206 Benito Mussolini: Personal Car Pennant as Primo Caporale d'Onore of the M.V.S.N.
Benito Mussolini: Car pennant of the Duce, Benito Mussolini, as Primo Caporale d' Onore of the Italian Facist Militia M.V.S.N..
The pennant made of black silk with the Roman eagle embroidered directly on the cloth, the lictor bundle, as symbol of Italian fascism, in its clutches.
Above it the insignia of the rank of Primo Caporale d'Onore of the fascist militia M.V.S.N. - Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale.
Magnificent bullion embroidery of outstanding quality in gilded and silver-plated metal threads. The rank insignia made of red wool threads in finest hand embroidery.
Lacing cords at the ends.
The fascist militia existed from 1923 to 1943: Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale (MVSN for short, "Voluntary Militia for National Security").
It emerged from the Black Shirt movement, or the Fasci di Combattimento. In the MVSN, the structures of the Roman army were copied.
The Duce, Benito Mussolini, was nominally commander-in-chief and held the honorary rank of Primo Caporale d'Onore.
The M:V:S:N: was led by the Chief of Staff with the rank of Army General. It originally consisted of 15 zones, to which 133 legions were subordinate.
The MVSN was involved in every Italian theatre of war during World War II. In 1940, the MVSN provided three divisions with a total of 34,000 men, and in 1942 a fourth division was formed and assigned to each army division as Gruppo di Assalto. Later, 41 mobile units were formed to create the third regiment in Italian army divisions. Due to undermanning, lack of equipment and inadequate training, these mobile units suffered heavy losses. The three divisions were completely wiped out in combat in North Africa.
Important standard of fantastic embroidery quality and excellent condition from the personal possession of the Duce.
To my knowledge, the only known example in a private collection.