Medal "Ciro Redondo".

[Taz]

Medalla "Ciro Redondo"

Awarded to Rebel Army combatants who as members of Column Nº.8 “Ciro Redondo”, commanded by Commander Ernesto Che Guevara, took part in the invasion from “Las Mercedes”, in Sierra Maestra, to the former province territory of Las Villas, in 1958 and had maintained an exemplary and according attitude with the revolutionary principles.

[Blanco]

La Medalla "Ciro Redondo"

[Taz]

Ciro Redondo García (09.12.1931-29.11.1957),

Ciro Redondo was killed in combat on November 29th 1957 in the Sierra Maestra , Cuba.
He was a Cuban revolutionist who took part in the attack on the Moncada barracks in 1953 and worked with the guerillas of the Movement of July 26th.

After the failure of the Moncada attack, Redondo was held captive, then released with Fidel Castro who he joined in Mexico.
He was one of the 22 survivors (out of 82 guerillas) of the Granma landing in 1956.

Ciro Redondo showed his value in combat and was promoted to lieutenant under Che Guevara during the creation of the fourth column.

He was killed in an ambush during the battle of Mar Verde.
A few months later, the eighth column created and ordered by Guevara was baptized in his honour

[medals73]

Another image.

I find it especially interesting that this is a State medal.

[Taz]

Here is a very early version of the Medalla "Ciro Redondo"
This medal is jeweller made by Viladero y Rierea which dates this medal before 1962 when the shop was closed down.
The metal suspension has a hand engraved name which indictates to me that he might have been one of the original 8th colomn invaders who in some way earned this through special merit.