Second Battle of the Corunna Road

The Battle of the Corunna Road (Batalla de la Carretera de Coruña) was a battle of the Spanish Civil War from 13 December 1936 to 15 January 1937, northwest of Madrid.

Background

The Battle of Madrid in November 1936 had been fought to a standstill, with the Nationalists failing to take the city. They then started to besiege it, aiming to cut its links to the rest of Spain. Franco decided to attack the city from the north-west in order to cut off water and electricity supplies from the Sierra de Guadarrama and encircle the city. After a failed offensive in november, the Nationalists concentrated a force of 17,000 men, led by the general Orgaz, with four mobile brigades (led by Garcia Escamez, Barron, Saenz de Buruaga and Monasterio) and backed by heavy artillery and JU-52 bombers. The republican army had a few batallions led by Luis Barcelo.^[3]

The Battle

The Nationalist offensive

The Nationalists offensive started with a heavy artillery bombardment and on 14 december occupied the town of Boadilla del Monte. The republicans sent a detachment of russian tanks led by the general Pavlov and two International Brigades (XII and XIV). The XII International Brigade counter-attacked at Boadilla and occupied it, but they were cut off in the town by the Nationalists counter-attack. On 19 December Orgaz, deciced to halt the offensive after gained a few kilometres.^[4]

Towards the end of december, Orgaz received reinforcements and decided to relaunch the offensive. The republican high command redeployed their units in the Pozuelo-Brunete sector. The republicans had an army corps led by Miaja with five divisions (led by Nino Nanetti, Modesto, Colonels Perea, Adolfo Prada and Galan) but the republican troops had little ammunition.

The Nationalists relaunched their offensive on 3 January. On the right flank the republican troops collapsed and Barron advanced form Boadilla and reached Las Rozas on 4 January, but in Pozuelo the Modesto´s division, with four Mixed brigades, led by El Campesino, Luis Barcelo, Gustavo Duran and Cipriano Mera managed to hold the front. Then, Varela concentrated his eight batteries of 105 and 155mm, tanks and aircraft on Pozuelo. On 5 January after a Nationalists attack with tanks and waves of infantry, the republican troops collapsed and fled in disorder, although six russian T-26 tanks destroyed 25 german light tanks. The republican brigades had lost contact and had no ammunitions and Miaja decided to send the Lister's brigade and the XIV International Brigade. ^[5]

The Nationalists columns reached the Corunna road at Las Rozas and surrounded Pozuelo, although the republican troops hold it. On 7 January the german Thaelmann Battalion of the XIV International Brigade was ordered to hold Las Rozas and not to retreat. The town was surrounded by the Nationalist troops, bombed by the nationalist artillery, and the battalion suffered apalling loses (only 35 men survived) and many wounded were killed by the regulares.^[6]

Republican counter-attack

By 9 January the Nationalists had conquered seven miles of the Corunna Road from Puerta de Hierro to Las Rozas.^[7] Nevertheless, on 10 January the Republicans started a counter-offensive in heavy mist and cold. The XII International Brigade reached Majadahonda and the XIV Las Rozas, and the Republican drive recaptured some territory west of Madrid including the towns of Majadahonda, Villanueva, Pozuelo and Boadilla. By 15 January both sides were exhausted and the battle was over.^[8]

Aftermath

The Nationalists cut the Corunna road, but failed to encircle Madrid from the west flank.

Notes

References

• Anthony Beevor (1999). The Spanish Civil War. Cassell. ISBN 0-304-352 81-0. 
• Hugh Thomas (2001). The Spanish Civil War. Modern Library. ISBN 0-375-75515-2.