Spain, Spanish State. The Awards Documents And Photo Album Of Admiral Francisco Moreno Fernández

An extensive lot of award documents and photographs from the estate of Admiral Francisco Moreno Fernández, a highly-decorated career Officer of the Spanish Navy who served with distinction in interwar, Spanish Civil War, and Second World War periods. It consists of:

1. An award document for three War Crosses (Cruz de Guerra), constructed of off-white paper stock with multi-coloured ink, the obverse bearing a classic multi-coloured Franco-era Spanish coat of arms above and within a finely-detailed border, featuring a dedication to Moreno Fernández and dated 5 April 1940, issued in Madrid, with the handwritten signature of Minister of the Navy Salvador Moreno Fernández, measuring 292 mm (w) x 390 mm (h), with some tearing and ink staining evident, in very fine condition.

2. An award document for a Medal for the Campaign of 1936-1939, constructed of off-white paper stock with multi-coloured ink, the obverse bearing a classic multi-coloured Franco-era Spanish coat of arms above and within a finely-detailed border, featuring a dedication to Moreno Fernández and dated 5 April 1940, issued in Madrid, with the handwritten signature of Minister of the Navy Salvador Moreno Fernández, measuring 292 mm (w) x 390 mm (h), with some tearing and ink staining evident, in very fine condition.

3. An award document for Cross of Military Merit with Red Distinction, constructed of off-white paper stock with multi-coloured ink, the obverse bearing a classic multi-coloured Franco-era Spanish coat of arms above and within a finely-detailed border, featuring a dedication to Moreno Fernández and dated 5 April 1940, issued in Madrid, with the handwritten signature of Minister of the Navy Salvador Moreno Fernández, measuring 292 mm (w) x 390 mm (H), with some tearing and ink staining evident, in very fine condition.

4. An award document for a Cross of Naval Merit with White Distinction, constructed of off-white paper stock with multi-coloured ink, the obverse bearing a classic multi-coloured Franco-era Spanish coat of arms above and within a finely-detailed border, featuring a dedication to Moreno Fernández and dated 5 April 1940, issued in Madrid, with the handwritten signature of Minister of the Navy Salvador Moreno Fernández, measuring 292 mm (w) x 390 mm (h), with some tearing and ink staining evident, in very fine condition.

5. An award document for a Military Medal, constructed of off-white paper stock with multi-coloured ink, the obverse bearing a classic multi-coloured Franco-era Spanish coat of arms above and within a finely-detailed border, featuring a dedication to Moreno Fernández and dated 14 February 1941, issued on 19 February in Madrid, with the handwritten signature of Minister of the Navy Salvador Moreno Fernández, measuring 292 mm (w) x 390 mm (h), with some tearing and ink staining evident, in very fine condition.

6. Two preliminary award notices, including one issued by the Department of the Navy, informing Moreno Fernández that he has been awarded another Military Medal for meritorious and distinguished conduct during the uncertain times of the Spanish Civil War, dated 27 January 1942, featuring the handwritten signature of Chief of Staff Guillermo Diaz del Rio, measuring 160 mm (w) x 215 mm (h), with minor discolouration evident, in near extremely fine condition, and; one issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, informing Moreno Fernández tha the has been awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III in recognition of his exceptional services to the Navy, issued in Madrid on 1 October 1942 and effective from that date, with the handwritten signature of Minister of Foreign Affairs Francisco Gómez-Jordana Sousa, measuring 218 mm (w) x 218 mm (h), in near extremely fine condition. Moreno Fernández was also the recipient of numerous foreign distinctions, including the following documents:

7. An award document for a French Legion of Honour, Knight’s Decoration, constructed of white-paper stock, dated 16 February 1914, issued in Paris, measuring 525 mm (w) x 425 mm (h), with some discolouration evident in additional to folding creases, in near extremely fine condition.

8. An award document for an Italian Order of the Crown, Officer’s Cross, constructed of off-white paper stock, featuring a dedicated to Moreno Fernández in his capacity as an Officer of the Spanish Navy, dated 2 August 1924, issued in Rome, with the handwritten signature of Paolo Boselli, measuring 250 mm (w) x 360 mm (h), in extremely fine condition; accompanied by its preliminary award notice, issued by the Italian embassy in Madrid, dated 7 June 1924, measuring 208 mm (w) x 290 mm (h), in extremely fine condition.

9. An award document for an Italian Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, Knight’s Cross (V Class), constructed of off-white paper stock, bearing a dedication to Moreno Fernández in his capacity as a Corvette Captain in the Spanish Navy, dated 6 April 1927, issued in Rome, with the handwritten signature of Paolo Boselli, measuring 250 mm (w) x 365 mm (h), in near extremely fine condition; accompanied by its preliminary award notice, issued by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dated 19 January 1927, measuring 210 mm (w) x 290 mm (h), in extremely fine condition.

10. An award document for a Moroccan Order of Mehdi, Grand Star, constructed of off-white paper stock, bearing a dedication to Moreno Fernández in recognition of his services as an Admiral of the Spanish Navy, dated 14 December 1936, measuring 310 mm (w) x 440 mm (h), in extremely fine condition; accompanied by an insert featuring an Islamic prayer, measuring 230 mm (w) x 362 mm (h), in extremely fine condition.

11. An award document for an Italian Order of the Crown, Knight’s Grand Cross with Sash, constructed of off-white paper stock, bearing a dedication to Moreno Fernández as an Admiral and in his capacity of commander of Spanish units in the Mediterranean blockade of Republican forces during the Spanish Civil War, dated 2 February 1939, measuring 282 mm (w) x 390 mm (h), in extremely fine condition.

12. An award document for an Order of the German Eagle, Grand Cross with Swords, constructed of off-white paper stock, bearing a dedication to Moreno Fernández as a Vice Admiral of the Spanish Navy, dated 5 June 1939, issued in Berlin, featuring facsimile signatures of AH and Joachim von Ribbentrop, with the handwritten signature of Otto Meissner, measuring 250 mm (w) x 358 mm (h), accompanied by its original folio, constructed of off-white card stock, the cover bearing an embossed gilt German national eagle, measuring 260 mm (w) x 368 mm (h), also accompanied by a booklet containing the statutes of the order, constructed of a card stock binding with non-paginated interior pages, measuring 212 mm (w) x 296 mm (h), a rare fully complete presentation set in overall extremely fine condition.

13. An award document for a Greek Order of the Phoenix, constructed of off-white paper stock and featuring a dedication to Moreno Fernández in his capacity as an Officer of the Spanish Navy, measuring 224 mm (w) x 340 mm (h), in extremely fine condition.

14. A Spanish Civil War wartime photo album, constructed of a maroon card stock binding, the spine perforated with two holes at the cover bearing an Italian inscription of “AVIAZIONE LEGIONARIA - PALMA DI MAIORCA - DICEMBRE 1937-XVI-IIT.”, the interior featuring eight card stock pages, each pasted with a single large black-and-white photo of units and personnel of the Italian Legionary Air Force (the Italian equivalent of the Condor Legion intervening on behalf of Franco’s Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War), also accompanied by two loose press photos depicting personnel of the Spanish Navy with Spanish studio marks, the album measuring 345 mm (w) x 250 mm (h), with only minor material fatigue evident, a fascinating and well-presented look at Italian forces in the Spanish Civil War in extremely fine condition.

15. A studio portrait featuring a touched-up depiction of Moreno Fernández in dress uniform and with a variety of decorations on clear display, the reverse bearing the stamped mark of a Madrid photo studio, measuring 112 mm (w) x 175 mm (h), in extremely fine condition.

Footnote: Francisco Moreno Fernández was born on 7 November 1883 in San Fernando, Cádiz. He was the brother of Salvador, who himself went on to become an Officer and later Minister of the Spanish Navy. He entered the Naval Academy at Ferrol at the age of 14, and by 19 was commissioned as an Officer. In 1917, Moreno Fernández was part of a delegation of Spanish personnel sent to Germany to observe the country’s ports, defences, and factories, culminating in a tour of combat zones. Upon returning to Spain, Moreno Fernández held commands of various torpedo craft and hydroponic units, eventually gaining specialist qualifications in naval artillery. While commander of the Larache Coast Guard in Morocco, he was promoted to Captain in 1935 and appointed Director of the Naval War College. With the launch of the Nationalist coup in July 1936, both Francisco and his brother Salvador pledged allegiance to rebel forces promoted to Vice (Rear) Admiral, he commanded naval units enforcing the blockade of Republican forces in the Mediterranean, and was instrumental in ending the Republican counter-blockade by overseeing the destruction of Republican warships in the area. Following the Nationalist victory in the Spanish Civil war, Moreno Fernández was promoted to Admiral and published his memories. Passing away in A Coruña on 21 January 1945, he was posthumously ennobled by Francisco Franco with the title of Marquis de Alboran on 1 April 1950 (Victory Day).