(Medalla por la Caída de Santander). Constructed of bronze, a Spanish Civil War medal for Italian Volunteer Corps of Santander’s campaign, obverse engraving Italian and Spanish fascists symbols, beneath the inscription 26 VIII 1937 SANTANDER, reverse illustrating Italian troops marching with artillery at the left, tank treads at the right and engraver marked AFFER at the bottom, measuring 32.32 mm (w) x 35.33 mm (h - inclusive integral arc), presenting toned metal, otherwise extremely fine.
Footnote: The Battle of Santander was fought over the summer of 1937 in the North campaign of the Spanish Civil War. Santander's fall on August 26th assured the Nationalist conquest of the province of Santander, now Cantabria, and marked the last stand of the Republic's "Army of the North," which was destroyed and captured in the fighting. The Corps of Volunteer Troops (Corpo Truppe Volontarie, CTV) was a Fascist Italian expeditionary force which was sent to Spain to support the Nationalist forces under General Francisco Franco against the Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939.