In April 1939, this award was instituted to commemorate the bravery of the German volunteers in the Spanish civil war. 1,126 awards in gold with swords were granted. It is marked L56 on the reverse for the maker Robert Hauschild of Pforzheim.

This is the classic Forestry cutlass worn by senior Foresters (denoted by the ivory grip and the gold/green knot) across Europe from the early 18th century onwards. They continued in use through the Weimar era and Third Reich, only latterly losing the by-knife. Lower ranks wore cutlasses with a stag horn grip and a plain green knot.

This is an Austrian pattern, which was adopted by the British army in 1796 as a dress sword for Heavy Cavalry general officers and militia units. It would have been used throughout the Peninsula War and at Waterloo and beyond until about 1820 or so.

This is a senior administrative officer's sword, probably either a surgeon or an apothecary, viz the twin-headed serpent on the guard. The little dolphin head at the end of the knuckle bow by the pommel indicates the naval branch of service. The mounts are ormolu and the grip is ebony.

These dirks would have been carried by Royal Navy as well as merchant marine officers, even, rather more rarely, by army officers. This classic dirk has a whalebone haft (which, at first glance, might appear to be of walrus ivory, but on closer inspection is definitely whale bone) and iron mounts. The style of hilt, pommel and grip dates it.