Original Item: Only One Available. This is a fantastic example of a locally produced (Italian) souvenir, made for soldiers during the Italian campaign from 1943 to 1945. Advancing Armies often found themselves with periods of occupation in the country that they had recently fought to liberate. Local people had to supply food and board for these Soldiers and at times, finding other ways to relieve them of their hard earned money. A phrase, coined in England, to describe the American Soldier was "Over Paid, over Sexed....and over Here!"

During the German occupation of Italy from 1941 through 1945, Italian tradesmen made uniforms, insignia and materials for the German War Machine. When the Allies liberated Naples in October of 1943, these same craftsman turned a eye to a new customer and liberator, the Americans.

This M1 helmet was produced in Italy was amongst many other examples that were produced as souvenir paperweights. Each measured approximately 3 inches and was constructed of lead. The craftsman tried to follow closely to the design of the M1 helmet and even included a canvas chinstrap attached to the rear of the helmet which is unfortunately not present on this example. This helmet has the North Africa Command enameled insignia on the front with the letters PBS for Peninsular Base Section and is painted a dark green. The paint on the helmet is retained quite well though there are areas of loss. The enameled insignia does have a small section missing but is otherwise in lovely condition.

A great example of an Italian made souvenir item! Comes more than ready for further research and display.

Italian Campaign
The Italian campaign of World War II, also called the Liberation of Italy following the German occupation in September 1943, consisted of Allied and Axis operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to 1945. The joint Allied Forces Headquarters (AFHQ) was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre and it planned and led the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, followed in September by the invasion of the Italian mainland and the campaign in Italy until the surrender of the German Armed Forces in Italy in May 1945.

It is estimated that between September 1943 and April 1945, 60,000–70,000 Allied and 38,805–150,660 German soldiers died in Italy. The number of Allied casualties was about 330,000 and the German figure (excluding those involved in the final surrender) was over 330,000. Fascist Italy, prior to its collapse, suffered about 200,000 casualties, mostly POWs taken in the invasion of Sicily, including more than 40,000 killed or missing. Over 150,000 Italian civilians died, as did 35,828 anti-fascist partisans and some 35,000 troops of the Italian Social Republic. On the Western Front of World War II, Italy was the most costly campaign in terms of casualties suffered by infantry forces of both sides, during bitter small-scale fighting around strongpoints at the Winter Line, the Anzio beachhead and the Gothic Line.

The invasion of Sicily in July 1943 led to the collapse of the Fascist Italian regime and the fall of Mussolini, who was deposed and arrested by order of King Victor Emmanuel III on 25 July. The new government signed an armistice with the Allies on 8 September 1943. However, German forces soon took control of Northern and Central Italy; Mussolini, who was rescued by German paratroopers, established a collaborationist puppet state, the Italian Social Republic (RSI), to administer the German-occupied territory. The Germans, sometimes with Italian fascists, also committed several atrocities against civilians and non-fascist troops. The Italian Co-Belligerent Army was created to fight against the RSI and its German allies, alongside the large Italian resistance movement, while other Italian troops continued to fight alongside the Germans in the National Republican Army; this period is known as the Italian Civil War. In April 1945, Mussolini was captured by the Italian resistance and summarily executed by firing squad. The campaign ended when Army Group C surrendered unconditionally to the Allies on May 2, 1945, one week before the formal German Instrument of Surrender. The independent states of San Marino and the Vatican, both surrounded by Italian territory, also suffered damage during the conflict.