Xª Flottiglia MAS Sleeve Shield

The Xª Flottiglia MAS Sleeve Shield was one of the insignia associated with the Decima units during the 1943–1945 period, particularly after their incorporation into the Marina Nazionale Repubblicana of the Italian Social Republic. It was worn on the sleeve of the tunic, generally on the upper left arm and above rank or other unit insignia.

The badge has a shaped shield form with an outer border modelled as a rope, a maritime element linked to the naval origin of the unit. At the centre is a large X, referring to the “Decima”, surmounted by a frontal skull holding a rose between its teeth. At the lower part of the shield there is a scroll bearing the inscription Flottiglia MAS, usually arranged over two lines.

Known wartime examples show differences in colour, finish and manufacturing quality. The large X was often filled in red, while the lower scroll could appear in dark blue, blue-green or dark green tones. The raised metal areas of the border and central details could vary depending on the production method, surface finish and state of preservation.

Period variants are known in both zamak and brass. Zamak was widely used in late-war production as an economical cast metal, often referred to in the Italian collecting field as a wartime metal. It allowed the production of cast insignia with raised relief details. Brass was also used for other versions or manufacturing batches. Among known wartime productions, examples made by Bregonzio of Milan are cited, including zamak pieces from the 1944–1945 period.

The main differences between surviving examples concern the shape of the skull, the design of the rose, the outline of the shield, the execution of the rope border, the lettering of the lower inscription, the depth of the relief and the quality of the casting. Some examples show sharper detail, while others have more simplified forms or softer reliefs, a feature often encountered in Italian metal insignia from the final phase of the war.

The shield was worn by members of the Xª MAS of the RSI, including marines, naval infantry personnel, autonomous detachments and units incorporated into the Decima structure after 8 September 1943. The divisional structure included units such as Barbarigo, Lupo, Nuotatori-Paracadutisti, Fulmine, Valanga, Sagittario, Freccia, Longobardo, Pegaso, Risoluti and San Giusto.

A uniformological detail is that the emblem was not limited to the metal sleeve shield. The same design, or simplified graphic versions of it, also appeared on helmets, military postcards and propaganda material. Some members painted the emblem directly on their helmets, while printed versions appeared on postcards and official documents. This explains the existence of several related forms of the same motif, including cast metal badges, painted helmet emblems and printed graphic versions.