Circular bronze medal with integral ribbon bar; the face with the full length nude allegorical figure of a warrior, a sword in his right hand, an inverted fasces in his left, circumscribed ‘GUERRA POR LA UNIDAD ESPANOLA’ (War for Spanish Unity), signed ‘AFFER’ at the base; the reverse the reverse with the Italian fasces imposed centrally on a German cross gammée (swastika) and the yoke and arrows of the Spanish Falange, circumscribed ‘VOLONTARIOS DE GUERRA’; on original slightly worn and faded court mounting. The medal is not to be confused with the official version (1st type) instituted on 6 June 1940 but was produced by Affer and offered by the Milan medallists Lorioli as alternative. Initial Italian volunteers from the ranks of the fascist militia were eventually joined in Spain by ‘volunteers’ from the Italian army and air force serving in the Corpo Truppe Volontarie (Corps of Volunteer Troops). The medal is not often found.
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