The CTV first saw action in the campaign at Malaga, where it captured that pocket and removed a Republican pocket in the south of Spain. From there, the CTV was shifted to aid in the Guadaljara Offensive against Madrid. It should be noted that throughout the war the goal of the different commanders of the CTV and that of the Nationalist government were in conflict. The Italian commanders wanted to end the war and return home. The Nationalist leadership wanted to win the war with as little foreign aid as possible, and was willing to allow the war to continue for longer than needed. Due to this conflict, the CTV never quite had the support of the Nationalist government. One has the feeling, especially when reading about the Battle of Guadalajara, that the Nationalist government was quite willing to let the Italians go forward without support. Looking back on the Battle of Guadalajara today, it is difficult to see it as the decisive defeat of the CTV that it is so often portrayed. The CTV was driven back, but the best troops in the Republican Army had to be shifted from other fronts and thrown against it to carry out that feat. The CTV was transferred north to take part in the attack on the Basque enclave there, and reorganized in the process. The 1st and 3rd Blackshirt Divisions were disbanded, and their personnel used to bring the other units up to full strength. Additional weapons were added to help support the existing units, while the 23rd of March Brigade was reorganized as a division. When operations started there at the end of March 1937, the CTV had the following elements: 2nd Blackshirt Division "Fiame Nere" (`Black Flames") (Troop Quality: Trained, Morale: 7) Divisional Troops Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 car 1 staff radio truck Supply Troops Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 car 1 support stand 1 light baggage truck with field kitchen 1 maintenance truck 2 Medium Truck Sections, each with: 5 medium trucks 1 Heavy Truck Sections, with: 5 heavy trucks 7th Blackshirt Legion Legion Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 car 1 engineer stand 1 light truck Supply Detachment, with: 1 support stand 1 light baggage truck with field kitchen 1 medium general supply truck Mortar Battery, with: 1 81mm mortar stand (ds) 1 medium truck Infantry Gun Battery, with: 1 gun crew stand 1 light truck 1 65L17 Infantry Gun 724th Blackshirt Cohort "Infessible" Headquarters, with: 1 command infantry stand 1 recon infantry stand 1 45mm mortar stand 1 support stand 3 Infantry Companies, each with: 3 infantry stands Machinegun Company, with: 2 MMG stands 735th Blackshirt Cohort "lmplacabile," with: as 724th Blackshirt Cohort above 740th Blackshirt Cohort "Disperata," with: as 724th Blackshirt Cohort above 8th Blackshirt Legion Legion Headquarters, with: as 7th Blackshirt Legion above Supply Detachment, with: as 7th Blackshirt Legion above Mortar Battery, with: as 7th Blackshirt Legion above Infantry Gun Battery, with: as 7th Blackshirt Legion above 730th Blackshirt Cohort, with: as 724th Blackshirt Cohort above 738th Blackshirt Cohort "Ardita," with: as 724th Blackshirt Cohort above 751st Blackshirt Cohort. with: as 724th Blackshirt Cohort above 10th Blackshirt Legion Legion Headquarters, with: as 7th Blackshirt Legion above Supply Detachment, with: as 7th Blackshirt Legion above Mortar Battery, with: as 7th Blackshirt Legion above Infantry Gun Battery, with: as 7th Blackshirt Legion above 824th Blackshirt Cohort "Tembien," with: as 724th Blackshirt Cohort above 835th Blackshirt Cohort "Scire," with: as 724th Blackshirt Cohort above 840th Blackshirt Cohort "Carso," with: as 724th Blackshirt Cohort above 535th Blackshirt Cohort "Temesta," with: as 724th Blackshirt Cohort above Blackshirt Legion 9th of May Legion Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 car 1 support stand 1 light baggage truck with field kitchen 1 medium general supply truck Machinegun Battalion Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 car 1 support stand 1 light baggage truck with field kitchen 1 light general supply truck 3 Machinegun Companies, each with: 4 MMG stands 2 medium trucks Assault Company, with: 1 command flamethrower stand 2 flamethrower stands 1 heavy truck Divisional Artillery Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 car 1 staff telephone truck 8th Grouppe Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 spotter stand 2 cars 1 medium ammo truck with trailer 1 support stand 1 light baggage truck with field kitchen 1 medium general supply truck 2 Artillery Batteries, each with: 1 gun crew stand (ds) 2 medium trucks 1 100L16 howitzer 1 support stand 3rd Grouppe Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 spotter stand 2 cars 1 medium ammo truck with trailer 1 support stand 1 light baggage truck with field kitchen 1 medium general supply truck 3 Artillery Batteries, each with: 1 gun crew stand (ds) 2 medium trucks 1 165L17 infantry gun 1 support stand 9th Grouppe Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 spotter stand 2 cars 1 medium ammo truck with trailer 1 support stand 1 light baggage truck with field kitchen 1 medium general supply truck 3 Artillery Batteries, each with: 1 gun crew stand (ds) 2 medium trucks 1 175L27 howitzer 1 support stand 1st Antiaircraft Battery, with: 1 command stand 1 car 2 gun crew stands 2 20L65 AA guns 2 light trucks 5th Antiaircraft Battery, with: as 1st Antiaircraft Battery Engineer Company, with: 1 command engineer stand 1 engineer stand 1 heavy truck Blackshirt Division "23rd de Marzo" ("23rd of March") (Troop Quality: Trained, Morale: 7 ) Divisional Troops Headquarters, with: as 2nd Division above Supply Troops, with: as 2nd Division above 4th Blackshirt Legion Legion Headquarters, with: as 7th Blackshirt Legion above Supply Detachment, with: as 7th Blackshirt Legion above Mortar Battery, with: as 7th Blackshirt Legion above Infantry Gun Battery, with: as 7th Blackshirt Legion above Blackshirt Cohort "Toro," with: as 724th Blackshirt Cohort above Blackshirt Cohort "Bisonte," with: as 724th Blackshirt Cohort above Blackshirt Cohort "Buffalo," with: as 724th Blackshirt Cohort above 5th Blackshirt Legion Legion Headquarters, with: as 7th Blackshirt Legion above Supply Detachment, with: as 7th Blackshirt Legion above Mortar Battery, with: as 7th Blackshirt Legion above Infantry Gun Battery, with: as 7th Blackshirt Legion above 540th Blackshirt Cohort "Lupi," with: as 724th Blackshirt Cohort above Blackshirt Cohort "Ardente," with: as 724th Blackshirt Cohort above Blackshirt Cohort "Inesorabile," with: as 724th Blackshirt Cohort above Divisional Artillery Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 car 1 staff telephone truck 1 support stand 1 light baggage truck with field kitchen 1 medium general supply truck 4 Batteries, each with: 1 gun crew stand (ds) 2 medium trucks 1 165L17 infantry gun 1 support stand Engineer Company 1 command engineer stand 1 engineer stand 1 heavy truck Littori Infantry Division (Troop Quality: Trained, Morale: 7) Artillery (Troop Quality: Regular, Morale: 7) Divisional Troops Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 car 1 staff radio truck Military Police Detachment, with: 2 recon motorcycle MP stands Supply Troops Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 car 3 Transport Companies, each with: Headquarters: 1 command stand 1 car 1 support stand 1 light baggage truck with field kitchen 1 maintenance truck 2 Medium Truck Sections, each with: 5 medium trucks 1 Heavy Truck Sections, with: 5 heavy trucks 1st Infantry Regiment Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 car 1 staff radio truck Supply Detachment, with: 1 support stand 1 medium baggage truck with field kitchen 1 medium general supply truck Mortar Battery, with: 1 81mm mortar stand (ds) 1 medium truck 1st Infantry Battalion Headquarters, with: 1 command infantry stand 1 recon motorcycle infantry stand 1 engineer stand 1 support stand 1 medium baggage truck 3 Infantry Companies, each with: 3 infantry stands Machinegun Company, with: 2 MMG stands 2 45mm mortar stands 2nd Infantry Battalion, with: as 1st Infantry Battalion 3rd Infantry Battalion, with: as 1st Infantry Battalion 2nd Infantry Regiment as 1st Infantry Regiment 3rd Artillery Regiment Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 car 1 staff telephone truck 1st Grouppe (100) Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 spotter stand 2 cars 1 medium ammo truck with trailer 1 support stand 1 light baggage truck with field kitchen 1 medium general supply truck 2 Artillery Batteries, each with: 1 gun crew stand (ds) 2 medium trucks 1 100L16 howitzer 1 support stand 2nd Grouppe (100), with: as 1st Grouppe above 1st Grouppe (65) Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 spotter stand 2 cars 1 medium ammo truck with trailer 1 support stand 1 light baggage truck with field kitchen l medium general supply truck 3 Artillery Batteries, each with: 1 gun crew stand (ds) 2 medium trucks 1 65L17 infantry gun 1 support stand 2nd Grouppe (65), with: as 1st Grouppe (65) above Engineer Company 1 command engineer stand 1 engineer stand 1 heavy truck Supporting Elements of the CTV Mobile Forces (Troop Quality: Trained, Morale: 8) Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 car 1 staff radio truck 1 recon motorcycle MP stands Supply Troops, with: 1 command stand 1 car 2 support stands 1 medium baggage truck with field kitchen 1 maintenance truck 1st Tank Battalion Headquarters, with: 1 command CV 3/33 1 support stand 1 light baggage truck with field kitchen 1 maintenance truck 1st Tank Company, with: 3 CV 3/33 light tanks 2nd Tank Company, with: as 1st Tank Company 2nd Tank Battalion Headquarters, with: as 1st Tank Battalion 3rd Tank Company, with: as 1st Tank Company 4th Tank Company, with: as 1st Tank Company 1st Armored Car Company 2 recon IZ armored cars Motorcycle Battalion Headquarters 1 command motorcycle stand 1 recon motorcycle infantry stand 1 support stand 1 light baggage truck with field kitchen 1 medium supply truck 1st Infantry Company, with: 1 command motorcycle infantry stand 2 motorcycle infantry stands 1 motorcycle MMG stand 2nd Infantry Company, with: as 1st Infantry Company Gun Company, with: 2 light trucks 2 gun crew stands 2 47L32 antitank guns Motorized Battalion Headquarters, 1 command stand l car 1 recon motorcycle infantry stand I support stand 1 light baggage truck with field kitchen 1 medium supply truck 1st Infantry Company, with: 1 command infantry stand 2 infantry stands 1 MMG stand 2 medium trucks 2nd Infantry Company, with: as 1st Infantry Company Gun Company, with: 2 light trucks 2 gun crew stands 2 47L32 antitank guns Corps Artillery (Troop Quality: Regular, Morale: 8 ) Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 car 1 staff telephone truck 1 engineer stand 1 light truck 1st Grouppe Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 spotter stand 2 cars 1 medium ammo truck with trailer 1 support stand 1 light baggage truck with field kitchen 1 medium general supply truck 2 Artillery Batteries, each with: 1 gun crew stand (ds) 2 medium trucks 1 105L28 howitzer 1 support stand 2nd Grouppe Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 spotter stand 2 cars 1 medium ammo truck with trailer 1 support stand 1 light baggage truck with field kitchen 1 medium general supply truck 2 Artillery Batteries, each with: 1 gun crew stand (ds) 2 medium trucks 1 149L12 field guns 1 support stand 3rd Grouppe (105), with: as 1st Grouppe above 4th Grouppe (149), with: as 2nd Grouppe above 1st Grouppe (100) Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 spotter stand 2 cars 1 medium ammo truck with trailer 1 support stand 1 light baggage truck with field kitchen 1 medium general supply truck 2 Artillery Batteries, each with: 1 gun crew stand (ds) 2 medium trucks 1 100L 16 howitzer 1 support stand 3rd Grouppe (100), with: as 1st Grouppe (100) above 9th Grouppe (100), with: as 1st Grouppe (100) above (?th) Grouppe Headquarters 1 command stand 1 spotter stand 2 cars 1 medium ammo truck with trailer 1 support stand 1 light baggage truck with field kitchen 1 medium general supply truck 3 Artillery Batteries, each with: 1 gun crew stand (ds) 1 medium truck 1751-27 field gun 1st Heavy Antiaircraft Battery, with: 1 command stand 1 car 1 gun crew stand (ds) 1 751-46 AA gun 1 medium truck 4th Heavy Antiaircraft Battery, with: as 1st Heavy AA Battery 5th Heavy Antiaircraft Battery, with: as 1st Heavy AA Battery (?th) Heavy Antiaircraft Battery, with: as 1st Heavy AA Battery (?th) Heavy Antiaircraft Battery, with: as 1st Heavy AA Battery Italian Forces in Spain Overview Early 1937 March 1937 Re-organization September 1937 Re-organization "Drive to the Sea" Re-organization Italian Air Units in Spain Sources Related Quick Guide to the Spanish Civil War [Part 1: CPQ 7] Groups and Factions Stages of the War Jumbo Map of Spain (slow: 188K) Pre-War Spanish Military: Peninsular Army Pre-War Spanish Military: Army of Africa Republican Army Nationalist Army The International Brigades German Forces in Spain SCW CD Charts: Republican (very slow: 389K) SCW CD Charts: Nationalist (very slow: 385K) SCW CD Charts: Aircraft (slow: 51K) Back to Table of Contents -- Command Post Quarterly # 8 To Command Post Quarterly List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1995 by Greg Novak. 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