United Kingdom. A "Souvenir of Florence" Liberation Medal 1944
Great Britain, Italy (Kingdom); Silvered zinc with red, white, yellow and black paint, obverse illustrating the Florence Cathedral with Brunelleschi’s Dome in the background, a fleur-de-lis above and inscribed "SOUVENIR OF FLORENCE" within a rectangular box below, reverse illustrating the British Eighth Army insignia, inscribed "LIBERATED FLORENCE 1944" below, flanked by branches of laurel leaves, surrounded by the inscription "KEEP ME ALWAYS I WILL BRING YOU GOOD LUCK", the name plate at the bottom un-named, 42.2 mm (w) x 52 mm (h), slot at the top with a blue cord fed through it, the opposite end of the cord tied to a key ring, traces of silvering remains, chipping evident in all three colours of paint on the Eight Army insignia on the reverse, very fine.
Footnote: The arrival of the Allies on August 11, 1944 is generally considered the day of the liberation of Florence. On the morning of August 11, 1944, after the tolling of La Campana del Popolo (the people’s bell) in Palazzo Vecchio, every church bell in Florence began to sound and thousands of Florentines rose up to push the Germans out ahead of the advancing Allies.