ada ▁Mi xt a , ▁was ▁a ▁mixed ▁brig ade ▁composed ▁of ▁Spanish ▁Republican ▁Navy ▁Mar ines ▁led ▁by ▁Commander ▁Pedro ▁Mu ñ oz ▁Car o . ▁Its ▁landing ▁operations ▁activity ▁was ▁limited , ▁however , ▁by ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁off ensive ▁actions ▁and ▁the ▁general ▁in effect iveness ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Republican ▁Navy . ▁Therefore , ▁these ▁Republican ▁Mar ines ▁saw ▁action ▁mostly ▁in land ▁supporting ▁the ▁Army ▁in ▁such ▁batt les ▁as ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Alf amb ra , ▁Battle ▁of ▁Brun ete , ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁E bro ▁and ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Seg re , ▁far ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁sea . ▁Phot ograph er ▁Robert ▁Cap a ▁took ▁pictures ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Republican ▁Navy ▁Mar ines ▁in ▁one ▁of ▁these ▁in land ▁batt les . ▁ ▁Republican ▁Inf anter ía ▁de ▁Marina ▁Lieutenant ▁Colonel ▁Amb ros io ▁R istor i ▁de ▁la ▁Cu ad ra , ▁killed ▁in ▁action ▁during ▁the ▁Sie ge ▁of ▁Madrid , ▁was ▁post hum ously ▁awarded ▁the ▁La ure ate ▁Pl ate ▁of ▁Madrid . ▁ ▁R anks ▁The ▁Spanish ▁Republican ▁Navy ▁introduced ▁a ▁few ▁changes ▁in ▁the ▁flags , ▁en sign s ▁and ▁p enn ants , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁in ▁the ▁Navy ▁officer ▁rank ▁ins ign ia . ▁The ▁executive ▁curl ▁( La ▁c oca ) ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁a ▁golden ▁five - point ed ▁star ▁and ▁the ▁royal ▁crown ▁of ▁the ▁br ass ▁buttons ▁and ▁of ▁the ▁officers ' ▁pe aked ▁caps ▁and ▁g or gets ▁( g olas ) ▁became