Puerto del Escudo and Italian Forces

[asiaticus]

So what was there? Is there a map of what the area was like then?

[Óscar G]

So what was there? Is there a map of what the area was like then?

I´m trying to find some... There is a scarce source - book - written by General Sagardía in 1940 that can show the area by that time. As far as I know, this General led also the Nationalist advance - 62. Division -towards Reinosa. The CTV led the other side/flank of the attack when the front line broke. A friend of mine will provided me with this important info. Hope it can help...
Regards. Óscar

[Vulkan]

So what was there? Is there a map of what the area was like then?

In case you dont find any map of the time, that place was mainly a wide, flat brooke valley with a couple of hamlets, now underwater, and narrow paths. I doubt that it was relevant to the outcome of the battle

[asiaticus]

Thanks Vulkan for the info on the terrain under the lake.

Also Oscar G for that note on where the 62nd Division Brigade was fighting. Both are a help.

[asiaticus]

BTW do we know which units of the Italians and the one Spanish unit attacked which part of the Republican line in the first breakthru phase in this battle? There was the iniatial assault that took the heights 3km north of Soncillo. Then there was fighting for the Heights of Brica and to break thru the 2nd line around Virtus and Bezana.

[asiaticus]

orden de batalla website seems to have been taken down after May 2007.

the Web achive still has most of its pages. http://web.archive.org/web/200705200252 ... m/odb_gce/


Here are the ones for this battle refered to previously.

Batalla de Santander - Republican order of battle
http://web.archive.org/web/200704292236 ... er_epr.htm

Batalla de Santander - Nationalist order of battle
http://web.archive.org/web/200702020358 ... der_en.htm

[Coconuts]

This thread is very interesting. I have read about the role of the CTV in the Santander campaign, but this is the first time I have seen pictures of the ground over which some of the battles were actually fought.

Though I'm coming to this thread really late, I have a few books which might provide some extra info. on the details of the fighting in the areas around the Puerto del Escudo.

It would be nice to get some clarification on the tank battle location and its circumstances. Since this was the most significant clash of armor in the North it seems a really interesting, and maybe critical, part of this whole operation.

In the book 'Los Carros de Combate "Trubia" 1925-1939' by Artemio Mortera Perez, Quiron, Madrid, 1994 there are details of the clash between the Italians and the Republican armour on the llanada de la Virga:

Asimismo, otra agrupacion de carros, de la que formaban parte algunos trubia, fue assignada a la 53 division que defendia la zona Soncillo-El Escudo. El dia 14 agosto, en que la ofensiva nacional rompiera el frente santanderino, unas secciones de blindados rusos "BA 6" y "FA1" se encontraron en situacion comprometida al tener que enfrentarse en la llanada de la Virga, ante el puerto del Escudo, con los carros italianos "Fiat Ansaldo", inferiores en poder, pero mas numerosos. Un grupo de carros "Renault FT17" y "Trubia" intervino en apoyo de las blindados que pudieran retirarse a su amparo tras sufrir algunas perdidas. p.60

The source is given as 'Parte del Regimiento de Carros Republicano del 14 agosto de 1937.'

The Italians captured some Trubias, one of which they apparently sent back to Italy.

Another good source for this battle seems to be the Italian Army Historical office's book 'La Partecipazione Italiana alla Guerra Civile Espanola, Alberto Rovighi and Filippo Stefani, USSME, Rome, 1992.' Vol 1.

There is a day by day account of the battle around the Puerto del Escudo. It would be too long to copy out, and perhaps no one is interested in this thread anymore, but it gives many details, for example:

-14 Agosto

Sulla fronte della <Fiamme Nere> la preparazione dell'artiglieria ha inizio alle 8,35 seguita alle 10 da un bombardamento pesante dell'aviazione legionaria. La divisione si articola in 3 colonne e una riserva. La colonna di sinistra parte dal fosso del km 153 della rotabile Soncillo-Vento Nueva, avanza lungo la direttrice l'Ermita-Coronia-Cabanas de Virtus-Venta q.1032 con obiettivo intermedio Cabanas de Virtus e con obiettivo de atacco q.1032 di Venta Nueva. La colonna di centro parte del rovscio di q.918 (bosco a est di castrillo de Bezana), muove lungo la direzione q.918-Riano-M. Picones-Enderio-Los Meanderos- q.1023, con obiettivo intermedio la zona di Meanderos e obiettivo de attacco le quote 1022 e 1023 di venta Nueva. La colonna di destra parte nel momento in cui le colonne di sinistra e di centro giungono sulle posizione di Enderio e Meanderis, lungo la direzione q.918-q.972-la Magdelena, con obiettivo intermedio q.918 e obiettivo di attacco La Magdelena. L'avanzata della divisione e duramente e tenacemente contrastata dal nemico che giova di una bene organizzata e realizzata fortificazione campale...p.436-437.

I have also found an order of battle down to battalion level for the Fiamme Nere in another CTV book I have, and, there is more on the Republicans in the Martinez Bande 'Monografia' 'El Final del Frente Norte'.

[asiaticus]

Coconuts, Id like to see your oob.

It seems some of the Italian objectives may be under the reservoir now.