Posted 21 February 2007 - 07:50 PM by Orlando Lorenzini
TANK´S WAR IN THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR 1936-39:
In July 1936 at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, there were two regiments of tanks in the Spanish Army, "Regiment of tanks nº 1" based in Madrid and "Regiment of tanks nº 2" based in Zaragoza;these regiments had a theoretical organization of one battalion with three companies, and these companies had three sections of five tanks either; furthermore these sections ought to have guns and machine-guns, albeit really either regiment only had five tanks "Renault FT-17" and afterward the outbreak of the war Saturday 18,1936 either regiment stood one in either side. Also in the Spanish Army there were "Protect trucks" and Schneither tanks; the "Protect trucks" were in the Central Park of Artillery in Madrid, and the "School shooting of Infantry" in Madrid were the Schneither tanks (here, there were five tanks Schneither); the Schneither tanks, the origin French,took part in the storming to the "Cuartel de la Montaña" in Madrid,here the garrison of the "Cuartel de la Montaña" revolted against the republican goverment and the republican force finished with them and his commander in chief, the General Fanjul, afterward he was executed by shooting.These tanks also took part in the attack against the fortress "Alcázar de Toledo".The "Alcázar de Toledo" was the infantry academy of the Spanish Army,in this academy studied the General Franco,when he was cadet.
The Spanish Army had tanks produced in Spain,the Trubia tanks;Trubia ia a village of Oviedo and here there were factories of tanks named "Trubia".The Trubia tank is seemed to the Renault FT-17.There were five Trubia tanks,three of them were in the "Regimiento de Infantería Milán",and the others two were in the factory of Trubia.The whole tanks in the Spanish Army in July 1936 were of 20 tanks;twelve stood in the Republican side,and eight stood in the nacionalist side.Furthermore in the Republican side built great quantity of the armoured cars;these armoured cars were really commercial lorries,these armoured cars were lorries chassis over in which had been put press steel soldered in small workshops;these armoured cars were very weight and their move were difficult in mountainous terrain;therse F.V.A. were only efficient over road and also in the towns.All this material was destroyed in the first battles of the war,soon this material was replaced by weapons german,italian for nacionalist side,and weapons soviet and french for republican side.France sent some old Renault FT-17 of the Great War 1914-18 to support to the Spanish Republican Goverment,but the main send did it the Soviet Union.The Soviet Union sent to the republican goverment great quantity of tanks and armoured tanks,the whole of tanks and armoured tanks sent to the replublican side by the Soviet Union WAS 900;the Soviet tanks were: T-26B,BT-5 ;and the armoured cars were: BA-10.Much of these weapons fell in hands pf the General Franco´s Army during the War.
In the other hand the General Franco´s Army received aproximately 300 tanks;all this tanks were ligth tanks and they were the Italian light tanks Fiat-Ansaldo L3/35 known as "tin of sardine" owed to light armoured but very speed and very manouvre and its weapon consisted in two machine-guns of 8mm.,L3/35 had two men as crew.The other type of light tank of Nacionalist Army was the German panzer Pz. kpfw I and I-b;it was known as "negrillo" owed to the colour dark blue that this tank was painted.
In August 1936 arrived to Spain the first Italian light tanks for the General Franco´s Army were five tanks.With this tanks formed a section and she took part in the conquist of San Sebastián.Afterwards Sept 29,1936 a ship unloaded in the Vigo harbour others 10 light Italian tanks L3/35.Also in August arrived to Spain the first panzers Panzer I and I-b;in whole Germany sent to General Franco´s Army 150 light tanks.
In October 1936 in the town of Cáceres the General Franco´s Army organized the first company of tanks with 15 Italian light tanks L3/35,and October 21,1936 this companyt took part in the operations in Navalcarnero.Two days later this company of tanks forming part of the General Monasterio´s Column occupied the following villages: Esquivias,Seseña and Borox.The first battle of tanks in the Spanish Civil War occurried in Seseña;the nacionalist tanks fought against Soviet tanks T-26B;the outcome of this battle´s tanks was a Republican Army victory;the T-26B was better than nacionalist tanks.The "First Company of tanks" advanced over: Cubas,Griñón,Torrejoncillo and Torrejón de Velasco and it took part in the capture of the Villaverde Alto y Villaverde Bajo.In October 1936 in the town of Cácers in the quarter of "·Regiment Infantry Argel" organized a "Battalion of tanks" with german light tank Panzer I-A;furthermore waas created the "Base of tanks" in two castles near of the road Sevilla-Cáceres to 15 kms. distance of Cáceres.The center of training and learning of the tanks of the General Franco´s Army was established in two castles; castle of Herguijuelas de Arriba and the castle of Herguijuelas de Abajo.These two castles belonged to the Middle Age,and here to be born the Spanish Army Tank in 1936.October 27,1936 the Major Pujales Carrasco led two compaqnies with threee sections with five tanks either,and this party began tha advance over Madrid.November 3 with the column Asensio,the tanks occupied Móstoles and they captured one Soviet medium tank T-26B.The sharing of the tanks in the advance over Maqdrid was very important,and the nacionalist tanks took part in the capture of Pozuelo de Alarcón and Cabañas,and they got to fix the enemy in the position round Madrid of: Campamento y Carabanchel.The General Franco,s tanks took part in the conquist the ridge "Cerro de Perdigones" December 3,1936 and December 16 they captured Boadilla del Monte and the "Ciudad Universitaria".In the Ciudad Universitaria (Madrid) had place the hardest fightings in the battle round to Madrid.Meanwhile the "Battalion of Tanks" was completed with 3th Company equipped with Panzer IB and with "Depot Unit" for training the personal and to replace the loosing in men and weapons.The "Battalion of Tanks" of Nacionalist Army took part in the main engagements in the Madrid front and it lent support to the others unitsw leaving clear that this unit had high profesional degree and excellent efficience.In the engagement of the "La Marañosa" the nacionalist tanks made to withdraw to the republican tanks,here the republican lost two tanks,one burning and other broke.In the fighting nearby San Martín de Valdeiglesisas the Nacionalist tanks captured four Soviet tanks T-26B loosing two tanks own.The Battalion Tanks shared with efficacy in the battle Jarama and in March it was traslated to the Guadalajara front (northeast Madrid),here the battalion shared in some engagements against republican troops.To the finish of March 1937 the Battalion Tanks was transferred to the North front in Spain,concretly to the town of Vitoria (Navarra) joining to the column of the Gen. Alonso Vega (General Camilo Alonso Vega studied with Franco in the Academy of Infantry of Toledo,Gen Alonso Vega was a friend of Franco,when the finish to the Civil War,Franco gave the command of the Guardia Civil to the Gen Alonso Vega.The Guardia Civil is olica force very famous in Spain,thet are a military corp and they have a hard discipline,the Guardia Civil is a very efficient in the fighting against organized crime); the battalion of tanks in union to the Gen. Alonso Vega´S Column took Ochandiano and the Caserío de Barázar.The Battalion of Tanks during the months April,May and June shared in severals fightings in the North front of Spain.The Battalion Tanks was transferred,first to the town of Palencia for to reinforce the July 1th,and the 7th July came back to the Madrid front for to share in the battle of Brunete.
The August 11 the Battalion Tanks was reorganized in Cubas,and in this village was created as the base of command and staff of the battalion. As outcome of the reorganization the Battalion Tanks was composed of: four companies of Panzer I-B,one company of Soviet tanks captured,one motorized company of anti-tank,one transport company and one workshop.The August 26 the Battalion Tanks was sent by railway from Cubas to Zaragoza for to fight in the battle of Belchite and in the other engagements in Aragón front.
Pedro-Manuel Ruíz "Orlando Lorenzini" (Spain)
TO BE CONTINUED
TANK´S WAR IN THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR 1936-39:
In July 1936 at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, there were two regiments of tanks in the Spanish Army, "Regiment of tanks nº 1" based in Madrid and "Regiment of tanks nº 2" based in Zaragoza;these regiments had a theoretical organization of one battalion with three companies, and these companies had three sections of five tanks either; furthermore these sections ought to have guns and machine-guns, albeit really either regiment only had five tanks "Renault FT-17" and afterward the outbreak of the war Saturday 18,1936 either regiment stood one in either side. Also in the Spanish Army there were "Protect trucks" and Schneither tanks; the "Protect trucks" were in the Central Park of Artillery in Madrid, and the "School shooting of Infantry" in Madrid were the Schneither tanks (here, there were five tanks Schneither); the Schneither tanks, the origin French,took part in the storming to the "Cuartel de la Montaña" in Madrid,here the garrison of the "Cuartel de la Montaña" revolted against the republican goverment and the republican force finished with them and his commander in chief, the General Fanjul, afterward he was executed by shooting.These tanks also took part in the attack against the fortress "Alcázar de Toledo".The "Alcázar de Toledo" was the infantry academy of the Spanish Army,in this academy studied the General Franco,when he was cadet.
The Spanish Army had tanks produced in Spain,the Trubia tanks;Trubia ia a village of Oviedo and here there were factories of tanks named "Trubia".The Trubia tank is seemed to the Renault FT-17.There were five Trubia tanks,three of them were in the "Regimiento de Infantería Milán",and the others two were in the factory of Trubia.The whole tanks in the Spanish Army in July 1936 were of 20 tanks;twelve stood in the Republican side,and eight stood in the nacionalist side.Furthermore in the Republican side built great quantity of the armoured cars;these armoured cars were really commercial lorries,these armoured cars were lorries chassis over in which had been put press steel soldered in small workshops;these armoured cars were very weight and their move were difficult in mountainous terrain;therse F.V.A. were only efficient over road and also in the towns.All this material was destroyed in the first battles of the war,soon this material was replaced by weapons german,italian for nacionalist side,and weapons soviet and french for republican side.France sent some old Renault FT-17 of the Great War 1914-18 to support to the Spanish Republican Goverment,but the main send did it the Soviet Union.The Soviet Union sent to the republican goverment great quantity of tanks and armoured tanks,the whole of tanks and armoured tanks sent to the replublican side by the Soviet Union WAS 900;the Soviet tanks were: T-26B,BT-5 ;and the armoured cars were: BA-10.Much of these weapons fell in hands pf the General Franco´s Army during the War.
In the other hand the General Franco´s Army received aproximately 300 tanks;all this tanks were ligth tanks and they were the Italian light tanks Fiat-Ansaldo L3/35 known as "tin of sardine" owed to light armoured but very speed and very manouvre and its weapon consisted in two machine-guns of 8mm.,L3/35 had two men as crew.The other type of light tank of Nacionalist Army was the German panzer Pz. kpfw I and I-b;it was known as "negrillo" owed to the colour dark blue that this tank was painted.
In August 1936 arrived to Spain the first Italian light tanks for the General Franco´s Army were five tanks.With this tanks formed a section and she took part in the conquist of San Sebastián.Afterwards Sept 29,1936 a ship unloaded in the Vigo harbour others 10 light Italian tanks L3/35.Also in August arrived to Spain the first panzers Panzer I and I-b;in whole Germany sent to General Franco´s Army 150 light tanks.
In October 1936 in the town of Cáceres the General Franco´s Army organized the first company of tanks with 15 Italian light tanks L3/35,and October 21,1936 this companyt took part in the operations in Navalcarnero.Two days later this company of tanks forming part of the General Monasterio´s Column occupied the following villages: Esquivias,Seseña and Borox.The first battle of tanks in the Spanish Civil War occurried in Seseña;the nacionalist tanks fought against Soviet tanks T-26B;the outcome of this battle´s tanks was a Republican Army victory;the T-26B was better than nacionalist tanks.The "First Company of tanks" advanced over: Cubas,Griñón,Torrejoncillo and Torrejón de Velasco and it took part in the capture of the Villaverde Alto y Villaverde Bajo.In October 1936 in the town of Cácers in the quarter of "·Regiment Infantry Argel" organized a "Battalion of tanks" with german light tank Panzer I-A;furthermore waas created the "Base of tanks" in two castles near of the road Sevilla-Cáceres to 15 kms. distance of Cáceres.The center of training and learning of the tanks of the General Franco´s Army was established in two castles; castle of Herguijuelas de Arriba and the castle of Herguijuelas de Abajo.These two castles belonged to the Middle Age,and here to be born the Spanish Army Tank in 1936.October 27,1936 the Major Pujales Carrasco led two compaqnies with threee sections with five tanks either,and this party began tha advance over Madrid.November 3 with the column Asensio,the tanks occupied Móstoles and they captured one Soviet medium tank T-26B.The sharing of the tanks in the advance over Maqdrid was very important,and the nacionalist tanks took part in the capture of Pozuelo de Alarcón and Cabañas,and they got to fix the enemy in the position round Madrid of: Campamento y Carabanchel.The General Franco,s tanks took part in the conquist the ridge "Cerro de Perdigones" December 3,1936 and December 16 they captured Boadilla del Monte and the "Ciudad Universitaria".In the Ciudad Universitaria (Madrid) had place the hardest fightings in the battle round to Madrid.Meanwhile the "Battalion of Tanks" was completed with 3th Company equipped with Panzer IB and with "Depot Unit" for training the personal and to replace the loosing in men and weapons.The "Battalion of Tanks" of Nacionalist Army took part in the main engagements in the Madrid front and it lent support to the others unitsw leaving clear that this unit had high profesional degree and excellent efficience.In the engagement of the "La Marañosa" the nacionalist tanks made to withdraw to the republican tanks,here the republican lost two tanks,one burning and other broke.In the fighting nearby San Martín de Valdeiglesisas the Nacionalist tanks captured four Soviet tanks T-26B loosing two tanks own.The Battalion Tanks shared with efficacy in the battle Jarama and in March it was traslated to the Guadalajara front (northeast Madrid),here the battalion shared in some engagements against republican troops.To the finish of March 1937 the Battalion Tanks was transferred to the North front in Spain,concretly to the town of Vitoria (Navarra) joining to the column of the Gen. Alonso Vega (General Camilo Alonso Vega studied with Franco in the Academy of Infantry of Toledo,Gen Alonso Vega was a friend of Franco,when the finish to the Civil War,Franco gave the command of the Guardia Civil to the Gen Alonso Vega.The Guardia Civil is olica force very famous in Spain,thet are a military corp and they have a hard discipline,the Guardia Civil is a very efficient in the fighting against organized crime); the battalion of tanks in union to the Gen. Alonso Vega´S Column took Ochandiano and the Caserío de Barázar.The Battalion of Tanks during the months April,May and June shared in severals fightings in the North front of Spain.The Battalion Tanks was transferred,first to the town of Palencia for to reinforce the July 1th,and the 7th July came back to the Madrid front for to share in the battle of Brunete.
The August 11 the Battalion Tanks was reorganized in Cubas,and in this village was created as the base of command and staff of the battalion. As outcome of the reorganization the Battalion Tanks was composed of: four companies of Panzer I-B,one company of Soviet tanks captured,one motorized company of anti-tank,one transport company and one workshop.The August 26 the Battalion Tanks was sent by railway from Cubas to Zaragoza for to fight in the battle of Belchite and in the other engagements in Aragón front.
Pedro-Manuel Ruíz "Orlando Lorenzini" (Spain)
TO BE CONTINUED