What is this? Italian badge

[John Brandon]

Ok Guys I know nothing about Italian badges, and this is no exception.

Posting for a friend (who is a member, but can't upload for some reason)

Believed to be Italian Fascist. Taken by an old boy in Afrika. Any ideas?

Thanks in anticipation

[Nifartachi]

Hi John,

Mussolini set up youth organizations in invaded countries. This belonged to Arabic youth from Libya.

LE ORGANIZZAZIONI GIOVANILI

[big ned]

Hi John,

My Italian is a little rusty i'm afraid, but Gioventu Araba Del Littorio roughly translates as 'Arabic Youth of Littorio'. A Littorio was an ancient roman official and the word means 'Body Guard'.

The Gioventu Araba Del Littorio was an Italian colonial youth corps formed in the 30's in Libya to foster good relations between the indigenous population and the invading Italians. The main objective promoted to the young Libyan boys was facism and it's benefits.

There were also Italian youth corps in Albania, Ethiopia and Eastern Somalialand, all of them wore the fez as part of their uniform.

The massive Italian force in Libya was defeated by a far smaller British contingent in 1940, only German intervention prevented the total fall of Libya in 1941. This is probably when your chap picked up his nice little souvenir!

I've included a very small and crappy photo of the Arabic Youth Corps just for effect, i couldn't make it any bigger i'm afraid!! Hope this helps.

Ciao, Ned.

[John Brandon]

It does help, and thank you all for your efforts. My friend will be delighted to know, at last, what it is.

Thanks again

[Mark Tuson]

Great little badge. Is it worth anything though?

[John Brandon]

I'd like to bump this one up again, anyone have any thoughts on its value?.....................please

[Bricchetto]

Hallo, everybody, this is my first post here.
I discovered this forum just a few seconds ago.
My name is Alessandro, and I'm from Rome.
Sorry for my bad english; perhaps I can try to spend some word about "littorio".

Impereor guards were named "littòri", I mean the specialist soldiers. But they were just rappresentative, they walked togheter the impereor and carried the "fascio".
So, that kind of "fascio" was named "littorio" that means: littorial ("littòri" carried it).
"Fascio" was one of the ancien roman State symbol (the eagle was another).
Fascio was build by an axe ('death pain' that romans did by cutting head) and thin sticks and lashes, for... little sentences.

Curiously, Fascio Littorio was one of the simbols of Francais Revolution in 1789.



My Italian is a little rusty i'm afraid, but Gioventu Araba Del Littorio roughly translates as 'Arabic Youth of Littorio'. A Littorio was an ancient roman official and the word means 'Body Guard'.

[Alan M]

Hi bricchetto , and welcome to the forum , enjoy it thanks for the explanation on this badge . Do you know what the small emblem that is above the writing , Is / represents ?

cheers Al

[Bricchetto]

Hallo, Alan, Thank you for your welcoming.
Please, which small emblem? There is: Fascio littorio, italian writing, arab writing.

[Alan M]

Hi again Bricchetto , i meant the little item that looks like a " golf bag " .......cheers Al