49th Mixed Brigade

49th Mixed Brigade; 49.ª Brigada Mixta
	Military flag of the Popular Army
Active	1937–1939
Country	Spain
Branch	Spanish Republican Army
Type	Mixed Brigade
Role	Home Defence
Size	Four battalions: ; The 193, 194, 195 and 196
Part of	12th Division (1937); A Division (1937); 47th Division (1937 - 1939)
Garrison/HQ	Guadalajara, Spain
Engagements	Spanish Civil War ; Battle of Guadalajara ; Battle of Brunete ; Battle of Teruel ; Battle of Alfambra ; Levante Offensive ;
Commanders
Notable; commanders	Ángel de la Macorra Carratalá ; Fulgencio González Gómez ; Emeterio Rodríguez Sanabria ; Amado Granell ; Fernando Gil Ferragut

Last updated March 05, 2019

The 49th Mixed Brigade (Spanish : 49.ª Brigada Mixta),^[2]^[3] was a mixed brigade of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. It was formed in February 1937 at the Guadalajara Front.

Spanish or Castilian, is a Western Romance language that originated in the Castile region of Spain and today has hundreds of millions of native speakers in the Americas and Spain. It is a global language and the world's second-most spoken native language, after Mandarin Chinese.

A mixed brigade was a tactical military formation of the Spanish Republican Army following the coup of July 1936 and the onset of the Spanish Civil War. It was the basic military unit of the Republican People's Army after its war-dictated 1936 reorganization.

The Spanish Republican Army was the main branch of the Armed Forces of the Second Spanish Republic between 1931 and 1939.

History

First phase

The 49th Mixed Brigade was formed in Guadalajara with four battalions, the "Pablo Iglesias Battalion", the "Triunfo Battalion" and the "Guadalajara nº 1" and "Guadalajara nº 2" Battalions, which became the 193, 194, 195 and 196 battalions respectively. The commander was Infantry Lt. Colonel Ángel de la Macorra Carratalá, a retired commander living in Madrid at the beginning of the conflict. The new unit was placed under the XII Division of the IV Army Corps of the Central Army.^[3]

A battalion is a military unit. The use of the term "battalion" varies by nationality and branch of service. Typically a battalion consists of 300 to 800 soldiers and is divided into a number of companies. A battalion is typically commanded by a lieutenant colonel. In some countries, the word "battalion" is associated with the infantry.

Madrid is the capital of Spain and the largest municipality in both the Community of Madrid and Spain as a whole. The city has almost 3.3 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.5 million. It is the third-largest city in the European Union (EU), smaller than only London and Berlin, and its monocentric metropolitan area is the third-largest in the EU, smaller only than those of London and Paris. The municipality covers 604.3 km² (233.3 sq mi).

On 9 March 1937 the 49th Mixed Brigade had its baptism of fire at the Guadalajara Front, where it became part of the Republican forces that fought the Fascist Italian Corpo Truppe Volontarie. Anti-Fascist Italian Major Arturo Zanoni took the command of the unit relieving de la Macorra for a brief period of time. He was then replaced by Infantry Commander Fulgencio González Gómez who had been captain at the 15th Almansa Regiment (Regimiento Almansa nº 15) in Tarragona. The commissar was Francisco Antón Sanz.^[2] After the Battle of Guadalajara the unit was sent to the Extremadura front on 14 May. Thereafter it joined the Cuenca Autonomous Group (Agrupación Autónoma de Cuenca) and went to the Huesca Front, returning to Madrid shortly after the failed offensive.

The Battle of Guadalajara saw the People's Republican Army defeat Italian and Nationalist forces attempting to encircle Madrid during the Spanish Civil War. The Nationalist forces involved in the Battle of Guadalajara were primarily the Italian Corps of Volunteer Troops.

The Corps of Volunteer Troops was a Fascist Italian expeditionary force which was sent to Spain to support the Nationalist forces under General Francisco Franco against the Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–39.

Almansa Municipality in Castile-La Mancha, Spain

Almansa is a Spanish town and municipality in the province of Albacete, part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The name "Almansa" stems from the Arabic المنصف (al-manṣaf), "half way of the road". The municipality borders with Alicante, Valencia and Murcia. Almansa is famous for its Moros y Cristianos festival from celebrated from the 1st to the 6th of May.

Battle of Brunete

On 8 July the 49th Mixed Brigade became part of the vanguard at the Battle of Brunete and after three days the brigade was placed under the A Division (División A) of the V Army Corps of the Central Army. Its mission was to advance from Portillera de las Rozas until the Vértice Cristo along the Majadahonda-Boadilla del Monte road until reaching the Vértice Manilla behind Romanillos.^[3] On 12 July the brigade crossed to the right flank and after two days it was made part of the Durán Division. During the night of the 24 to 25 July it relieved the 10th Mixed Brigade at the Perales River. Towards the final phase of the fight at Brunete it was placed under the V Army Corps and at the end of the battle it became part of the XLVII Division of the XVIII Army Corps.^[3]

The Battle of Brunete, fought 24 kilometres (15 mi) west of Madrid, was a Republican attempt to alleviate the pressure exerted by the Nationalists on the capital and on the north during the Spanish Civil War. Although initially successful, the Republicans were forced to retreat from Brunete and suffered devastating casualties from the battle.

Majadahonda is a municipality in Spain, situated 16 km northwest of Madrid, in the Community of Madrid.

Boadilla del Monte is a town and municipality in central Spain. It is located in the west of the Community of Madrid. It had a population of 41,807 in 2008.

Last phase and end of the unit

The following commander of the unit would be Militia Major Emeterio Rodríguez Sanabria. Under his command the 49th Mixed Brigade took part in the Battle of Teruel and later in the Battle of Alfambra, where its ranks were heavily depleted while trying to conquer 961 Hill (Cota 961) on 7 and 10 January. Only in the first day it suffered 213 casualties. On 3 April the unit found itself at the breaking point of the front which was submitted to vehement attacks by the forces of rebel general Antonio Aranda and it had to withdraw from the first line after being badly shattered. On 30 May the 49th Mixed Brigade was again very hard hit fighting the rebel Levante Offensive in the Ares del Maestrat-La Jana sector. Towards the beginning of July the much depleted unit was defending Castellón under the command of Infantry Major Amado Granell, but on the 15 it was definitively withdrawn for its reorganization. Following the Levante battles Militia Major Fernando Gil Ferragut became the new leader of the unit and the brigade was transferred to the less active southern front of the Levantine Army.^[4]

The Battle of Teruel was fought in and around the city of Teruel during the Spanish Civil War. The combatants fought the battle between December 1937 and February 1938, during the worst Spanish winter in twenty years. The battle was one of the bloodier actions of the war with the city changing hands several times, first falling to the Republicans and eventually being re-taken by the Nationalists. In the course of the fighting, Teruel was subjected to heavy artillery and aerial bombardment. The two sides suffered over 140,000 casualties between them in the two-month battle. It was a decisive battle of the war, as Francisco Franco's use of his superiority in men and material in regaining Teruel made it the military turning point of the war.

The Battle of Alfambra took place near Alfambra between 5 and the 8 February 1938, during the Spanish Civil War. This battle was a part of the Battle of Teruel. After, the conquest of Teruel by the Republican army, the Nationalists started a counteroffensive in order to reocuppy Teruel. On 5 February a huge nationalist force broke the republican lines in the north of the Teruel towards the Alfambra river, taking 7,000 republican prisoners and threatening the Republican forces in Teruel.

Antonio Aranda Mata was a military officer who fought on side of the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War.

On 12 February 1939, when the train transporting the 49th Mixed Brigade was stopped at Xàtiva, a group of Italian Aviazione Legionaria bombers attacked the train station, leaving 129 dead and over 200 wounded.^[5] Many of the soldiers in the military train, as well as families and onlookers who were at the station to say farewell became victims of the bombing. There were so many dead among the members of the 49th Mixed Brigade, that the Republican high command desisted from reconstituting it, distributing the survivors among other military units.^[4]

Related Research Articles

The First Mixed Brigade, also known as Brigada Lister, was a mixed brigade of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. It was disbanded on 9 February 1939.

The Second Mixed Brigade, was a mixed brigade of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. It was formed in October 1936 as a result of the reorganization of the Spanish Republican Armed forces.

The 223rd Mixed Brigade, was a mixed brigade of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. It was formed in the summer of 1937 from Coastal Defence units and had four battalions, the 889, 890, 891 and 892. This unit lasted until the end of the war.

The 221st Mixed Brigade, was a Mixed Brigade of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. It was formed in the summer of 1937 in Ciudad Real with four battalions, the 881, 882, 883 and 884.

The 224th Mixed Brigade was a mixed brigade of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. It was formed in summer 1937 in Catalonia from scattered Coastal Defence units and had four battalions: the 893, 894, 895 and 896.

The 225th Mixed Brigade, was a mixed brigade of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. It was formed in the summer of 1937 in Valencia with units belonging to the Eastern Coastal Defence and had four battalions, the 897, 898, 899 and 900.

The 26th Division was a division of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. It was formed in April 1937 in Aragon from the militarized Columna Durruti during the reorganization of the Spanish Republican Armed Forces.

The 222nd Mixed Brigade, was a mixed brigade of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. It was formed in the summer of 1937 with battalions of the Carabineros corps. Its only commander was the Carabineros Lieutenant Tiburcio Díaz Carrasco.

The 228th Mixed Brigade, was a short-lived mixed brigade of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. It was formed in the last months of the Civil War with battalions belonging to the Carabineros corps. Its first and only leader was the Carabineros Commander Miguel Bascuñana Sánchez.

The 3rd Mixed Brigade, was one of the earliest mixed brigades of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. It was formed in the fall of 1936 with battalions of the Carabineros corps and saw major action right away in the Defence of Madrid. This brigade also included female combatants —such as Sergeant "La Chata"— and would take part in most of the major battles of the Spanish Civil War, except in the Battle of Jarama.

The 109th Mixed Brigade, was a mixed brigade of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. It was formed in the spring of 1937 in Utiel with four battalions, the 433, 434, 435 and 436.

The 182nd Mixed Brigade, was a mixed brigade of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. It was formed in the spring of 1938 in Andalusia and had four battalions, the 725, 726, 727 and 728.

The 77th Division was a division of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. It would be the last division of the loyalist forces to be formed.

The 175th Mixed Brigade, was a mixed brigade of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. Its number was formerly corresponding to the 10th Santander Brigade, a unit operating in Santander, Spain but was assigned to a new unit in the spring of 1938 in Valencia Province and had four battalions, 697, 698, 699 and 700.

The 87th Mixed Brigade, was a mixed brigade of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. It was formed in March 1937 with battalions of the Carabineros corps. Its first commander was Infantry Colonel Carlos Amores Cantos, who was succeeded by Militia Major Andrés Nieto Carmona.

The 8th Mixed Brigade was a mixed brigade of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. It was formed at the beginning of the Defence of Madrid in early spring 1937 with battalions of the Carabineros corps and it remained in Madrid all along the war. Its first commander was Carabineros Lt. Colonel Enrique del Castillo Bravo who was succeeded by Carabineros Commanders Emeterio Jarillo Orgaz and José Casted Sena.

The 181st Mixed Brigade, was a mixed brigade of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War.

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 17th 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.(Spanish: 15.ª División) was a division of the Spanish Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War. This unit was involved in the Battle of Jarama —and great part of the Battle of Madrid, suffering grievous losses in both battles.

References

↑ Eladi Mainar Cabanes, El bombardeo de Xàtiva, in "La Guerra Civil en la Comunidad Valenciana." Ed. Prensa Valenciana, 2007
1 2 SBHAC - Brigadas Mixtas del Ejército Popular, 49ª Brigada Mixta
1 2 3 4 Carlos Engel, Historia de las Brigadas Mixtas del E. P. de la República, 1999 p. 76
1 2 Carlos Engel, Historia de las Brigadas Mixtas del E. P. de la República, 1999 p. 77
↑ Pablo Rodríguez Cortés: Febrero de 1939 en Xátiva Archived 18 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine ..

External links

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[1] Eladi Mainar Cabanes, El bombardeo de Xàtiva, in "La Guerra Civil en la Comunidad Valenciana." Ed. Prensa Valenciana, 2007

[SBHAC-2] 1 2 SBHAC - Brigadas Mixtas del Ejército Popular, 49ª Brigada Mixta

[CE_76-3] 1 2 3 4 Carlos Engel, Historia de las Brigadas Mixtas del E. P. de la República, 1999 p. 76

[CE_77-4] 1 2 Carlos Engel, Historia de las Brigadas Mixtas del E. P. de la República, 1999 p. 77

[5] Pablo Rodríguez Cortés: Febrero de 1939 en Xátiva Archived 18 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine ..