Mixed brigade

Mixed brigade (Spanish: brigada mixta) was a basic tactical military unit of the Republican army during the Spanish Civil War. It was initially designed as “pocket division”, an innovative maneuverable combined-arms formation. Because of high saturation with specialized troops and services it would have resembled a division, but in terms of manpower it would have been much smaller and amount to some 3,700 men.

Mixed Brigades
Brigadas Mixtas
Standard of the 106 Mixed Brigade of the Popular Army of the Spanish Republic
Active1936–1939
Country Spanish Republic
BranchSpanish Republican Armed Forces
TypeInfantry brigade
RoleHome Defence
Part ofSpanish Republican Army divisions
EngagementsSpanish Civil War
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Enrique Líster
José María Galán

Shortages of career officers and NCOs plus inability to provide arms and equipment needed rendered the original mixed brigade pattern unworkable. The Republican general staff kept redrafting the scheme with decreasing proportion of non-infantry sub-units, though even these arrangements proved impossible to implement. Most of 188 mixed brigades raised during the war were closer to the infantry regiment blueprint.

Assumptions about nature of the warfare which gave rise to the mixed brigade concept were largely correct. However, the Republic could not have afforded such highly-specialized and well-equipped unit. Attempts to implement the scheme put extra strain on the Republican recruitment and logistics system; as a result, the mixed brigade scheme was counterproductive and worked to the detriment of the Republican military capacity.

Origins

Spanish soldiers during Rif War

Origins of the mixed brigade concept are not clear and in historiography there are various theories which point to its beginnings. One is related to debates within the Spanish general staff of the 1920s; banking on experiences of the Rif War, some officers suggested formation of relatively small, flexible combined-arms units.[1] In the early 1930s and influenced by Swiss attempts,[2] two Brigadas Mixtas were ordered to be formed as Spanish mountain troops.[3] During further discussions of the mid-1930s the idea that the Spanish army should include a large number of autonomous units smaller than división organica was gradually taking root.[4]

A somewhat competitive theory claims that the concept was merely an acknowledgement of warfare reality during first weeks of the Civil War. During July, August and September of 1936 most fighting took place between improvised, relatively small, lightly armed and highly maneuverable groups, usually referred to as “columns”. The Republican general staff reportedly concluded that they should turn this makeshift model into a systematic and structured scheme and units raised in this way should emphasize mobility and flexibility rather than manpower.[5] One more theory credits Soviet military advisers, present in Spain since early October 1936, for coining the concept;[6] one version of this theory holds that the Soviets merely encouraged the Republican general staff to implement the idea which had already been in circulation for some time.[7]

Underlying concept: “pocket division”

BM organigram

The basic assumption which triggered emergence of the mixed brigade concept was that the war in Spain would be about flexibility rather than manpower. Such a vision elicited the idea that the key army unit should be able to operate independently, without support of other specialized units typically assigned to larger military formations (e.g. unlike a typical infantry regiment, which requires support of other divisional services to achieve military objectives). This in turn produced a conclusion that the key army unit should be a highly maneuverable, combined-arms formation.

The resulting vision was this of a “little great unit”,[8] “division en miniatura”[9] or a “pocket division”: a unit which in terms of manpower would be much smaller than a division, but which would reproduce some of divisional features by means of large proportion of specialized and support sub-units. This vision was eventually embodied in a scheme of a “mixed brigade”; the term “mixed” was to indicate its combined-arms composition, making it different from a typical infantry unit of comparable size.[10] Mixed brigades were supposed to operate independently and to be grouped into a larger formation only for the purpose of waging a particular campaign or battle, but not as its permanent components.

Theoretical composition

The original scheme as worked out in 1936 envisioned that a mixed brigade would be made of 3,700 soldiers.[11] Internal composition was to be as follows:

  • brigade staff
  • 4 infantry battalions. Each battalion was to consist of 4 infantry companies, 1 machine-gun company and 1 platoon of mortars. In comparison the regular army division, named “división orgánica”, was composed of 2 brigades, each brigade composed of 2 regiments, each regiment composed of 3 battalions[12]
  • 1 field artillery group. It was to be composed of 4 batteries of medium artillery (usually 75 mm guns) and 1 battery of heavy artillery (usually 105 mm guns). In comparison the regular army division was to consist of 1 regiment of light artillery and 1 regiment of heavy howitzers[13]
  • 1 cavalry squadron (in alternative versions replaced with motorized infantry). In comparison the regular army division was also to include 1 squadron, on wartime footing enlarged to 1 cavalry regiment[14]
  • 1 pioneer company. The regular army division was to incorporate 1 battalion of pioneers[15]
  • 1 motorized reconnaissance squadron[16]
  • 1 communication and logistics group. It was to consist of dedicated communication (including radio transmission), intendancy and supply-logistics sub-units
  • other support sub-units, including a sanitary and medical detachment

In terms of manpower the mixed brigade as originally envisioned was in-between a regular army infantry regiment and a regular brigade. In terms of firepower it would have been stronger than a brigade. In most European armies of the late 1930s (which unlike the Spanish army did not feature brigades as fixed divisional units[17]) it would have been comparable to a very strong regiment.[18] In terms of modus operandi and because of its general autonomy a mixed brigade was somewhat resemblant of a division.

Implementation problems

Republican infantry

Not a single unit has ever been raised in line with the original plan, all units named brigadas mixtas differed significantly and then very significantly from the scheme, and the entire original concept remained largely on paper. Initially the reason were pressing wartime necessities; the Nationalist army was approaching Madrid and half-formed units were thrown into battle before they reached the structure envisioned.[19] Later it turned out that the Republic was unable to provide all weapons and equipment needed, and that shortage of NCOs and officers made it impossible to ensure their sufficient number even for traditional army units. Finally, in later stages of the war the increasingly dramatic military situation forced Republican high command to raise troops in non-systematic, makeshift manner.[20]

Because of problems with raising mixed brigades in line with the original plan, the Republican general staff was continuously re-drafting their structure; the change was generally about reducing the weight of non-infantry components[21] and enlarging infantry battalions (eventually from 633 to 828 men).[22] The result was decreasing firepower and increasing manpower of the entire unit; final versions of the brigada mixta scheme envisioned its strength as some 4,200 people, though less than a half would serve in frontline combat sub-units.[23] However, neither these revised plans have been implemented and brigada mixta theoretical schemes as developed in 1937-1938 remained a blueprint intended, but never fully put into practice.[24]

Practice

Republican artillery

The concept of mixed brigades was discussed during sittings of the Republican government in late September 1936;[25] the first known military document which refers to raising of these units is dated October 18, 1936[26] and the first 6 units were created shortly.[27] By December 1936 there were 15 brigades deployed,[28] and by the spring of 1937 there were 40 units operational.[29] Those formed in central Spain were numbered 1-50, those raised in the Levante and Andalusia were numbered 51-82, whose those built in the North were numbered until 189.[30] The last brigade formed was numbered 246 and was created in December 1938,[31] though the number of units actually raised which entered combat was around 190.[32] Most of the build-up process was controlled by the military. Manpower was provided by distributing pre-war regiments among the brigades,[33] by incorporating earlier militia units active on the front, and then by regular draft (though there were also volunteers).

Units raised as mixed brigades resembled rather a traditional infantry regiment.[34] Their strength was some 3,500 men, though the number of rifles available was below 2,000;[35] in practice an average unit counted some 1,600-1,800 rifles.[36] In all 188 units created there were only 49 career officers acting either as commanders or chiefs of staff.[37] Non-infantry sub-units were increasingly smaller; as general staff experts noted artillery was too dispersed, to gain critical mass guns and howitzers were shifted to divisional units.[38] Deployment of mixed brigades differed significantly from the original plan; instead of operating as autonomous units, they were grouped by 3 into divisions[39] and remained their fixed components. However, the concept of brigada mixta resulted in some change of divisional tactics. Though in terms of manpower (some 14,000 people)[40] comparable to a Nationalist division,[41] the Republican division was more loosely organized and its sub-components retained much greater autonomy.[42]

Evaluation

Republican armor

Scholars note that the underlying assumptions which gave rise to the mixed brigade concept were basically correct, and that the nature of warfare during the Spanish Civil War indeed favored mobility, flexibility and autonomy over structure, manpower and hierarchical organization. They also note that the innovative idea of creating combined-arms units below the divisional level was later successfully implemented during World War Two in form of the improvised German Kampfgruppen.[43] However, they also noted that the mixed brigade scheme was one that the Republic could not have afforded, and that attempts to implement it produced more harm than good.

The key point raised is that mixed brigades required even more specialists, NCOs, and career officers than pre-war brigades; as the Republic faced dramatic shortages of skilled military men, enforcing the scheme made matters even worse.[44] Another point is that the Republic was unable to provide sufficient equipment and arms, and as a result the non-infantry sub-units remained to a large extent an under-armed and under-equipped fiction. Finally, it is noted that the mixed brigade pattern was a “waste of men”, as an unusually high proportion of soldiers were assigned to non-combat roles.[45] Favorable comments are related not that much to the mixed brigade itself, but rather to its role within larger military units. It is noted that divisions formed from mixed brigades were more flexible, and that loose organisation of such divisions allowed greater efficiency when manoeuvre and relatively open front determined the nature of military operations.[46] However, otherwise the mixed-brigade-based organisation might have contributed to chaos.[47]

Mixed Brigades

The Mixed Brigades of the International Brigades are in Roman numerals.

1st to 100th

NumberEstablishment dateDisbandment dateObservations
1st10 October 19369 February 1939From the Fifth Regiment.
2nd13 October 1936February 1939Included railroad workers
3rdOctober 1936March 1939 (?)[48]Carabineros unit.[49]
4thNovember 1936March 1939
5thOctober 193628 March 1939Carabineros unit.
6thOctober 1936March 1939
7th27 March 193727 March 1939
8th27 March 193727 March 1939Carabineros unit. Formerly "Brigada M"
9th23 January 19379 February 1939Initially known as 1st Brigada Mixta Bis.
10th21 December 19369 February 1939Initially known as 1st Brigada móvil choque.
XI[50]22 February 1936February 1939
XII[51]1 November 19369 February 1939
XIII1 December 1936February 1939Former "Columna Temple y Rebeldía".
XIV1 December 193625 September 1938
XIV BisNovember 1937February 1938Bifurcation of the XIV International Brigade.[52]
XV[53]31 January 1937February 1939Lincoln Battalion part of this brigade
16thDecember 1936March 1939
17thDecember 193628 March 1939
18thNovember 193628 March 1939
19thDecember 193631 January 1939
20thNovember 1936March 1939
21stDecember 193617 January 1939
22ndNovember 1936March 1939Former "Columna Peire".
23rdOctober 1936January 1939
24thDecember 1936January 1939
25thNovember 1936March 1939
26thOctober 193628 March 1939
27thDecember 193628 March 1939
28thOctober 1936March 1939
29thOctober 193628 March 1939Former "Columna Cuevas".
30th31 December 1936March 1939
31st2 January 1937February 1939
32nd31 December 1936March 1939Former "Columna Mangada".
33rd6 January 19374 February 1939
34th1 January 193727 March 1939Former "Columna Robledo".
35th1 January 1937March 1939
36th1 January 1937March 1939Took part in the 'Death Tunnel' events in Usera.
37th31 December 1936February 1939
38th31 December 1936February 1939Former "Columna Perea".
39th26 November 1936March 1939Former "Columna Palacios".
40th26 November 193627 March 1939Former "Columna Ortega".
41st26 November 1936March 1939
42nd1 January 1937March 1939Included the Elche Battatlion[54]
43rd26 November 193627 March 1939Former "Columna Escobar".
44th31 December 193627 March 1939
45th31 December 193627 March 1939Former "Columna Burillo".
46th31 December 1936March 1939
47th31 December 1936March 1939
48th28 March 1937March 1939
49thFebruary 1937February 1939terminated after the bombing of Xàtiva.
50thFebruary 1937March 1939
51st14 March 1937March 1939
52ndJanuary 1937March 1939
53rdJanuary 1937March 1939
54thMarch 1937March 1939
55th1 March 1937March 1939
56thJanuary 1937February 1939
57th1 January 1937March 1939
58thJanuary 1937March 1939
59thJanuary 19379 February 1937Former "Columna Rosal".
60thJanuary 19374 February 1939Former "Columna Rosal".
61stJanuary 1937March 1939Former "Columna Rosal".
62ndDecember 1936January 1939 (?)
63rdDecember 1936March 1939
64thDecember 1936March 1939
65thDecember 1936March 1939Carabineros unit.
66thDecember 1936March 1939
67thFebruary 1937March 1939
68thJanuary 1937February 1939
69thDecember 1936March 1939
70th15 January 1937March 1939Former "Columna España Libre".
71stJanuary 193727 March 1939
72ndJanuary 1937February 1939Re-established after surviving the Battle of Bielsa.[55]
73rdMarch 1937March 1939
74thJanuary 193727 March 1939
75thFebruary 1937March 1939
76thApril 1937March 1939
77thFebruary 1937March 1939
78thFebruary 1937March 1939
79thFebruary 1937March 1939
80thFebruary 1937March 1939
81stMarch 1937March 1939Former "Columna Iberia" and "Columna Torres-Benedito".
82ndMarch 1937March 1939Former "Columna Hierro" and "Primera Columna confederal".
83rdMarch 1937March 1939Former "Columna Hierro".
84thMarch 1937January 1938Former "Columna Hierro" and "Columna Temple y Rebeldía".
Terminated after the "Mora de Rubielos events".
Re-established on 19 April 1938
Took part in the Battle of the Ebro.
Disappeared during the Catalonia Campaign.
85thMarch 1937March 1939Carabineros unit.
86thMarch 193728 March 1939Originally Brigada móvil Puertollano in December 1936.
Reorganized as International Brigade.[56]
87thMarch 1937March 1939Carabineros unit.
88thMarch 193727 March 1939Former "Columna Andalucía-Extremadura".
89thMarch 1937March 1939
90thMay 1937March 1939
91stMarch 1937March 1939Destroyed in the Battle of Mérida pocket (1938)
Later re-established.
92ndMarch 1937March 1939Originally known as 75th Brigada Mixta.
93rdJanuary 1937February 1939 (?)Originally known as 53rd Brigada Mixta.
94thMarch 19379 February 1939Originally established upon the former "Columna Iberia".
Terminated in September 1937 after the Battle of Brunete.
Reason: ineptitude during combat.
Re-established with Infantería de Marina forces.
95thJune 19379 February 1939Originally established with Anarchist militias.
Terminated following the Battle of Brunete.
Reason: ineptitude during combat.
Re-established with Infantería de Marina forces.
96thJune 1937March 1939
97thJune 1937March 1939 (?)
98th1 June 1937March 1939
99th12 June 1937March 1939
100thJune 19379 February 1939Shock troops of the 11th Division.

101st to 200th

NumberEstablishment dateDisbandment dateObservations
101stMay 19379 February 1939Shock troops of the 46th Division.
102ndMarch 19379 February 1939Formed from the remainders of the "72nd Mixed Brigade".
103rdMarch 1937March 1939
104thMarch 1937February 1939
105thMarch 1937March 1939
106thMarch 1937March 1939
107thMarch 1937March 1939
108thMarch 1937March 1939
109thSpring 1937March 1939Annihilated in the Battle of Mérida pocket (1938).
110thMarch 1937March 1937
111th17 March 193727 March 1939
112thApril 193728 March 1939
113thMarch 193727 March 1939
114thMarch 193726 March 1939
115thMarch 1937March 1939
116th28 April 1937March 1939Former "Columna Sur-Ebro".
117th28 April 1937January 1939Former "Columna Sur-Ebro". Fell apart in Catalonia.
118th28 April 1937March 1939Former "Columna Sur-Ebro".
119th28 April 1937February 1939Former "Columna Durruti".
120th28 April 1937January 1939Former "Columna Durruti".
121st28 April 1937January 1939Former "Columna Durruti".
122nd28 April 1937January 1939Disbanded after the Battle of the Ebro.
123rd28 April 1937January 1939Disbanded after the Battle of the Ebro.
124th28 April 1937January 1939Disbanded after the Battle of the Ebro.
125th28 April 1937March 1939Former "Columna Ascaso" and "Columna Los Aguiluchos de la FAI".
126th28 April 1937March 1939Former "Columna Ascaso".
127th28 April 193727 March 1939Former "Columna Ascaso" and "Columna Roja y Negra".
128th28 April 1937October 1937Disbanded and re-established more than once.
CXXIX8 February 193828 March 1939It lost its International Battalions in October 1938.[57]
130th28 April 19379 February 1939Re-established after escaping the Bielsa pocket.[58]
131st28 April 19379 February 1939
132nd11 June 193728 March 1939Former "Columna Macià-Companys".
133rdMay 1937January 1939
134thMay 193726 January 1939
135thMay 1937February 1939
136th1 May 1937February 1939
137th1 May 1937February 1939
138th1 May 1937March 1939
139th1 May 1937February 1939
140th1 May 1937February 1939
141stMay 1937February 1939
142ndMay 193712 February 1939
143rdMay 193716 January 1939Annihilated in Gaià
144thMay 1937January 1939
145thMay 1937January 1939
146thMay 193723 January 1939
147th1 May 1937March 1939Former "Columna Maroto".
148th9 May 1937March 1939
149thMay 1937February 1939
150th11 June 1937March 1939
CL[59]27 May 19374 August 1937Disbanded after the debacle at Brunete.
151stJune 1937January 1939Formed with Infantería de Marina troops.
152ndJune 1937March 1939Carabineros unit.
153rdJune 193726 January 1939Former "Columna Terra i Llibertat".
154thJanuary 1938March 1939Former 1st Basque Brigade; re-established as guerrilla unit.
155thJanuary 1938March 1939Former 2nd Basque Brigade; re-established as guerrilla unit.
156thJanuary 1938March 1939Former 3rd Basque Brigade; re-established as guerrilla unit.
157thJanuary 1938March 1939Former 4th Basque Brigade; re-established as guerrilla unit.
158thJanuary 1938March 1939Former 5th Basque Brigade; re-established as guerrilla unit.
159thJanuary 1938March 1939Former 6th Basque Brigade; re-established as guerrilla unit.
160thJanuary 1938March 1939Former 7th Basque Brigade; re-established as guerrilla unit.
161stJanuary 1938March 1939Former 8th Basque Brigade; re-established as guerrilla unit.
162ndJanuary 1938March 1939Former 9th Basque Brigade; re-established as guerrilla unit.
163rdJanuary 1938March 1939Former 13th Basque Brigade; re-established as guerrilla unit.
164thJanuary 1938March 1939Former 11th Basque Brigade; re-established as guerrilla unit.
165thJanuary 1938March 1939Former 12th Basque Brigade; re-established as guerrilla unit.
166th6 August 1937October 1937Former 1st Santander Brigade.
167th6 August 193721 August 1937Former 2nd Santander Brigade.
168th6 August 193721 August 1937Former 3rd Santander Brigade.
169th6 August 1937September 1937Former 8th Santander Brigade.
170th6 August 193721 August 1937Former 4th Santander Brigade.
171st6 August 193721 August 1937Former 5th Santander Brigade.
172nd6 August 193721 August 1937Former 6th Santander Brigade.
173rd6 August 193725 August 1937Former 7th Santander Brigade.
174th30 April 1938January 1939 (?)Former 9th Santander Brigade.
175th30 April 1938March 1939Former 10th Santander Brigade.
176th30 April 1938February 1939Former 11th Santander Brigade.
177th30 April 1938January 1939 (?)Former 12th Santander Brigade.
177th30 April 19382 January 1939 (?)Former 14th Santander Brigade.
179th19 April 1938February 1939Carabineros unit.[60]
180th30 April 1938March 1939Former 16th Asturian Brigade.
181st30 April 1938March 1939
182nd30 April 1938March 1939Fate unknown
183rd30 April 1938March 1939Former 3rd Asturian Brigade.
184th6 August 193721 October 1937Former 10th Asturian Brigade.
185th6 August 1937September 1937Former 15th Asturian Brigade.
186th6 August 1937October 1937Former 13th Asturian Brigade.
187th6 August 1937October 1937Former 14th Asturian Brigade.
188th6 August 1937October 1937Former 17th Asturian Brigade.
189th30 April 1938March 1939Former 1st Asturian Brigade.
190th30 April 1938March 1939Former 2nd Asturian Brigade.
191st30 April 1938March 1939Formed from remainders of the 4th Basque Brigade
and the 8th Santander Brigade.
192nd30 April 1938March 1939Former 5th Asturian Brigade.
193rd30 April 1938March 1939Former 6th Asturian Brigade.
194th22 May 1938March 1939Former 4th Asturian Brigade.
195th22 May 1938March 1939Former 7th Asturian Brigade.
196th22 May 1938January 1939Fell apart in Catalonia.[61]
197th22 May 1938March 1939
198th30 April 1938January 1939Fell apart in Catalonia along with the 196th and 199th
199th30 April 1938January 1939Fell apart in Catalonia along with the 196th and 198th
200thMay 193828 March 1939Ordered to retreat from the front in January 1939.[62]

201st to 246th

NumberEstablishment dateDisbandment dateObservations
201st30 April 193828 March 1939
202nd30 April 193829 March 1939
203rdMay 1938March 1939
204th30 April 1938March 1939
205thMay 1938March 1939
206th[63]May 1938March 1939
207thMay 1938March 1939
208thApril 1938March 1939
209thAugust 1937March 1939
210thAugust 1937March 1939
211thAugust 1937March 1939Carabineros unit.
212th28 August 1937March 1939
213th24 August 1937January 1939 (?)
214th24 August 1937March 1939
215th24 August 1937March 1939
216th24 August 1937March 1939
217th24 August 1937March 1939
218th24 August 1937March 1939
219th[64]24 August 193726 March 1939
220th24 August 193726 March 1939
221st24 August 1937March 1939Fate unknown
222ndSummer 1937March 1939Carabineros unit. Fate unknown
223rdSummer 1937March 1939Engaged in coastal defence.[65]
224thSummer 1937January 1939 (?)Restructured in spring 1938.[66]
225thSummer 1937March 1939Coastal defence
226thSummer 19379 February 1939part of the 42nd Division
227th22 April 19389 February 1939
228thDecember 1938January 1939Carabineros unit.
229thDecember 1938January 1939 (?)
230thFebruary 1938Data lackingGuerrilla unit.
231stFebruary 1938Data lackingGuerrilla unit.
232ndFebruary 1938Data lackingGuerrilla unit.
233rdFebruary 1938Data lackingGuerrilla unit.
234thFebruary 1938Data lackingGuerrilla unit.
235thFebruary 1938Data lackingGuerrilla unit.
236thFebruary 1938Data lackingGuerrilla unit.
237thFebruary 1938Data lackingGuerrilla unit.
238thFebruary 1938Data lackingGuerrilla unit.
239thFebruary 1938Data lackingGuerrilla unit.
240thFebruary 1938Data lackingGuerrilla unit.
241stDecember 1938UnknownDid not see combat action before disbandment.
242ndDecember 1938February 1939
243rdDecember 1938UnknownDid not see combat action before disbandment.
244thDecember 1938UnknownDid not see combat action before disbandment.
245thDecember 1938February 1939
246thJanuary 1939UnknownCould not be fully established before the
Eastern Region Army Group fell apart.[67]

See also

Bibliography

  • Alpert, Michael (19893); The Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War, 1936-19399, Cambridge University Press.ISBN 978-1107028739
  • Carlos Engel Masoliver (1999). Historia de las Brigadas Mixtas del Ejército Popular de la República. Madrid: Almena. ISBN 978-8-492-26447-6.
  • Helen Graham (2003). The Spanish Republic at War 1936-1939. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521459327.
  • Salas Larrazábal, Ramón (2006); Historia del Ejército Popular de la República. La Esfera de los Libros S.L. ISBN 84-9734-465-0

References

  1. José Vicente Herrero Pérez, De la división orgánica a la brigada mixta (evolución de las grandes unidades en España 1914-1927), [in:] Revista de Historia Militar XLVI/93 (2003), p. 115
  2. Michael Alpert, The Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War, Cambridge 2008, ISBN 9781107028739, p. 73
  3. Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 116
  4. Herrero Pérez 2003, pp. 117-118
  5. Alpert 2007, p. 73; other authors tend to downplay the theory, compare Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 118
  6. Alexander Clifford, The People's Army in the Spanish Civil War: A Military History of the Republic and International Brigades, 1936–1939, Philadelphia 2020, ISBN 9781526760937, p. 23
  7. Alpert 2007, pp. 73-74
  8. Clifford 2020, p. 28
  9. Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 118
  10. Alpert 2007, p. 71
  11. Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 119
  12. Herrero Pérez 2003, pp. 112-113
  13. Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 113
  14. Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 112
  15. Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 113
  16. E. R. Hooton, Spain in Arms: A Military History of the Spanish Civil War, 1936–1939, London 2019, ISBN 978-1612006376, p. 43
  17. most armies of the mid-1930s followed a triangular pattern, with an infantry division composed of 3 regiments, a regiment composed of 3 battalions, and a battalion composed of 3 companies. Spanish division with its binar structure was a bit of an exception. Also, in most European armies brigades were specialized army units, e.g. cavalry brigades in the Polish army or panzer brigades in the Wehrmacht, though brigades were regular units of some British infantry divisions
  18. German infantry regiment in 1917 was 3,832 men, W. Schilling, The Organization of Armies, [in:] Columbia service; Italian infantry regiment of early World War Two was 3,279 men, Regio Esercito. L'Organizzazione, [in:] RegioEsercito service; US infantry regiment of 1944 was 3,118 men, Regio Esercito. L'Organizzazione, [in:] RegioEsercito service; Polish infantry regiment of 1939 was 3,300 men, Zdzisław Jagiełło: Piechota Wojska Polskiego 1918-1939, Warszawa 2007, ISBN 9788311102064, p. 30; Wehrmacht infantry regiment of early World War Two was 3,049 men, Nigel Thomas, The German army in World War II, London 2002, ISBN 9781841766164, p. 10
  19. Alpert 2007, p. 74
  20. Clifford 2020, p. 24
  21. e.g. already in November 1936 the field artillery component was reduced to 3 batteries, plus antitank company and a mortar support group, Hooton 2019, p. 43
  22. Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 119
  23. Herrero Pérez 2003, pp. 119-120
  24. Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 121
  25. Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 119
  26. Herrero Pérez 2003, pp. 118-119
  27. they were commanded by 3 career army officers, 1 Carabineros officer, 1 civilian who underwent training in the Soviet military academy and 1 lawyer. Alpert 2007, p. 75
  28. Hugh Thomas, The Spanish Civil War, London 2001, ISBN 9780375755156, p. 526
  29. Thomas 2001, p. 530
  30. Alpert 2007, p. 75
  31. Carlos Engel Masóliver, Historia de las Brigadas Mixtas del Ejército Popular de la República, 1936-1939, Madrid 2005, ISBN 9788496170193, p. 228
  32. Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 125
  33. Alpert 2007, p. 76
  34. “shortages of equipment meant many BM were purely infantry formations, sometimes 1,500-2,000 men”, Hooton p. 43, see also Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 121
  35. Herrero Pérez 2003, pp. 122-123
  36. Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 123
  37. and most served at a rank not higher than a captain in 1936, Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 125
  38. Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 124, Herrero Pérez 2017, p. 250
  39. though some divisions were formed by 4 and some by 2 mixed brigades, José Vicente Herrero Pérez, The Spanish Military and Warfare from 1899 to the Civil War, London 2017, ISBN 9783319547466, Herrero Pérez 251
  40. Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 119
  41. the Nationalist division as reorganized during the war was composed of 12 battalions; the Republican one, if at full strength, was also 12 battalions, Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 127
  42. Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 120
  43. Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 115
  44. Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 129
  45. Clifford 2020, p. 26
  46. Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 128, Herrero Pérez 2017, p. 250
  47. Herrero Pérez 2003, p. 126
  48. Date uncertain
  49. "República - EPR - B.M." Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  50. Antony Beevor (2006); p. 167
  51. Hugh Thomas (1976); p. 528
  52. Carlos Engel Masoliver (1999); p. 37
  53. Hugh Thomas (1976), p. 639
  54. "¿...Y por qué no un blog...? : Fragmentos de metralla: el Batallón Elche en la red". Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  55. Hugh Thomas (1976); p. 892
  56. Carlos Engel Masoliver (1999); p. 114
  57. Carlos Engel Masoliver (1999); p. 41
  58. Hugh Thomas (1976); p. 892
  59. Hugh Thomas (1976); p. 1035
  60. Carlos Engel Masoliver (1999); p. 194
  61. This was a Central Zone brigade that was sent by sea to Catalonia along with the 198th and 199th Mixed Brigades in December 1938 in order to support the republican troops there. After disembarking in Barcelona it was incapable of reorganizing itself and fell apart in the middle of the chaos provoked by the retreat towards the French border.
  62. Carlos Engel Masoliver (1999); p. 204
  63. Carlos Engel Masoliver (1999); p. 208
  64. Carlos Engel Masoliver (1999); p. 219
  65. Carlos Engel Masoliver (1999); p. 222
  66. Suffered such heavy losses during the Aragon Offensive that it was no longer operational and was disbanded. Re-established anew on 19 April 1938.
  67. Carlos Engel Masoliver (1999); p. 228

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