Use of cavalry during the war?

[tyskaorden]

In Osprey's Men at arms book on the Spanish Civil War I read that Franco's forces included a Cavalry Division. This had me wonder if there was much use of cavalry during the War. My guess is that there was not, the Osprey book mentions one cavalry action on 7 February 1938. I would be glad if anyone could shed some light on the subject.

[Javichu]

Cavalry was widely used all along the SCW but I think that more as "Mounted Infantry" that as Cavalry .AFAIK no horse charges and all this stuff ...Maybe only a few .
Take into account that the scenario was very similar to that of the late WW1 with artillery,aviation and machineguns as the kings of the battlefield.But the Spanish army was mainly horsedrawn (Think also of The German one in WW2 ,years later) and cavalry units made highly mobile combat and recon units in the rough terrain of Spain.

[tyskaorden]

Thank you Javichu!

Yes the role of all cavalry at this time was more or less that of Mounted infantry. The action of 7 February was in the book described as in the "tradition of Murat at Eylau", this was all do you (or anyone else) have more information on what happened? Did the republicans have any cavalry units?

Since you mentioned the German Army. The heavy German reliance on horses is easily forgotten. Remember seeing an interview with a Brittish Normandy Veteran in which he expresses how suprised he was when he discovered this, in the form of German horse drawn artillery.

[Andres]

Hi,

The two sides used the cavalry, but as mounted infantry, as Javichu says, or in exploration and persecution labours.

The nationalist side had a single cavalry division, that was leaded by General Monasterio Ituarte (who also was the commander of the FE-JONS militias. Tis division was created in August 1936 and its first action was the conquest of Arenas de San Pedro on 9 Sept-1936 and its bravest actuation was, as you say, on 7-8 February 1938 in Teruel, being the last charge of the Spanish Cavalry History.

About the Republican Cavalry I have no heard very much about it and it there was any charge. (I think it was used in the Jarama (?))

Regards

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little complement.....................

Cavalry in Spain.

Not until the Insurgent counteroffensive against Teruel in January and February 1938, do we find any indication of a major cavalry operation. From then on there are numerous instances where Monasterio's command-now a mixed division-showed that cavalry is still an important arm, especially in open warfare. Beginning 5 February, 1938, the Insurgents struck a powerful blow upon the Government salient jutting 15 miles westward into the Sierra Palomera Mountain north of Teruel, while General Aranda's corps kept pressure on the southern flank of the bulge and General Sanchez' division flattened the nose, General Yague's Moroccan division attacked the northern flank. Into the gap opened by the Moroccans and Legionnaires of Africa poured Monasterio's cavalry from its reserve position. It penetrated about ten miles, capturing a town and routing enemy reserves. Threatened in rear by this maneuver, the defense began to collapse.

On 6 and 7 February, while the pincers were closing on the salient from north and southwest, the cavalry cut eastward and then south to capture Perales, Alfambra, and Peralejos along the road leading north from Teruel. The cavalry practically cut the entire base of the salient, captured several thousand prisoners and was a big factor in bringing the recapture of Teruel 21 February. General Yague acclaimed: "A large share of the credit for the success of this operation should go to Monasterio's cavalry veterans, who demonstrated so well their efficiency in mountain fighting in our northern campaign, and who have again repudiated the doubts some military authorities hold regarding cavalry's usefulness in modern warfare."

This mixed division was active throughout March and April, 1938, in the offensive that broke Government Spain in two. Motorized infantry, armored cars, and tanks had been added to the mounted force. After General Valino's Navarrese division broke the front near Herrera on 9 March, the cavalry went through the gap and played havoc with communications and troops in the rear area. By the 13th it had advanced from 30 to 40 miles. The initial penetration was next to be extended northward by General Yague's corps, supported by the cavalry division. In this operation cavalry mobility was used to cover the crossing of the Ebro and assist the advance on Bujaraloz, then to mop up the remaining resistance north of this town. A few days later when Yague reached the Cinca River on the road to Lerida, cavalry was used to plug a gap created between the Moroccan Corps and Valino's forces to the south of the Ebro.

Again in the breakthrough to the sea, 15 April, Moorish cavalry helped outflank Government resistance. Following this success, the cavalry division is reported to have been used to occupy the coastal zone while other forces were redisposed for undertaking the southward offensive toward Castellon and Valencia. After this operation got under way, we again hear of Insurgent cavalry in more mountain fighting. It was not always successful. Mounted attacks were repulsed on several occasions. At other times, however, the mobility of the mounted units was used to good advantage to take out strong points remaining on the flanks and to get behind the enemy and cut off his retreat.

During the recent drive which netted the Insurgents Catalonia and its capital of Barcelona, cavalry mobility was put to good use in the last two weeks of the advance on the metropolis. It drove retreating Government troops along the coast from Tortosa to Tarragona, and wiped out remaining strong points. For fighting in mountainous areas and other terrains unsuited to automotive vehicles, and for exploitation and pursuit, horse cavalry seems to be just as useful today as it was when Forrest and Stuart made the headlines. But today the horse seldom has the opportunity to charge.

Source: Review of Military Literature. March 1939.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[Ironmachine]

In Osprey's Men at arms book on the Spanish Civil War I read that Franco's forces included a Cavalry Division.

The nationalist side had a single cavalry division,

Actually, the National forces included two cavalry divisions.

[¡NO PASARAN!]

In Osprey's Men at arms book on the Spanish Civil War I read that Franco's forces included a Cavalry Division. This had me wonder if there was much use of cavalry during the War. My guess is that there was not, the Osprey book mentions one cavalry action on 7 February 1938. I would be glad if anyone could shed some light on the subject.

Cavalry were used during the Nationalist Aragon Offensive of 1938 to roam around and mop up Republican stragglers.

[Ironmachine]

Actually, cavalry was extensively used by the Nationals in combat during the war. Republican cavalry saw far less combat.