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Spain
Sept 27, 2009 0:20:51 GMT -5
Post by nachtjager1945 on Sept 27, 2009 0:20:51 GMT -5
Hello all. Im working on a small essay on Spain in World War Two but can't find much on them. Could anyone help me out? All I gather is that they were mostly volunteers, but I plan on getting very specific, weapon-wise, so if someone could pull a list of the more common weapons of Spain that'd be helpful. Thank you!
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Adler69
Master sergeant
Legio Patria Nostra
Posts: 2,859
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Spain
Sept 27, 2009 0:29:55 GMT -5
Post by Adler69 on Sept 27, 2009 0:29:55 GMT -5
Do you need info on Spanish troops in Spain or fighting for the Germans or the Allies?.
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Spain
Sept 27, 2009 0:50:21 GMT -5
Post by nachtjager1945 on Sept 27, 2009 0:50:21 GMT -5
Both Spanish Troops and them fighting for Germany would be helpful. This essay is focused on Spains Axis Focus
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Adler69
Master sergeant
Legio Patria Nostra
Posts: 2,859
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Spain
Sept 27, 2009 0:55:15 GMT -5
Post by Adler69 on Sept 27, 2009 0:55:15 GMT -5
I'll get working on it , i have a few books i can look at. You need weapon types , uniforms , equipment?
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Adler69
Master sergeant
Legio Patria Nostra
Posts: 2,859
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Spain
Sept 27, 2009 4:28:25 GMT -5
Post by Adler69 on Sept 27, 2009 4:28:25 GMT -5
Blue Division TO&E
Officially the 250th Infantry Division of the Wehrmacht ,the unit was made of Spanish Volunteers, this unit was also known as the Spanish Volunteer Division, Division Azul, or the Blue Division.
The men of the Division were known as "Guiripas" or "Guripas" (which means little devils or soldiers in Spanish, like Grunt or GI).
The members of the Blue Division pronounced the units numbers digit-by-digit, that is, " two-six-nine" ("dos-seis-nueve"), not "two-hundred-and-sixty-nine" or "...-ninth". In addition the Infantry Regiments were known by the names of their commanders, "Pimental", "Vierna" and "Ezparza" respectively.
When in 1941 the Division left Grafenwohr for Russia, the Order of Battle was as follows:
German / Spanish / English / Number of Men / Commander
Estado Mayor Divisional / Divisional General Staff / 189 / Lt. Gen. Antonia Munoz Grandes.
Infanterie-Regiment 262 / 262 Regimiento de Infanteria "Pimental" 262nd Infantry regiment "Pimental" / 3,012 / Colonel Pimentel Zallas Recruited mainly in Barcelona.
Infanterie-Regiment 263 / 263 Regimiento de Infanteria "Vierna" / 263rd Infantry regiment "Vierna"/ 3,012 / Colonel Vierna Trápaga. Recruited mainly in Valencia.
Infanterie-Regiment 269 / 269 Regimiento de Infanteria "Esparza" / 269th Infantry regiment "Esparza" / 3,012 / Colonel Martinez Ezparza. Recruited mainly in Seville.
Feldersatz-Bataillon 250/ 250 Batallón de Reserva (Reserva Móvil "Tía Bernarda") / 250th Reserve Battalion (Mobile reserve 'Aunt Bernadine') / 601 /Commandante Fernando Osés Armesto
Artillerie-Regiment 250 / 250 Regimiento de Artilleria / 250th Artillery regiment / 2,793 / Colonel Badillo Perez.
Grupo de cañones / Artillery group / 531
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 250 / 250 Grupos antitanque / 250th Anti-tank group / 574 / Cmte. César Rguez. Galán
Aufklärungs-Abteilung 250 / 250 Grupo de exploración / 250th Reconnaissance Group / ??
Ski-Kompanie 250 / 250 Compañía del esqui / 250th Ski company / 206 / Captain Ordás.
Pionier-Bataillon 250 / 250 Zapadores Batallón / 250th Sapper battalion / 712
Nachrichten-Abteilung 250 / Grupo de señales /250th Signals group / 511
Sanitäts-Abteilung 250 / Servicio medico 250 / 250th Medical group / 518
Servicios administrativos / Administrative Services / 257 Servicio de Transportes / Transport Services / 1,034 Feldgendarmerie / Policía militar / Miliary Police /33 Feldpost / Correos militares / Military Post Office / 18 Servicio veterinario / Veterinary Services / 237 Total = 17,046
Lt. Gen. Antonia Munoz Grandes commanded during the period 20 Jul 41 – 13 Dec 42. He was succeeded by Lt. Gen. Emilo Esteban Infantes 13 Dec 42 – 20 Oct 43. Colonel Rodrigo was the second-in-command.
The Divisional order of battle changed relatively little. The ski company was formed at the end of 1941 to combat infiltrations by Soviet Ski troops along the west shore of Lake Ilmen. By September 1943 the Feldersatz Battalion had disappeared and the Infantry Regiments had become Grenadier Regiments.
Infantry Regiments
Each regiment had:
Three infantry battalions (companies 1-12 ), each containing Three infantry companies One heavy weapons company including: MG34 machine guns 81 mm mortars (6 weapons) One company (13th) of horse-drawn infantry guns: Three sections of 7.5 cm guns (2 guns each) One section of 15.0 cm guns (2 guns) One company (14th) of towed 3.7 cm anti-tank guns (Pak 36). Fours sections, each with 3 guns. One company (15th) of assault engineers. One assault platoon
División AzulCompanies were numbered sequentially within the regiment. Companies 1-4 were in the first battalion, 5-8 in the second battalion, and 9-12 in the third. Companies 4, 8 and 12 were heavy weapons companies.
The 11th company of each regiment (3rd Infantry company of the 3rd Battalion) was equipped with bicycles.
The infantry were armed with conventional German weaponry, although captured Soviet 7.62 mm PPSh.41 sub-machine guns were very popular.
By 1942 the 5.0 cm Pak 38 was replacing the 3.7 cm Pak 36.
A company of assault engineers (Zapadores de Asaltos) within each Regiment in addition to the Sapper Battalion of 3 companies.
Each Regiment had an assault platoon used for special attack and demolition work. I'm not sure if they were an ad hoc organization (likely) or possibly part of the assault engineers.
Reserve Battalion
Made up of three Infantry companies. This was formed from the left over personnel when the original Spanish organization was abandoned in favor of a German 3 Regiment Division. The Reserve Battalion became the shock force of the division. It is possible that this unit made higher use of the captured Soviet 7.62 mm PPSh.41 sub-machine guns than other units. By September 1943 this unit had disappeared - presumably by casualties and drafts into the rest of the Division.
Reconnaissance group
All the men were from the Spanish Cavalry Corp, which perhaps explains why this unit was organized into squadrons like a cavalry unit. Originally there were meant to have horses, but apparently they were actually issued bicycles.
Ski company
The ski company was formed at the end of November 1941 to combat infiltrations by Soviet Ski troops along the western shore of Lake Ilmen . Captain Ordas commanded the company, Ordas was from the 5th Anti-tank Company and only took command in 10 January 1942. On this date it contained 206 officers and men. Proctor says Lieutenant Otero de Arce took over command after the operation across Lake Ilmen (mid Jan 1942).
Artillery Regiment
4 groups, all horse drawn.
1st Light Group: 3 batteries of 10.5 cm leFH 18 field howitzers
2nd Light Group: 3 batteries of 10.5 cm leFH 18 field howitzers
3rd Light Group: 3 batteries of 10.5 cm leFH 18 field howitzers
4th Heavy Group: 3 batteries of 15.0 cm guns.
Apparently 4 gun Batteries were the standard in German service, so the Spanish units probably had the same composition.
The Spanish artillery had been given French 155 guns, but they were without transport or tractors.
Artillery group
18 x 7.5 cm guns - probably organised into 4 or 5 Batteries
6 x 15.0 cm guns - probably organised into 1 or 2 Batteries
Anti-tank group
The unit had 36 x 3.7 cm anti-tank weapons (Pak 36) in three batteries.
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3x Batteries 4 x section 3 x 3.7 cm anti-tank weapons (Pak 36)
By 1942 the 5.0 cm Pak 38 was replacing the Pak 36. Unlike the artillery which relied on horse transport, the anti-tank group had vehicular transport , apparently the vehicles were confiscated in France, and were a mixture of Peugeots, Packards, Hustons, etc. Military Police
The Military Police were manned by Civil Guard.
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