History Spanish Legion

1 history

1.1 predecessor
1.2 title of spanish legion
1.3 campaigns

history

the spanish legion formed royal decree of king alfonso xiii on 28 january 1920, minister of war josé villalba riquelme stating, designation of foreigners regiment there created armed military unit, recruits, uniform , regulations should governed set minister of war. in 1920s spanish legion s 5 battalions filled native spaniards (since foreigners not easy recruit) of foreign members coming republic of cuba.

predecessor

historically there had been spanish foreign legion preceded modern legion s formation in 1920. on 28 june 1835, french government had decided hand on spanish government french foreign legion in support of queen isabella s claim spanish throne during first carlist war. french foreign legion, around 4,000 men, landed @ tarragona on 17 august 1835. became first spanish legion until dissolved on 8 december 1838, when had dropped 500 men. british legion (la legión británica) of spanish legion fought during first carlist war. legion fought fortified bridge of arrigorriaga on 11 september 1835

the title of spanish legion

the spanish legion modelled on french foreign legion. purpose provide corps of professional troops fight in spain s colonial campaigns in north africa, in place of conscript units proving ineffective. first commanding officer, lieutenant colonel josé millán-astray terreros, referred unit ‘la legión’ start became part of unit’s title 1937.

in original tercio de extranjeros there were, amongst others, 1 chinese, 3 japanese, 1 maltese, 1 russian, , 1 black american. however, majority of members spaniards joined fight outside of european spain.

tercio (lit. third ) old spanish military term translates ‘regiment (originally had enough manpower considered half-brigade). in 18th century tercios replaced regiments. there no equivalent word in english. dating 16th century, name chosen evoke era of spain s military supremacy leading catholic power in europe under habsburg emperors. organised tercios in 1534, spanish infantry gained reputation invincibility.

in 1925, unit title changed tercio de marruecos (‘the tercio of morocco’). abbreviated ‘the tercio’. in 1937 @ height of spanish civil war, tercio de marruecos renamed la legion, name still known today.

early campaigns

the spanish legion s first major campaign in spanish north africa. in 1920 spain facing major rebellion in protectorate of spanish morocco, led able rif leader abdel krim. on 2 september 1920, king alfonso xiii conferred command of new regiment on lieutenant colonel of infantry josé millán-astray, chief proponent of establishment. millán-astray able soldier eccentric , extreme personality. style , attitude become part of mystique of legion.

on 20 september 1920 first recruit joined new legion, date celebrated annually. initial make-up of regiment of headquarters unit , 3 battalions (known banderas, lit. banners - archaic 16th century term). each battalion in turn made of headquarters company, 2 rifle companies , machine gun company. regiment s initial location @ cuartel del rey en ceuta on plaza de colón. @ height, during spanish civil war, legion consisted of 18 banderas, plus tank bandera, assault engineer bandera , special operations group. banderas 12 18 considered independent units , never served part of additional tercios legion organised.

francisco franco 1 of leaders of legion , unit s second-in-command, concurrently commanding 1st legion bandera. legion fought in morocco in war of rif (to 1926). regulares (moorish colonial troops), legion made spanish army of africa. in october 1934 units of both legion , regulares brought spain republican government put down workers revolt in area of asturias.

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.