The Tank and Armoured Cars Group (Agrupación de carros de asalto y autos blindados in Spanish) was the first armoured formation of the Corps of Volunteer Troops (Corpo Truppe Volontarie, or CTV) involved in the Spanish Civil War. Between 3 February and 8 February 1937, Italian armour played a successful part during the Battle of Málaga. But, between 8 March and 23 March 1937, this group was involved in the Battle of Guadalajara which turned out to be a Republican victory.
Order of battle March 1937
- Tank and Armoured Cars Group - Colonel Carlo Rivolta
- 1st Tank Company - Capitán Oreste Fortuna
- 2nd Tank Company - Capitán Paolo Paladini
- 3rd Tank Company - Capitán Miduri
- 4th Tank Company - Capitán Carcio
- 1st Armoured Car Company
- 1st Motorized Machinegunners Company - Capitán Ricci
- 47mm Anti-tank Gun Section
- Chemical-Flamethrower Company
Order of battle fall 1938
- Tankers Grouping - Colonel Roberto Olmi
- Command Company
- Assault Tanks Regiment
- 3ÃÂ Tank battalions (2ÃÂ Italian, 1ÃÂ Spanish; each battalion fielded two tank companies with L3/35 tankettes)
- 1x Motorized-Mechanized Battalion (1ÃÂ Bersaglieri company, 1ÃÂ motorcyclist-machinegunners Company, 1ÃÂ armoured cars company)
- 1ÃÂ Arditi battalion (reinforced with 1ÃÂ machinegunners company)
- 1ÃÂ Mixed Group (1ÃÂ battery with 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns, 2ÃÂ batteries with 47/32 anti-tank guns, 1ÃÂ anti-aircraft battery)
- 1ÃÂ L3/35 Lf Flamethrower Company
See also
Sources
- de Mesa, José Luis, El regreso de las legiones: la ayuda militar italiana a la España nacional, 1936-1939, GarcÃÂa Hispán, Granada:España, 1994