127th Mixed Brigade

127th Mixed Brigade 127.ª Brigada Mixta April 1937 – March 1939 Spanish Republic Republican faction 18px Spanish Republican Army Infantry Brigade 28th Division Spanish Civil War Aragon Offensive Extremadura campaign The 127th Mixed Brigade was a unit of the Spanish Republican Army, belonging to the 28th Division, created during the Spanish Civil War. It operated on the Aragón and Extremadura fronts. History The unit was created on April 28, 1937,Engel 1999 113 on the Huesca front, from the old Red and Black Column. Casanova 1985 254 Command of the brigade fell to Máximo Franco Cavero,Maldonado 2007 170 with Ramón de la Torre Martín as Chief of Staff and the anarcho-syndicalist Manuel Lozano Guillén as political commissioner.Engel 1999 113 It was integrated into the 28th Division,Casanova 1985 114, 254 which was the former Ascaso Column. In June it took part in the Huesca Offensive and a few months later it also participated in the Zaragoza Offensive, attacking the town of Zuera —without success—. Where it acted as a reinforcement for the 27th Division, after this unit had repeatedly collided with the nationalist's defenses.Téllez 1996 68 n. During the Battle of Teruel, while the 125th and 126th mixed brigades participated in the fighting, the 127th MB remained located in Upper Aragón as a reserve force for the Eastern Army.Engel 1999 113-114Maldonado 2007 422 On March 9, 1938, after the start of the nationalist offensive on the Aragon front, the brigade was ordered to march to the threatened sector to try to contain the enemy attack.Maldonado 2007 400 On March 11, however, the brigade disbanded due to contact with the enemy in the area of Alagón-Oliete. On March 13, it lost the towns of Andorra, Ariño and Alloza, having to retreat to the area between Teruel and Escorihuela, where it was located until April 23. Its remains ended up being reintegrated into the old division.Maldonado 2007 473 The 127th Brigade, which suffered a major loss, had to be withdrawn to Calles to undergo a reorganization.Engel 1999 114 In August 1938, it was sent as reinforcement to the Extremadura front, now under the command of the militia major Esteban Serra Colobrans. The brigade intervened in the Republican counterattack that followed the Franco offensive in the Battle of Merida pocket. After crossing the Zújar river, it continued advancing until it was in the vicinity of Castuera. It remained in this sector until it was withdrawn to cover losses suffered. In January 1939, it intervened in the Battle of Peñarroya, participating in the breakdown of the front and managing to advance to the Patuda and Trapera mountains. The unit was dissolved at the end of the war.According to José Manuel Martínez Bande, during the Casado coup the 127th Mixed Brigade positioned itself alongside the Casadista forces.Martínez Bande 1985 280 n. Commanders Commanders Máximo Franco Cavero;Álvarez Fernández 2007 245 Esteban Serra ColobransTéllez 1996 67 Commissars Manuel Lozano GuillénÁlvarez 1989 185Téllez 1996 234 Chiefs of Staff Ramón de la Torre Martín; Enrique Genovés Guillén See also Mixed Brigades Red and Black Column Notes n. References Bibliography Álvarez Santiago 1989 Los comisarios políticos en el Ejército Popular de la República Ediciós do Castro es Álvarez Fernández José Ignacio 2007 Memoria y trauma en los testimonios de la represión franquista Barcelona Anthropos es Casanova Julián 1985 Anarquismo y revolución en la sociedad rural aragonesa, 1936-1938 Siglo XXI Editores es Engel Carlos 1999 Historia de las Brigadas Mixtas del Ejército Popular de la República Madrid Almena 84-922644-7-0 es Maldonado José M.ª 2007 El frente de Aragón. La Guerra Civil en Aragón (1936–1938) Mira Editores 978-84-8465-237-3 es Martínez Bande José Manuel 1985 El final de la Guerra Civil Madrid San Martín 84-7140-232-7 es Téllez Antonio 1996 La Red de Evasión del Grupo Ponzán. Anarquistas en la guerra secreta contra el franquismo y el nazismo (1936-1944) Barcelona Editorial Virus es expanded Category:Military units and formations established in 1937 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1939 Category:Mixed Brigades (Spain) Category:Militarized anarchist formations