Austria, Imperial. Order of the Knights of Malta, I Class Merit Cross United Republic of The Small Operations Group

The Small Operations Group

any provenance known

the strips overlying a ribbed rosette in red

There are two known varieties of the medal: one with with the scuttled ship on the obverse and inscribed "Presented to / ----- / U

2nd Class for Twenty-Five Years' Service (silvered bronze and black enamels

Austria, Imperial. Order of the Knights of Malta, I Class Merit Cross United Republic of The Small Operations Group(Souverner Malteseorden I. Klasse Verdienstkreuz mit Kriegsdekoration). In silver gilt with multi coloured enamels, consisting of an Anchor Cross with white enamelled arms, obverse with a central red enamelled medallion bearing a white enamelled Maltese cross, surrounded by a ring of white enamel bearing a gilt inscription of MIL. ORDO EQUITUM MELIT BENE MERENTI (MILITARY ORDER OF MERIT), reverse medallion featuring a white maltese cross on a red