Capitano Barry Gionelli
Italian Sirte Division
Our WWII Zone CGI uniform model Barry is wearing the For that reason he is wearing the cotton twill tropical uniform and "bustina" (field cap) of the Italian Africa Corps.
The Italian Army served alongside their German Axis partners in the battle for North Africa from 1940 to 1943.
The bustina was unique to Italian uniforms.
It was worn on all fronts, in materials ranging from light cotton to heavy wool. It featured practical ear-flaps for cold & wind, and the split visor could be folded down to shade the eyes when needed.
The red enameled shield ("scudetto") on this Capitano's left arm identifies him as a member of the Sirte Division, which fought with the XXII Corps under Generale di Corpo d'Armata Petassi Manella, headquartered at Tobruk.
This Capitano's ribbon bar displays two high awards: The Order of Military Merit (Officer Class), and the Military Medal for Valor in Gold. The red and yellow ribbon is of a medal that recognizes service in support of Francisco Franco's Nationalist rebels during the Spanish Civil War, and the diamond-shaped pin beneath the ribbons is an Albanian award for participation in the Italian effort against Greece and Yugoslavia in 1940-41.