The campaign that decided the fate of the North front Santander, 1937 di Javier Romero

Introduction: the summer of 1937 of 1937, the Republicans launched several In , the was minor and major offensives in the central entering their second year. The battles for zone to stop or delay the Nationalist drive, (November 1936-March 1937) in the hope that they could hold the North had convinced both sides that the war until the arrival of winter. With the snow would be long and could not be decided covering the mountain passes between in a single stroke. The Republican forces, Castile and the northern area, the Republic although weak on the offensive, had proved expected Santander and to hold that they could defend, so Franco tried a until the spring of 1938. By that time, the more methodical approach to defeat the Republican army would be ready to launch Republicans, conquering one territory at a major offensives against the thinly held time. Nationalist lines. With the Republic divided into two zones, The Nationalist offensive against the the logical step was to attack the weakest Northern zone began a few weeks after of both: the northern region. This area, the end of the fight in Guadalajara. In late however, had massive industrial, mining and March 1937, the Nationalist forces launched manpower resources that, if conquered by an offensive against Biscay, the last province Nationalist , could give him a decisive under control of the Basque autonomous advantage. Therefore, the operations of the government. The offensive, thanks to the year 1937 were dominated by the campaign ferocious resistance of the local forces and in the north, with Franco attacking in the the extremely rough terrain, would take north while remaining on the defensive three months to conquer (April-June). elsewhere. During the summer and autumn In the central Republican zone, however, HISTORICAL ARTICLE: Santander 1937 ARTICLE: HISTORICAL Initial position. August 14, 1937 (source: Col. Martínez Bande, Mono- grafías de la Guer- ra de España)

Para Bellum - Numero 3 19 the Cantabrian range and the Castilian highlands, with the exception of , where the front plunged south, deep into Castile, following the valley of the upper . This area, called the Reinosa pocket, had been conquered by the Republicans during the early weeks of the 1936, with the idea of using it as a springboard for a future offensive into Castile. A Nationalist attack on to Santander could follow one or all of the following invasion routes: from Valladolid and onto Reinosa, from through the Escudo mountain pass, or through Villarcayo- Espinosa de los Monteros and the Estacas de Trueba pass. These three invasion paths were covered by excellent defensive terrain, with narrow valleys surrounded by rough, scrub-covered terrain. The Escudo mountain pass (988 meters) dominated over all over mountain passes, so their control was The general the government was still busy reorganizing the best possible step for an invasion of Bastico (in the and disciplining militia forces. In the end, the Santander region. The Republicans, background) the superior firepower of the attackers (they consequently, built a number of trenches were supported by the German and Italian and defensive positions to cover the Escudo. air contingents) and the lack of a coordinated Santander was defended by two Republican Republican command in the north, allowed army corps, reinforced by Asturias forces: the the Nationalists to conquer most of Biscay XIV (Basque) Corps, and the XV (Santander) by mid-June 1937. Corps. These two corps, along with the With the Republican army still organizing, Asturias XVII Corps, formed the Ejército the Republican forces launched local del Norte, under command of General counterattacks at Segovia (late May-early Mariano Gámir Ulibarri. The XIV and XV June) and Huesca, in Aragon (10-29 June). It Corps covered all routes of approach with wasn’t until early July when the Republicans reserves ready to counterattack the flanks of were able to launch a major offensive. any enemy penetrations. At San Pedro del The Battle of (July 5-27, 1937), Romeral, a Basque brigade was deployed northwest of Madrid, quickly turned into in reserve, ready to counterattack enemy a slugfest with massive casualties for both advances on to Arija or the Escudo pass. At sides, but came too late to prevent the fall of the Reinosa area, they deployed a grouping Biscay. It did, however, force the withdrawal formed by the 57th Division (AKA Asturias of part of the Navarre brigades and the Shock Division). This group, reinforced by firepower (air and artillery) deployed in the one Santander brigade and additional forces, North. This delayed somewhat the attack on was instructed to counterattack any enemy the next objective in the North: Santander. penetration of the Reinosa pocket. Two additional brigades were kept in reserve at Plans Ontaneda and Solares, covering el Escudo After the fall of Biscay, the remnants of the and Reinosa. Basque forces, (the XIV Corps with four divisions) clung on to a last strip of Basque The CTV moves to the north territory. To the south and west, the front The defeat at Guadalajara had led the Italian followed the mountain divide between expeditionary force to be more cautious and 20 do not underestimate their enemies. The brigades and reserve artillery units were back new commander and the reorganization of to the North, and the Nationalist offensive the expeditionary corps, however, yielded against Santander began. Given the massive new benefits at Santander. Gen. Bastico, how mountain obstacle, it seemed logical that had replaced Roatta as commander of the the Nationalists would attack along the CTV, reorganized his forces, using the best coast-instead, they decided to concentrate a leaders and troops to form two divisions, the strong maneuver force at the mountain flank Littorio and Fiamme Nere, while disbanding and launch a massive assault on to Reinosa. all other divisions and discharging unreliable The Nationalist planned to first destroy this elements. A second grouping, the XXIII bulge south of the mountain range, conquer Marzo, would be renamed division shortly of the key industrial facility there, and before the Santander offensive. After the then storm the Escudo and advance on to fall of Bilbao, Bastico managed to convince Santander and the coast. Speed was essential the Nationalist command to give his newly for the success of the offensive. reformed corps a leading role in the new The Nationalist command concentrated offensive. On August 3, 1937, il Duce, who in the mountains group A, commanded was running out of patience, told Bastico by gen. Solchaga and formed by the I, IV that he should warn Franco that the Italian and V Navarre and II Castile Brigades (each volunteers should “combàttere, o ritornare”. brigade had actually 12 infantry battalions, The CTV deployed 31,000 troops for the so they were actually small infantry new offensive. Furthermore, the Italo- divisions), and group B, with the entire CTV Spanish mixed “Frecce Nere” Brigade, which (with three reinforced infantry divisions, participated in the attack as well, had some one independent light armor brigade, and 1,800 Italians out of a total of 6,288 troops. additional Spanish units, including five Lavishly equipped with artillery (200 guns), cavalry squadrons). To the east, at the los at least by Spanish Civil War standards Tornos pass, Group A deployed the II, III and (their Nationalist counterparts thought that V Navarre Brigades and the “Frecce Nere” their ammunition spending bordered on brigade. In the air, the profligacy), the CTV was expected to play a would provide support to the CTV, while key role in this campaign. the Legion Condor would support Group C By the 14 August, two weeks after the end and the Spanish air units Group A. of the , the crack Navarre The Navarrese were to attack and destroy

San Vicente de la Barquera (hex. 1303) seen from the sea. The photo gives an idea of the type of terrain that the Italian-nationalist offensive had to face.

Para Bellum - Numero 3 21 A bomber of the Reinosa pocket from the west, while the by much larger air formations. After that, the Aviazione Italians were assigned a decisive mission: to the Italians advanced along three lines of Legionaria take the Escudo pass, the key height in the advance towards Soncillo, while the celere bombard the enemy defenses. Although the Italians had an motorized group marched towards Reinosa republican lines enormous firepower superiority over their to link up with Group A. By the end of the enemies (along with their artillery, they were day, the Italian assault had penetrated five supported by the Aviazione Legionaria and kilometers into the enemy defenses, despite part of the Legion Condor) the breakthrough of the stubborn defense of the CLXXI and at El Escudo was expected to be a difficult CLXXII Brigades of the 53rd Division. The one: in addition of the excellent defensive Italians reached a point located some 3 km terrain, the Republicans were entrenched to the north of Soncillo, and Gámir had to and expected the attack. The precedent commit his reserves to block the advance to of Guadalajara, furthermore, had cast a the Escudo. shadow of doubt over the performance of On the 15 August, the Navarre Brigades the Italian forces. reached a number of villages to the SW of Reinosa, despite of the fierce resistance The offensive begins of the 50th Division, which caused severe On 14 August, the Nationalist launched their casualties to the Nationalist forces. Gámir Santander operation. The first phase of the moved in more reserves towards Escudo offensive, the destruction of the Reinosa and Reinosa and ordered the retreat of pocket, began with the I Navarre Brigade the CLXXIII and CLXXV Brigades from the infiltrating and taking by surprise most of Reinosa pocket. Meanwhile, the Fiamme the Peñalabra massif, thus opening a huge Nere and XXIII Marzo Divisions, after an gap (some 10 km) in the Republican line artillery barrage comparable to that of the and forcing three Republican brigades to earlier day, renewed the assault and reached retreat. The 50th Division, however, resisted the southern side of El Escudo, despite of the tenaciously around Portillo de Suano. losses suffered and the stubborn Republican To the other side of the Reinosa pocket, in defense. The Italian bombers and fighters the CTV sector, the offensive was preceded strafed and bombarded, again and again, by a massive air and artillery barrage: the the trenches and positions that defended the Italian aircraft flew around the clock over summit of El Escudo pass, and the Fiamme their targets, giving the Republicans the Nere and the Raggruppamento IX Maggio impression that they were being attacked inched forward towards the northern side 22 of the pass. To the left, the XXIII Marzo Nationalist forces marched in pursuit of Division advanced towards the main road the retreating Ejército Popular. Despite of at Cilleruelo, while the Littorio, minus some a couple of days of rain and bad weather, supporting units, remained in reserve at the IV Navarre Brigade advanced along Soncillo. the valley of the Saja river, thus threatening the communications between Santander Breakthrough. 14-17 and Asturias. The Republican morale The next day, 16th August, the Navarre plummeted. The Republican forces tried forces finally broke the resistance of the to form a new line of defense south of el 50th Division and entered Portillo de Escudo, but the advance of the Navarrese Suano, thus shattering the front of the 54th along the valley of the Besaya and that of Division, whose units broke and fled to the Italians on to avoid being surrounded. The Navarrese was too fast to allow the Republicans to marched on to Reinosa. By the night of the reorganize their defenses. On the 19th August, 16th, the Navarre forces entered the city, the CTV reached Entrambasmestas and the despite of the resistance of the Asturians of Pas valley. Indro Montanelli, who was a war the CLXXXVI Brigade (58th Division). The correspondent with the CTV, entitled his 19 local gun factory, la Constructora Naval, August chronicle to Il Messagero: “Nuova fell intact in the hands of the Nationalist avanzata legionaria per venti chilometri a forces before it could be destroyed, who nord di Reinosa”. Meanwhile, the forces captured 40 guns and various other war of Group C marched on to Cabuérniga. materials. The advance was so fast that a Cabezón de la sal and where Republican tank company was left stranded within reach, and the danger of being cut off behind the Nationalist lines. One Navarrese caused further damage to the already weak battalion though they were one of their Republican morale. own and escorted them to Reinosa. When In Santander, the 22 August the Republican approaching their lines, they opened fire on military and civilian commanders met to their “friends” and fled to the Republican decide what to do: defend Santander or positions. withdraw towards Asturias. From Valencia, On the 17th August, the battle for the Escudo a message of the minister of defense asked pass reached its climax. Bastico had given a the Ejército del Norte to resist 72 hours, for clear order to the Fiamme Nere: the Escudo within that time the Republican forces would Bersaglieri must fall that day. The script of the earlier launch a massive offensive on to Zaragoza. march towards days was repeated: massive artillery and The offensive was expected to conquer the Santander air barrage followed by an infantry assault. The Italians launched several frontal assaults that suffered severe losses. However, after committing part of the Littorio Division, the key heights of the Escudo were finally taken in hand to hand combat, despite of the resistance to the last man of the Republicans and their desperate counterattacks. The Escudo was under control of the Fiamme Nere. The price, however, was high: nearly 1,000 casualties.

Exploitation. 19-26 August 1937 After the fall of El Escudo, the road to Santander was open, and the Italo- Para Bellum - Numero 3 23 to Zaragoza, but the disaster in Santander was complete: Gámir and part of the General Staff leave Santander on board of a submarine. They reach Gijón that same day and setup a new HQ for the remnants of the Ejército del Norte. Meanwhile, to the west of the pocket, the front collapsed when the Basque forces defending the line of the Ason agreed to surrender to the Italian officer in command of the Frecce Nere Brigade. After having lost the last remnants of Basque territory, they were no longer interested in fighting for the Republic. The surrender agreement, called the Santoña pact, caused a complete collapse of the Republican morale. The city of Santander would fall on the 26th August, among the enthusiasm of the (mostly conservative) Santander populace.

capital of Aragon, thus forcing Franco to Aftermath stop his offensive in the North. After hearing The Santander offensive was one of the all opinions, Gámir decided to resist at most crushing operational victories of the Santander: the XIV Corps would defend the war: instead of conquering territory, the Ason River line while the remaining forces aim was to pocket and destroy the enemy would try to keep open communications forces, which was achieved. The attackers with Asturias for as long as possible. The had superior morale, whereas the defenders’ Republican air force also launched a major morale, with a number of exceptions (namely effort, suffering severe losses: on the 21- the 50Th Division and certain Asturias units), 23 August, according to Ramón Salas- was much weaker. The initial destruction of Larrazábal, the Nationalists claimed the the Reinosa pocket and the forces defending destruction of 30 Republican aircraft, most that region further damaged the combat of them destroyed by the Gamba di Ferro morale of the defenders. According to group of the Aviazione Legionaria. Nationalist sources, the Republicans lost Despite of the Republican losses, however, around 90 battalions and some 100 guns. the Italo-Nationalist forces kept advancing. Only scattered remnants took refuge in Ontaneda fell on the 22nd and Gámir ordered Asturias: five battalions of the 50th and 51st a general retreat towards Asturias. The Divisions, one brigade each of the 52nd and Navarre Brigades conquered Torrelavega on 54th Divisions, and elements of the 56th and the 24th August, thus cutting communications 57th Divisions. between Santander and Asturias and Even more important: with Santander isolating a number of brigades. The disaster falling in late August, Franco still had plenty was complete. of time to conquer Asturias before the onset The next day, 25th August, the Republican of winter, which they did. In fact, the victory Ejército del Este launched their offensive on at Santander was decisive in another aspect. 24 Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Ciutat, who was chief of operations of the Ejército del Norte, wrote in his memoirs that “in my opinion, we began to lose the , but not in Bilbao, but in Santander. Without the catastrophic collapse of the Santander front in August 1937, Franco couldn’t be able to end the fight in the north before the spring of 1938, and by that time the Army of Maneuver, the great strategic reserve being formed by the Republican General Staff, would be ready to fight as a whole. This reserve army had to be used prematurely and piecemeal. Franco, however, had at his disposal abundant strategic reserves, composed of the Northern divisions.” German Legion Condor was decisive, at the The fall of Santander would be celebrated Santander offensive the decisive factor was in Rome as a great triumph, despite of the maneuver of the mountain units across the tension between Franco and the CTV the divide, combined with the constant commander, Bastico, because the former air pressure.” Ciutat was of the opinion didn’t accept the surrender agreement signed that keeping the Reinosa bulge was a huge between Italians and Basques. This incident mistake: the Republican forces, he said, would lead to the replacement of Bastico by should have retreated to the mountain Mario Berti, upon request of Franco himself. divide to save forces and resist there. In fact, Nevertheless, the CTV fought with distinction the Republican front line along the entire at Santander-it would play key roles in most northern area, even with the defensive future offensives of the war, chiefly the obstacle of the Cantabrian mountain range, brilliant offensive on to the Mediterranean was quite long (300 km) but had scarce depth in March-April 1938, and the battle for (30-40 km), and this made the defense and Valencia, in May-July of that same year. The coordination of troops much more difficult. CTV, however, paid a heavy price for their To add insult to injury, each of the regions had Santander victory: the breakthrough at El their own local government which operated The CTV enters Escudo costed 12% of the troops involved quite independently from each other: the Santander in the attack. Overall, the CTV lost in the Santander campaign some 2,017 casualties, including 341 killed and 1,676 wounded. Far from being an easy conquest, the Santander offensive was won against a stubborn defense, thanks to superior firepower but also thanks to the better morale and excellent maneuvering by the Navarre and CTV forces, which moved and exploited skillfully to prevent the enemy from recovering and restore a defensive front. Again, Ciutat wrote that “If in the Bilbao offensive the intervention of the Para Bellum - Numero 3 25 Consejos of Santander and Asturias, and the Condor and the Italo-Nationalist air force Basque autonomous government. and artillery. Furthermore, the Republicans were not only inferior in weaponry: they also had Italian fascist monuments in Spain a problem to correctly supply their forces. The pyramid at el Escudo, called by the Their artillery, for instance, used up to 14 locals, “Pirámide de los Italianos” is still different models (they used whatever could standing today (2018) and was inaugurated be purchased abroad, plus guns of the pre- by Galeazzo Ciano in person in 1939, along war Spanish Army) so supplying them with with Ramón Serrano Súñer and other Italian ammunition was a nightmare. Against them, and Spanish higher-ups. It contained the the Italo-Nationalist artillery was plentiful, niches of 360 Italian soldiers killed in the well led, and (the Italians in particular) had battle for el Escudo, and was visited by huge stocks of ammunition. Their air force Italian veterans and relatives for decades also used a wide variety of aircraft models, after the end of the war. some of them obsolescent. Along with two In May 1971, a bus carrying Italian veterans escuadrillas of modern I-16 and various fell off a cliff, killing 12 CTV veterans and escuadrillas of I-15 fighters, the Republicans wounding several more. This, and the change deployed a colorful array of aircraft, of regime in Spain, moved the authorities to purchased here and there. These included withdraw the bodies from El Escudo. In 1975, French, British, Dutch, Czech aircraft: Bristol the remnants were retrieved and repatriated Bulldogs, Gourdou, Letov, Koolhoven, to Italy or brought to the Italian military Potez, Dragon, Nieuport and Breguet, tower-mausoleum at Torrero, Zaragoza. and were grouped into a mixed group This Sacrario Militare Italiano of Zaragoza which Republican ace Francisco Tarazona contains the bodies of 2,889 Italian soldiers nicknamed “Circus Krone”. Supplying these who fell in Spain. The pantheon was built aircraft with parts and ammunition proved in that city on Mussolini’s orders (mostly as nightmarish as supplying the artillery. because the city has the name of a Roman Finally, weather played a key role. The Emperor; Zaragoza= Caesar Augusta. Il summer and fall of 1937 were quite dry by Duce liked all things Roman). Years later, northern standards: there were almost no when democracy returned to both Spain rains from February to November 1937. The and Italy, the monument included also a fair weather, quite unusual in this region, in placard of remembrance for the 546 Italian The pyramid at el particular in the northern mountain passes, garibaldini who fought for the Republic in Escudo facilitated the operations of the Legion the .

26