Commemorative Medal of the Expedition to Albania
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| Commemorative Medal of the Expedition to Albania | |
|---|---|
  The obverse of the Stefano Johnson-Milan (Crippa Emilio) version of the medal (left), and the reverse of another version with the Albanian double-headed eagle. | |
| Type | Commemorative medal |
| Awarded for | Service during the Italian invasion of Albania in 1939 |
| Presented by | Kingdom of Italy |
| Eligibility | Military personnel, merchant mariners, and civilians |
| Status | Abolished 13 December 2010 |
| Established | 7 March 1940 |
 Ribbon of the medal | |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Commemorative Medal of the War of Liberation |
| Next (lower) | Medal of Honor for Italian Citizens Deported and Interned in Nazi Concentration Camps 1943-1945 |
The Commemorative Medal of the Expedition to Albania was a decoration granted by the Kingdom of Italy to personnel who participated in the Italian invasion of Albania in 1939. It was abolished in 2010 after the Italian Republic deemed it obsolete.
The Kingdom of Italy invaded Albania on 7 April 1939 and quickly conquered the country in a five-day campaign. The Italian conquest resulted in the replacement of the Kingdom of Albania under King Zog I with the Italian protectorate of Albania, with King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy as its king. The protectorate lasted from 1939 to 1943. To commemorate participation in the April 1939 invasion, Victor Emmanuel III established the Commemorative Medal of the Expedition to Albania with Royal Decree Number 683 on 7 March 1940.[1]
After deeming the medal obsolete, the Italian Republic abolished it on 13 December 2010.[2]
Eligibility
Eligibility for the medal extended to personnel of the Italian Army, Regia Marina (English: Royal Navy), and Regia Aeronautica (English: Royal Air Force) and to merchant marine crews who took part in the invasion and occupation of the territory of the Albanian Kingdom between 7 and 16 April 1939, as well as to military and civilian personnel who supported the invading forces in Albania between those dates.
In addition to this officially authorized use, it was the custom of some military personnel to wear the medal in commemoration of their service in the Italian Protectorate of Albania during World War II, which Italy entered in June 1940.
