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Spanish Rif War medals

Article about: Hello everyone I do not know whether the post is a little off topic or not but I wanted to present here two medals that I bought here in Romania, attributed to the Spanish Moroccan War of th

  1. #1

    Default Spanish Rif War medals

    Hello everyone
    I do not know whether the post is a little off topic or not but I wanted to present here two medals that I bought here in Romania, attributed to the Spanish Moroccan War of the early '20. Both medals came on a very damaged metal support that I chose to remove. I have identified them as the Order of Military Merit - silver cross with red distinction (Type IV - 1875-1931) and the Moroccan Campaign Medal with two clasps - Mellila and Alhucemas (a rare find).
    I do not know much about Spanish orders and medals but these two pieces are surely a nice addition to my small collection
    Best regards
    Sever (Romania)
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture Spanish Rif War medals   Spanish Rif War medals  

    Spanish Rif War medals   Spanish Rif War medals  


  2. #2

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    Hi Sever.
    Today is the first time I have uploaded a thread to this sector of the forum and coincidentally I noticed your post.
    You have a good pair of medals there.
    I started my collection more than twenty years ago, quickly, with Spanish medals from the Rif War.
    My Red Cross of Military Merit is the same as yours, although the ribbon of mine is one of replacement.
    My Medal of the Campaign of Morocco 1916 (that of the green ribbon) has the clasp "MELILLA", like yours. The "ALHUCEMAS" clasp was awarded to the participants in the amphibious operation of the Alhucemas landing in September of 1,925, which marked the beginning of the end of Abd El Krim's rebellion and which would end the total pacification of the Spanish protectorate in 1927 ( which, by the way, is commemorated with another medal, one of my favorites, the so-called Moroccan Peace Medal)
    The Alhucemas pin is much appreciated. They are a good pair and if you have paid the right price, a success.

  3. #3

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    Thank you very much Mr.TABSTABS1964 for all the info regarding these Spanish Medals. In Romania these type of finds are rather rare so I had to search on the internet to see a little bit of history. I am especially fond of Alhucemas bar as it is scarcer to find than Mellila one. For both the medals that were together with a metal bar-mounting I have paid 70 euros, a fair price since, as I said,these pieces are rare finds.
    All the best regards
    Sever

  4. #4

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    I congratulate you.
    You have made a great purchase.
    Although the market is currently somewhat low, I would not sell my Moroccan medal for less than 110 euros.
    By the way the Red Cross of Military Merit of your photo, (and the mine) of the reigns of Alfonso XII and Alfonso XIII (1875-1931) is the model or type V.
    Model IV is the immediately previous one (1873-1874) of the First Republic.
    Best regards.
    Santi

  5. #5

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    I never imagined that I would exhibit my collection of the War of the Rif and the War of Morocco in this forum. So it was a fortunate chance to discover this thread of yours yesterday, friend Sever.
    I must say that a large number of historians agree that it is difficult to understand our Civil War, without the endless and bloody African campaigns from 1909 to 1927, in which the great generals of both sides of our Civil War, forged their careers, received their wounded and became leaders of soldiers.
    But we must go even further. Because when in the summer of 1941 our Blue Division goes to Russia, from the General in command Agustín Muñoz Grandes, to Colonels in command of Regiments; Lieutenant Colonels, Majors and senior Captains, were all veterans who fought in our war in Morocco as junior officers or as noncommissioned officers and then, between 1936 and 1939, they fought again in our Civil War.
    Well I think I've extended too much.
    The fact is that I have opened my display case and I have taken some medals, a ribbon bar and a regimental number and I have placed them on some maps and I have photographed them.
    I hope you don't mind following your thread, so thank you in advance, and enjoy the photos.
    I will only make a comment explaining what they are.
    Best regards.
    Santi
    Last edited by TabsTabs1964; 11-02-2019 at 07:40 PM.

  6. #6

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    Spanish Rif War medals

    From Left to right:
    1. Medal of the Peace of Morocco, 1927
    2. "Melilla" Medal (Clasps: GURUGU, SIDI HAMED EL HACH and GARET DE BENI BU YAHI) with Wounded Blade, Bronze Category (03.20.1910)

    3. The Medal of the Majority of Alfonso XIII. Bronze Category (19.07.1902)
    4. Medal of "Morocco" (Clasp melilla) Bronze Category (29.06.1916)
    5. Military Merit Cross with Red Badge (war time) Model 1875-1931. Alfonso XIII Era.
    Regimental neck Number “68” of the Africa 68 Infantry Regiment, one of the massacred by the rebels of Abd El Krim, during the "Annual Disaster" in 1921
    Ribbon bar of a veteran of Morocco and Spanish Civil War with eight awards.
    The medals are placed on an original handmade map using Chinese ink, pen and watercolors by a communications service soldier. It is from the operations area of Division 93, corresponds to Tetuán and Xauen.
    Last edited by TabsTabs1964; 11-02-2019 at 05:26 PM.

  7. #7

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    Then come two images of the two medals with which you started the thread, placed on the same map.

    Spanish Rif War medals

    Spanish Rif War medals

  8. #8

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    Finally the medals placed on a facsimile map of the former Spanish Protectorate in Morocco. To the left of your two medals, the bay of Alhucemas (where the Spanish-French landing will take place in 1925) and to the right, the Spanish city of Melilla.

    Spanish Rif War medals

    Thanks again for allowing me to add post to your thread. I hope you enjoyed them

    Best regards
    Santi

  9. #9

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    Dear Mr. Santi.Thank you very much for explaining some facts about the less known Rif War and also for sharing with us your extraordinary set of awards dated in this period. They are fascinating and I am sure that each item has behind it a story that is worth to be known so I very much enjoyed seeing the photos. I am also very happy managing to add the two medals to my collection due to the fact that they are somewhat rare finds in our country.
    Thank you again for sharing your knowledge
    All the best regards from Romania
    Sever

  10. #10
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    Thank you Santi for bringing me to this thread and explaining what I have, it has been unknown to me for 30 years sitting in my 'random' case of medals!

    Here is my version of the Order of Military Merit, Silver Cross from the First Republic, 1873-1874 issue.


    Spanish Rif War medals

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