The Carlist Burgos Tercio

at Guadalajara March 1937

By Jaime De Miguel


During the war the Tercios (Btn size) had usually four companies, plus the usual MG and/or weapons company. These companies would have command infantry stands in CD terms , company commanders were usually professional or militia officers(alfereces provisionales for instance)and do not forget to include a chaplain and a "cristoforo" (the fellow with a cross on a long stick)among your figures!

Note that not always all companies were available, and this happened to the Tercio Burgos which had 3 companies until a fourth one (Sanguesa company from Navarrese requetes) was attached. There was no MG section or company before Extremadura front .

The Martinez Bande book "La lucha en torno a Madrid" SHM no 2 chapter dedicated to the Guadalajara battle, there's a short footnote with the description of TO&E of nationalist II Brigade (Col. Marzo), mentioning not only the Tercio Burgos-Sanguesa, but also as well an independent unit called "Batallon Mixto" with forces from Bandera de Falange de Soria, Tercio Numantino and Requetes de Valvanera; these two units are also "Requetes".

I've found two interesting sources for the Tercio de Burgos-Sanguesa. The first one is in "Las milicias Nacionales" (II vol.pgs 805 and 810) from R. Casas de la Vega, mentioning it had 22 officers and 626 men. On the 20 March 37 they were in the Henares river Valley advance, and occuppied Bujaralo, Jadraque, Mendrillera and Cogolludo, From August till the end of the year they held defensive positions in Monte Trapero where the Republicans made fiercely attacks (mainly in September). In June 38 this unit will leave Guadalajara front towards Extremadura.

The second source, and probably much more interesting is Julio Arostegui two volume "Los combatientes Carlistas en la Guerra Civil Espanola 1936-1939". This is a resume from page 217 and following in vol. 2. "The 3 companies leaded by comandante Ibanez de Aldecoa arrived on trucks 6th october 36 to Pozancos (Guadalajara), to be incorporated to Col. Marzo column in the Division Soria. The Tercio de Burgos participated in a first attack against Siguenza on 8th October, and were sent afterwards to positions surrounding the city. On 9th october night they were in Siguenza meanwhile the republicans resisted in the cathedral, and on the 10th the unit took positions in Zaragoza road in a place called "Casas del Gordillo".

On October 18th began the Nationalist advance towards Guadalajara, the first objective of the Tercio Pelegrina was the ceramics factory where the Republicans put up a great fight. On the 19th they participated in Cabrera conquest, going back to Pelegrina afterwards.

On the 22nd the Tercio attacked with bayonet on their rifles enemy positions in Cerro (peak) Algora. On the 25th Algora was occupied after very hard fighting. On the 30th the Tercio operated alongside the Batallon de America (Cte. Sotero) which had a bunch of Requetes del Rey with them, alongside the Mandayona road. The Tercio went back to Pelegrina and then Siguenza. From there the Tercio occupied positions in a village called Angon and the 31st October Negredo and height no 1.074.

On the 2nd November the Tercio reinitiated its attacks on Llanos de la Dehesa where the Carlists suffered 66 casualties. On the 5th the unit was taken back to Algora and afterwards Mirabueno. On the 8th they participated in the attack against Castejon de Henares and the 9th occupied Mantillas and the cement factory. They remained there till the Guadalajara offensive in March 1937. Aldeoca was wounded on the 25th December 1936 taking command the 1st company commander captain De la Puente till arrival of Cabestre once the Tercio Burgos-Sanguesa was already created.

The Sanguesa company (coming from Tercio Maria de las Nieves) had brigade links with T. de Burgos from October/Nnovember 36, but had no tactical connections before Ffebruary 1937 under Captain Cabestre command (being De la Puente sent somewhere else). The Tercio de Burgos had in December 36 around 500 men and then this fourth company was attached in a village called Cendejas.

The March nationalist offensive put this new unit under very severe combat condition which lasted a whole week. Mirabueno and Almadrones had already been reoccupied before the Tercio entrance in combat. On March 10th the unit leaves from Cendejas and occupied Jadraque , wher ethey rested . On the 11th the axis of advance deviates towards the south and west against Membrillera and Cogolludo finally taken against hard republican resistence and very bad weather. In Cogolludo they were harassed by snipers, until the houses were destroyed by artillery , the captured snipers shot and their bodies left unburied for "escarmiento" .

The offensive could not continue and the unit remained 15 days in Cogolludo, being deployed later between Espinosa de Henares and Cogolludo. On August 26 they occupied a position called "El Trapero" and rejected some counteratttacks.

The Tercio had 3 companies of Castillian and a 4th company of Navarrese, such an organization was disiliked by the Castillian (and also some Galician) forces due to Cabestre preferences for the Navarrese.

In April 1937 the companies were commanded by Alferez Bonifacio Sainz, and ltnants. Julian Rodriguez and Arturo Calderon, and Captain Severino Balganon. There were also as officers 4 carlist priest (chaplain) and two doctors of medicine . In August 1937 the forces of the Tercio Burgos-Sanguesa had 553 men as follows: 2 captains, 6 ltnants., 11 alfereces, 4 chaplains, 2 doctors, 5 army sergeants, 21 militia sergeants and the remaining men were Requetes soldiers.

When the unit left for Extremadura hadn't received yet the MG company."

TO&Es for Command Decision and Rapid Fire


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