HIRIART SCW Italian Corpo Truppe Volontarie (1 Viewer)

[ucla1967]

While Germany didn't contibute infantry to the Nationalist side during the Spanish Civil War, it did make a significant contribution in terms of technical support in tanks, aircraft, and instructors. On the other hand, Italy contributed more than 35,000 men organized as the Corpo Truppe Volontarie. Most were Blackshirt Fascist militas of relatively poor fighting ability. Five of Hiriart's 40 set SCW catalog are of Italian troops of various kinds: militias, regular infantry, Bersaglieri, light armor, and aviation. Here is the first Italian CTV set in the Hiriart catalog: ES-14 GRUPO BANDERA DE FLECHAS VERDES. Banderas refer to battalions while tabors, mentioned in a different thread, are half battalions. So, this is the Italian Green Arrow battalion as shown in a stock photo.

 

[ucla1967]

This is the second Italian Corpo Truppe Volontarie set in the Hiriart Spanish Civil War catalog. It is set ES-24 CAMISAS NEGRAS XXIII DE MARZO. The corresponding Jose Bueno plate, upon which this entire Hiriart SCW catalog is based, is entitled: "Bandera de Camisas Negras de la Division XXIII de Marzo 1939." So, in English, these are Fascist militia from the 23rd of March Black Shirt Division. It is one of my favorite Hiriart Italian sets due to their unique uniforms with their black shirts, black fezzes, and the officer's headgear. The different stock photos show two versions of the Italian flag.

 

[ucla1967]

This is the third of the five Corpo Truppe Volontarie Italian sets in the Hiriart Spanish Civil War catalog. Set ES-31 BERSAGLIERI MOTORIZADOS is entitled "Compania de Bersaglieri Motorizados" on the corresponding Jose Bueno color plate. I am not aware of any other toy soldier manufacturer who has made a set of Bersaglieri on motorcycles; it would also be appropriate as a World War II set.

 

[ucla1967]

This is the fourth of Hiriart's five Italian sets in the Spanish Civil War catalog. It is ES-32 CARROS LIGEROS which is entitled "Compania de Carros Ligeros del CTV" on the corresponding Jose Bueno plate. This set is also available in the regular catalog as set 1207. It features the small, two-man CV33 tankett, armed with two machine guns, which proved to be totally unsuitable against the Soviet T-26 tanks used by the Republican side. The same can be said about the similarly armed German Panzer I light tank. However, it makes a great toy soldier set given how unusual it is.

 

[ucla1967]

Here is the fifth and final Italian Corpo Truppe Volontarie set from Hiriart's Spanish Civil War catalog. It is set ES-40 AVIACION LEGIONARIA ITALIANA which has the same name as the Jose Bueno plate. I believe the smaller flags represent different squadrons. Also, I cannot recall seeing another set of Italian Air Force personnel from this period (i.e., 1939-1945) before from any other manufacturer.

 

[ucla1967]

Here is some information on the Italian Corpo Truppe Volontaire taken from Osprey's Men-At-Arms Number 74, "The Spanish Civil War, 1936-39." The first Italian Volunteers were from the Blackshirt Militias (MVSN) and served in the Spanish Foreign Legion. Later, they formed their own Banderas until they numbered four weak divisions which were really brigades in strength. The four were "Dio lo Vuole," "Fiamme Nere," "Penne Nere," and "XXIII di Marzo." There was also the "Voluntari Littorio" division which was made up of Italian Army personnel. In 1938, the XXIII di Marzo and Voluntari Littorio divisions were amalgamated into a mixed MSNV-Army division called "Littorio d'Assalto."

 

[jazzeum]

Although largely true, it's not quite correct to say that there were no German infantry troops in Spain. After WW II, the German commander Von Thoma indicated there were small numbers in Spain (never more than 600 at a time), some of whom were there to get combat experience.

Also Hugh Thomas indicates that as many as 75,000 Italian troops fought in Spain. Overall, they were not very good. Perhaps the nadir of Italian involvement was the Battle of Guadalajara where they may have suffered approximately 3,000 killed, out of a total of 4,000 during the Spanish Civil War.

 

[ucla1967]

Although largely true, it's not quite correct to say that there were no German infantry troops in Spain. After WW II, the German commander Von Thoma indicated there were small numbers in Spain (never more than 600 at a time), some of whom were there to get combat experience.

Also Hugh Thomas indicates that as many as 75,000 Italian troops fought in Spain. Overall, they were not very good. Perhaps the nadir of Italian involvement was the Battle of Guadalajara where they may have suffered approximately 3,000 killed, out of a total of 4,000 during the Spanish Civil War.

There were no organized German infantry formations, per se, involved in the SCW to the best of my knowledge. It could be that Von Thoma was refering to instructors, advisors, and the tank crewmen in the Condor Legion. Maybe someone out there has access to the German order-of-battle during the SCW. I read the Hugh Thomas book some 40 years ago and I could be wrong.

 

[ucla1967]

Some further information on Brad's question as to whether the Germans contributed infantry to the Spanish Civil War or not can be found in Osprey's Men-at-War number 74 "The Spanish Civil War 1936-39" by Patrick Turnbill. He wrote: "The German contribution proved of the highest value. Hitler did not send infantry, but machines and instructors---particularly tanks and aircraft." Later in the same paragraph he wrote: "German manpower in Spain was minimal, and total casualties were only about 300; nevertheless the technical superiority of German equipment in most fields made a significant, though not decisive, contribution to Franco's victory."

 

[jazzeum]

I didn't say the infantry presence was significant but there were some; I don't find Osprey to be all that reliable. The 300 number is taken from Thomas. Turnbull's conclusion is correct but not especially profound.

The von Thoma reference is not in Thomas but elsewhere.

 

[ucla1967]

I didn't say the infantry presence was significant but there were some; I don't find Osprey to be all that reliable. The 300 number is taken from Thomas. Turnbull's conclusion is correct but not especially profound.

The von Thoma reference is not in Thomas but elsewhere.

I did a google search on Condor Legion order-of-battle and could not find any reference, on several different sites, to any infantry units. However, I realize that this isn't absolute proof that there weren't any, although some order-of-battle listed went down to the battery level of 100 to 150 men. Osprey also has published a book on the Condor Legion which I suspect might have more information on this question. I found two sources on Condor Legion casualties, both of which used the number of dead as 298. Both stated that the majority were killed in accidents, but listed combat deaths as follows: 102 aircrew, 27 pilots, and 21 anti-aircraft crew. The absence of any infantry KIA makes me think that there weren't any.