Auction Catalogue

27 & 28 September 2016

Starting at 10:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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Lot

№ 1325

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28 September 2016

Hammer Price:
£240

A rare Second World War Al Valore Militare group of four awarded to Sub. Lieutenant Ignazio Spinali, Regi Marina Italiana, who was twice decorated for successful actions fought by the Italian submarines Ambra and Ascianghi in the Mediterranean

Italy, Al Valore Militare, bronze, the reverse centre officially inscribed to ‘Ignazio Spinali’, with ‘Mediterraneo Orientale 31 Marzo 1941 - XIX’ around, in its Cravanzola, Rome case of issue; Italy, Croce di Guerra Militare (2) as awarded to the recipient in March 1946; Italy, War Commemorative Medal 1940-43, with dated clasps for ‘1940’, ‘1941’, ‘1942’ and ‘1943’, generally good very fine (4) £300-400

Ignazio Spinali was born in Cantania, Sicily in February 1916, the son of Guiseppe and Di Fazio Maria Spinali.

Commissioned in the Regia Marina Italiana, he served as a Sub. Lieutenant and submariner in the Ambra in the Mediterranean from about June 1940. He was awarded the Al Valore Militare in bronze for his courage in an attack on a British convoy south-east of Crete on 31 March 1941, as a consequence of which the light cruiser H.M.S.
Bonaventure was torpedoed and sunk. Italian records state that he actively contributed to the success of the torpedo attack and in cleverly avoiding the Royal Navy’s response.

In February 1943, Spinali won a second Al Valore Militare in bronze, for his gallantry in the Italian submarine
Ascianghi. The citation states that the action in question took place in the Bay of Bougie during the Allied Operation ‘Torch’ landings on 15 November, when the Ascianghi’s captain sighted three ships and launched three torpedoes, the last of which sunk the fast minesweeper Algerine. Spinali ‘attended his duties with composure, ability and courage, and actively contributed to the success of the mission.’

Of Spinali’s remaining wartime career, in the period leading up to the Italian capitulation in September 1943, nothing certain is known. However, it is worth noting that the
Ascianghi fought her final action in July 1943. Forced to surface by the Royal Navy, she was sunk by gunfire from the destroyers Laforey and Eclipse: out of the submarine’s complement of 50 officers and ratings, 27 survived; sold with copied research and letters from the Defence Attache at the Italian Embassy, London, confirming all of the above awards with citations.