Early campaigns Spanish Legion

colors of spanish legion.

under leadership of lieutenant colonel juan yagüe army of africa played important part in spanish civil war on rebel side. professionalism of both legion , regulares gave franco s rebel troops significant initial advantage on less trained spanish republican forces. army of africa remained elite spearhead, until expansion of rebel armies after april 1937 led legion , moroccan units being distributed across several fronts. following francoist victory in 1939, legion reduced in size , returned bases in spanish morocco. after legion attained present composition of 4 tercios, , names given them, 4th tercio of legion established later in 1950:

1st tercio great captain gonzalo fernandez de cordoba

2nd tercio fernando alvarez de toledo, duke of alba

3rd tercio don juan de austria

4th tercio alexander farnese, duke of parma

when morocco gained independence in 1956 legion continued in existence part of garrison of remaining spanish enclaves , territories in north africa. legion fought arab irregulars in ifni war in 1957-58.

on 17 june 1970, legion units opened fire , killed between 2 , eleven demonstrators @ zemla neighbourhood in el aaiun, spanish sahara, modern day western sahara. incident, came known zemla intifada, had significant influence on pushing sahrawi anticolonial movement embarking on armed struggle continues, though spain has long since abandoned territory , handed on morocco.

through course of legion s history spaniards (including natives of colony of spanish guinea) have made majority of members, foreigners accounting 25 percent or less. during rif war of 1920s of foreigners serving legion spanish speaking latin americans.