140th Mixed Brigade

Last updated
140th Mixed Brigade
140.ª Brigada Mixta
Active May 1937February 1939
CountryFlag of Spain 1931 1939.svg  Spain
Allegiance Flag of Spain 1931 1939.svg Republican faction
Branch Red star.svg Spanish Republican Army
Type Infantry
Size Brigade
Engagements Spanish Civil War:
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Eusebio Sanz

The 140th Mixed Brigade was a unit of the Spanish Republican Army created during the Spanish Civil War. Throughout the war it operated on the fronts of Aragon, Segre, Ebro and Catalonia.

Contents

History

The unit was created in May 1937, originally as a reserve force of the Eastern Army, although later it was integrated into the 32nd Division of the XI Army Corps. [1] It was under the command of Humberto Gil Cabrera, with Manuel Tió Vila as chief of staff and with Luis Deltell Bernal as commissar. Once the brigade finished its training phase, the command passed to Rodolfo Bosch Pearson, but he ended up being replaced by Eusebio Sanz after Bosch was prosecuted for the execution of some militiamen from the POUM. Subsequently, the 140th Mixed Brigade was assigned to the 33rd Division in order to take part in the Battle of Brunete, although in the end the brigade remained located in Tarragona without taking part in the Brunete operations. [2]

In March 1938, after the start of the Aragon Offensive, it was assigned to the 24th Division and sent as reinforcement to the threatened sector; However, on March 11 the brigade withdrew from Pina until it reached Fraga, on the March 26. Some elements of the 140th Mixed Brigade participated in the defense of Lleida, but after the fall of the city they crossed the river and withdrew towards Llardecans. [3] It was subjected to a reorganization, being added to the 44th Division. [4] [5]

On September 13, the 140th Mixed Brigade was sent to the Ebro front, as a reinforcement of the republican forces in this sector. On September 19 it relieved the 227th Mixed Brigade in the area northwest of La Pobla de Massaluca, the position in which it remained until October 6 - when it was replaced by the XIII International Brigade. Unlike other Republican units, in this period the 140th Mixed Brigade did not participate in heavy fighting. Three days later, on October 9, it had to return to the battle front in the area of Venta de Camposines. On October 15 it had to withstand a strong enemy onslaught, although it maintained its positions at the cost of some casualties — notably the death of the chief of the 560th battalion, Vicente Sagarduy. On November 8, during the last nationalist counteroffensive, the 140th Mixed Brigade was encircled by its company of machine guns and by a company of the 559th Battalion, which resulted in serious casualties. Three days later, due to the withdrawal of the 226th Mixed Brigade, it suffered a new enemy encirclement that caused heavy losses to the unit; severely broken, on the November 13 it crossed the Ebro through the Flix area. [6]

Once again attached to the 44th Division, it was assigned to the Serós bridgehead sector. However, after the start of the Catalonia Offensive the brigade had to withdraw. By January 13, 1939 it was defending the Sierra de Prades, but after the fall of Tarragona it withdrew towards the French border. [6]

Command

Commanders
Commissars

Related Research Articles

45th Division (Spain)

The 45th Division was a division of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War.

66th Division (Spain)

The 66th Mixed Brigade was a unit of the Popular Army of the Republic that participated in the Spanish Civil War. Born in the context of the Battle of Madrid, took part in the Battle of Jarama and the fronts of Guadalajara and Extremadura.(Spanish: 42.ª División) was a division of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. This unit was involved in the Battle of Jarama —part of the Battle of Madrid, as well as in the Battle of Peñarroya, suffering grievous losses in both battles.


The 25th Division was one of the divisions of the Spanish Republican Army that were organized during the Spanish Civil War on the basis of the Mixed Brigades. It participated in the battles of Huesca, Belchite, Teruel and Levante.

The 125th Mixed Brigade was a unit of the Spanish Republican Army, integrated into the 28th Division, that participated in the Spanish Civil War.

The 94th Mixed Brigade was a unit of the Spanish Republican Army created during the Spanish Civil War. It came to operate on the Teruel, Aragon and Segre fronts.

The 70th Mixed Brigade was a unit of the Spanish Republican Army created during the Spanish Civil War. The unit intervened in the battles of Jarama, Guadalajara and Brunete. At the end of the war it played a role in the Casado coup.

The 59th Mixed Brigade was a unit of the Spanish Republican Army created during the Spanish Civil War. It came to operate on the Teruel and Ebro fronts.

The 60th Mixed Brigade was a unit of the Spanish Republican Army created during the Spanish Civil War.

The 117th Mixed Brigade was a unit of the Spanish Republican Army created during the Spanish Civil War.

The 14th Division was one of the divisions of the Spanish Republican Army that were organized during the Spanish Civil War on the basis of the Mixed Brigades. The division participated in the Battle of Guadalajara.

Eusebio Sanz Asensio was a Spanish anarchist and military commander.

The 24th Division was one of the divisions of the Spanish Republican Army that were organized during the Spanish Civil War on the basis of mixed brigades. Throughout the war, the unit was deployed on the Andalusian, Madrid, Aragon and Segre fronts, taking part in some of the main battles.

The 16th Division was one of the divisions of the People's Army of the Republic that were organized during the Spanish Civil War on the basis of the Mixed Brigades. It had an outstanding participation in the Battle of the Ebro.

The 22nd Division was one of the divisions of the Spanish Republican Army that were organized during the Spanish Civil War on the basis of the Mixed Brigades. It came to operate on the Andalusian and Levante fronts.

The 30th Mixed Brigade was a unit of the Spanish Republican Army created during the Spanish Civil War. Throughout the war he intervened in various battles, such as the Segovia Offensive, Battle of Brunete, Levante Offensive and the Battle of Peñarroya.

The 95th Mixed Brigade was a unit of the Spanish Republican Army that took part in the Spanish Civil War. Throughout the war, various brigades came to use the number "95", operating on various fronts.

The 32nd Division was one of the divisions of the Spanish Republican Army that were organized during the Spanish Civil War on the basis of the Mixed Brigades. It was deployed on the Aragon and Segre fronts.

The XII Army Corps was a military formation belonging to the Spanish Republican Army that fought during the Spanish Civil War. Formed by veteran units, throughout the war it took part in prominent intervention in some of the main battles of the war, such as Aragon or the Ebro.

The 133rd Mixed Brigade was a unit of the Spanish Republican Army that participated in the Spanish Civil War, deployed on the fronts of Aragon, Segre and Catalonia.

The 138th Mixed Brigade was a unit of the Spanish Republican Army that took part in the Spanish Civil War.

References

  1. Zaragoza 1983, p. 59.
  2. Engel 1999, p. 121.
  3. Engel 1999, pp. 121-122.
  4. Engel 1999, p. 122, 219.
  5. Cabrera Castillo 2002, p. 49.
  6. 1 2 Engel 1999, p. 122.
  7. Alpert 1989, p. 358.
  8. Álvarez 1989, p. 181.

Bibliography