Narrative

The headlines in the Nationalist papers read “Alcazar de San Juan once again in Nationalist hands!    “The most fought over town in Spain re-captured by the Condor Legion! “

A premature boast as it turns out but by contrast to the well-publicised exploits of the Condor Legion and the Italian assistance the Soviet Communist party have taken a decidedly less public stance. Scores of “advisors” have been dispatched to “work in divisions and brigades.”  These advisors and particularly their co-ordinator Voroshilov back in Moscow are not held in particularly high esteem by their Spanish counterparts many of whom have had far more battle experience than the junior ranking “advisors”.  Voroshilov himself being known in Republican military circles, scathingly, as “The Great Strategist” .

FWtBT No 4, MAR I 37: The Republican right flank pushes on though the Pyrenean foothills.

The Republican right flank pushes on though the Pyrenean foothills.

Nationalist Turn

Weather  Mud/Mud, Rough/Rough

Supply:  Teruel  force starts rolling for elimination, 1-8 cav 5 and 1-6 sec 20GC eliminated . Seville feeds off GSPs.

Reinforcements:  All divisions equipped on arrival.

Replacements: Nationalist recover ½ SRP. Replaced; 1-8 cav 1, 1-5 mech 1, 1-8 ac LE

Delayed Conversion 2-5 inf 2 (Req) to 2-5 inf O XX 2 (Req) and is then equipped.  Delayed Upgrade 2-5 inf 4 (Req) to 5-6 inf XX 4 (Req).

Naval Activity:  2-6 inf TD1 (Col) transported from the Canaries to Malaga.

Air Activity: All raids ineffective.

Moves: Teruel pocket , breaks rail lines and forms last stand  @ 3403 mtn (1-8 lt 3, 1-5 inf leon (Fal), 1-6 art 11L)

Attack 1: 3212 clear (NW of Tomolleso) Supplied 3-6 inf* XX 2Sor, 1-6 inf 28, 1-6 art 4L and 3-2-6 inf 3LE, 3-2-6 inf 1LE, 2-3-6 art 61, 2-10 AA 88 (KL) attack 2-6* inf 12 Gar (Int) , 1-2-6 sec 2GA @ 5:1 (-2) = HX. Lose 1LE. Advance 2Sor, 88

Attack 2: 3612 rough (30 miles SE of Valdepenas) Supplied 3-6 inf XX 1DLV (CTV), 1-8 mg Ard (CTV), 2-1-8 art O and unsupplied 1-6 inf 22, 1-6 sec 122 GC attack 1-2-6*inf 22 (U4) @ 7:1 (-2) = HX. Lose 22.  Advance 1DLV

Motorised Movement: 2-10 AA 88 (KL) exploits to Alczar de San Juan destroying a massive ammo dump of 2AS and 3Res Pts foolishly left unguarded. Then moves NE to 3111.

Republican Turn

French Border: Closed

Supply: Seville Feeds Of GSPs.

Reinforcements:  All divisions equipped, ½ art pt to San Sebastian,.3-* inf XX 4 to Seville. Replacements: 1-2-6* inf 22, 2-6* inf 12Gar (Int),  1-5 inf Fan (An)1-2-4 inf 8 (Bas) , 1-6 art 1 replaced and form 2-3-4* inf XX 5 and 1-2-4 inf 10 (Bas) , 1-6 art 14 (Bas) replaced and form 2-3-4* inf XX 1 (Bas). 1-6 inf 2, 1-6 inf 9, 1-6 art 6L replaced and form 3-6* inf XX4,

Replacements:  ½ SRP( PA) and ½ SRP (Int) recovered.

Huesca Pacified

Moves Loyalist line pulls out of salients on Tommelloso front leaving delaying forces only.

1-5 inf Agl (An) eliminated as overstacked.

Air Activity: Sortie 1; 3517 (Linares) Cr.32bis (CTV) intercepts Po.540, Bre.19 and engages Po.540.  CR 32bis (CVT) Returned. Bombs drop wide.

Sortie 2; 2833 ( Zaragoza)  He 51 (KV) intercepts A-101, R-5 and fails to engage R-5.  Bombs miss target.

Attack1: 3111 clear (NE of Alczar de San Juan), 3-4-5 inf XX 18 and 2-1-8 tk 1, 1-2-6 art 4 and 1-6 eng 2, 2-6 * inf 13Dom (Int), 2-6* inf 11th (Int) attack 1-10 AA 88 (KL) @ 5:1 = DR 88 eliminated – no retreat. Advance 18th (2 VPs awarded)

Attack 2; 2604 rough (West of Calatayud) Supplied 1-0-8 lt Tk AAC, 1-6 inf 8, 1-6 cav 7, 5-6 inf XX 11Ch and unsupplied 2-1-R art TB, 3-6*inf1 XX, 1-8 tk 6, and 1-6 sec 16GC, 1-6 art 14L attack 1-8 cav 2, 1-6 art 13L @ 6:1 (–3) = DR Advance 1,7, 8.

Attack3; 2629 mtn (pass to France in Pyrenees)  Unsupplied 1-8 mtn3, 1-8 mtn 1, 3-6* inf XX 2, 1-6 art b11 (Cat), 2-3-5* inf XX 32 (Cat) attacks 1-6 inf 19 (U2) @ 5:1 (-4) = AS