Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

SPANISH BLUE DIV. MEDAL

Date

1941

Materials

COPPER OR BRONZE

No. Pieces

1

Length

4.5

Width

3.2

Description

FACE: HELMET, SWORD, SHIELD WITH GERMAN EAGLE PERCHED ON SWASTIKA. SHIELD 5 ARROWS OVER A HORIZONTAL SWORD, LEAVES, & SWASTIKA. REVERSE: "DIVISION ESPANOLA DE VOLUNTARIOS EN RUSIA" LAUREL LEAVES & IRON CROSS.

Subjects

CLOTHING-ACCESSORY

PERSONAL SYMBOL

Historical Association

MILITARY

History

SPANISH BLUE DIVISION, FOUGHT FOR FRANCO IN SPAIN & FIGHTING ON EASTERN FRONT AGAINST RUSSIA. *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF MILITARY OBJECTS, INCLUDING THOSE DONATED BY JAMES BURNESS. ACCORDING TO HIS LETHBRIDGE HERALD OBITUARY, THE DONOR, "JAMES (JIM) NICOL BURNESS OF LETHBRIDGE, PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY ON FEBRUARY 16, 2005 AT THE AGE OF 86. JIM, THE BELOVED HUSBAND OF ANN BURNESS (NEE YANOTA), WAS BORN MAY 11, 1918 IN LETHBRIDGE. A DESCENDANT OF SOUTHERN ALBERTA PIONEERS, JIM GREW UP AND RECEIVED HIS EDUCATION IN BURDETT, ALBERTA AND AT THE AGE OF 24 ENLISTED IN THE CANADIAN ARMY, WHERE HE SERVED PROUDLY AS A STRETCHER-BEARER WITH THE INFANTRY IN THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN OF WORLD WAR TWO. AFTER THE WAR HE WORKED IN CONSTRUCTION FOR TEN YEARS IN BANFF AND LETHBRIDGE. IN 1949 HE MARRIED ANN YANOTA OF BLAIRMORE AND THEY SETTLED IN LETHBRIDGE. THEY BUILT THEIR OWN HOME, ONE IN WHICH THEY LIVED FOR OVER 50 YEARS. JIM COMPLETED A 24-YEAR CAREER WITH THE POST OFFICE, HELPING REVITALIZE THE POSTAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION... HE WAS A MEMBER OF ROTARY, KINSMEN, SHRINERS, SCOTTISH RITE, AND THE LETHBRIDGE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB." SEE PERMANENT RECORD P19860042001 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

Catalogue Number

P19860046002

Acquisition Date

1985-01

Collection

Museum

Less detail