Italian Mothers and Widows Medal

Italian Mothers and Widows Medal. Unnamed as issued. Obverse: An allegorical design, with a female figure presenting a wreath to a fallen warrior, while another stands beside in an attitude of mourning. Reverse: The inscription 'IL FIGLIO CHE TI NACQVE DAL DOLORE TI RINASCE, "O BEATA" NELLA GLORIA E IL VIVO EROE "PIENA DI GRAZIA" E'TECO' on eight lines e(The son which thou bore, is re-born to thee, oh blessed one, in glory. He lived and died a hero. In gratitude.). The medal is fitted with a fixed bar loop suspender and a piece of grey 38 mm ribbon that has a 6 mm central tricolour stripe of green, white and red.

Instituted by a royal decree of 24 May 1919 and awarded to all Italian mothers and widows of Italian servicemen who died during the First World War. This medal is part of a collection assembled by the late Hon. Sir Thomas Hughes, Member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales. It was presented to the Memorial in memory of his son, Captain Roger Forrest Hughes, Australian Army Medical Corps, who died of wounds in France on 11 December 1916 and his grandson, Flying Officer Peter Roger Forrest Hughes, 12 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, who was killed on active service while flying in the Northern Territory on 3 October 1942.