118th Mixed Brigade

118th Mixed Brigade 118.ª Brigada Mixta April 1937 – March 1939 Spanish Republic Republican faction 17px Spanish Civil War Infantry Brigade 25th Division Spanish Civil War The 118th Mixed Brigade was a unit of the Spanish Republican Army created during the Spanish Civil War. History The brigade was created on April 28, 1937, from the old Carod-Ferrer Column, made up of anarchist militiamen, and was integrated into the 25th Division. The first head of the unit was the militia major Victoriano Castán Guillén, while Saturnino Carod Lerín of the CNT was appointed as political commissioner.Engel 1999 106Alpert 2013 328 In June 1937, it took part in the Huesca Offensive, which ended in failure. A few months later it took part in the Battle of Belchite, participating in the capture of the town. On October 6, it withdrew from Belchite to the rear, settling in Caspe.Engel 1999 106 During this period, the unit was reorganized. In December 1937, the 118th MB was sent to the Teruel Front, taking part in the capture of the city; it fought in the Old Cemetery and in the Hermitage of Santa Bárbara, reaching the vicinity of the urban area. The old cemetery was occupied by the brigade on December 21, and two days later it took the Hermitage of Santa Bárbara and the position of "El Mansueto." On January 1, 1938, it managed to stop an enemy counteroffensive that threatened to break the republican siege on Teruel, although it suffered a high number of casualties. It still had the strength to go to reestablish the front threatened by the national troops who were trying to lift the siege, although the brigade came out of the fight very broken. In February 1938, it fought in the Battle of Alfambra as a reserve for the 217th Mixed Brigade, although both units withdrew.Engel 1999 106 On March 3, 1938, it became part of the Levante Army reserve. After the beginning of the Aragon Offensive, it was sent to the Alcañiz sector, although she withdrew in the face of enemy superiority. Around March 17, he was in Alcorisa,Engel 1999 106 where it established its headquarters.Maldonado 2007 242 Later it intervened in the Levante Offensive, slowly retreating through the Maestrazgo area until reaching the XYZ Line around July 21, 1938. The brigade remained on the Levante front until the end of the war, without intervening in relevant operations. Command Commanders Victoriano Castán Guillén; Gerardo Valderías Francés Comisarios Saturnino Carod Lerín See also Carod-Ferrer Column Mixed Brigades References Bibliography Alpert Michael 2013 The Republican Army in the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939 Cambridge University Press Engel Carlos 1999 Historia de las Brigadas Mixtas del Ejército Popular de la República Madrid Almena 84-922644-7-0 es Maldonado José María 2007 El frente de Aragón. La Guerra Civil en Aragón (1936-1938) Mira Editores es Salas Larrazábal Ramón 2000 Historia del Ejército Popular de la República La Esfera de los Libros 84-9734-465-0 es Zaragoza Cristóbal 1983 Ejército Popular y Militares de la República, 1936-1939 Barcelona Ed. Planeta es expanded Category:Military units and formations established in 1937 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1939 Category:Mixed Brigades (Spain)