Dermot!Gotta love that...thank you for sharing! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikakorpsrat64 Posted June 22, 2016 Share Posted June 22, 2016 Very Nice @DAK D! I have one on my wanted list! My very long wanted list.Lol 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAK D Posted June 22, 2016 Author Share Posted June 22, 2016 Hi @Afrikakorpsrat64, They are not hard to find and there are quite a few variations of this medal, so they are very collectable D 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAK D Posted January 13, 2017 Author Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) Photos back up with my Logo added. D Edited January 16, 2017 by DAK D 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Very nice collectable medal.....Good order and not cleaned....Perfect for a collection....A good Buy...! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 My Dad was there in 1942 with the 8th Army, and fought all the way across to - Sidi Barani, Tripoli, El Aghelia, Fort Capuzzo, El Alamein, Benghazi, etc etc..then across to Sicily, then to Italy.....Soon re-called back to the UK by ship in preparation for the Normandy Landings where he landed with all the rest of Monty's troops on the afternoon of 6th June, 1944..Miss You Dad....My Hero...X The type one version was issued in early 1942 and this would have been the version that many of the orginal DAK would have been awarded after the retreat back to El Agheila in Libya. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAK D Posted January 13, 2017 Author Share Posted January 13, 2017 Hi @Desert Rat, That's a great photo and the BD appears to be an early one, but the unlined collar is really bad on your neck especially after a shave. If you have some more photos of you dad in North Africa I would love to see them, but it would be better to make another thread for them and any items you might have that belonged to you late father. D 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 Hello & Thank you, for appreciating this photo....have to more to find and scan in....Best wishes...IanB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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