Siege of Gandesa (1938)

Siege of Gandesa
Part of the Spanish Civil War
Date 31 July - November 1938 Location Gandesa, Catalonia, Spain Result Francoist victory
Belligerents
Spanish Republic International Brigades	Nationalist Spain Aviazione Legionaria Condor Legion
Commanders and leaders
Vicente Rojo Juan Modesto Manuel Tagüeña	Francisco Franco Fidel Davila Juan Yagüe Rafael García Valiño
Strength
XV Corps XV International Brigade	50th Division Regulares Spanish Legion Falangists
Casualties and losses
high	high

The Siege of Gandesa took place between July and November 1938 during the Spanish Civil War, a few months after a battle in the same town.

The Siege of Gandesa or Second Battle of Gandesa was part of an attempt by the Spanish Republican Army to recapture lost territory following the Battle of the Ebro, when six fully equipped republican divisions were able to successfully cross the Ebro River. The republican move initially caught the rebel faction by surprise, but the latter displayed greater logistic superiority and quickly brought in a convoy of troops from Lleida, including Regulares shock troops, the Spanish Legion and fanatical Falangists as reinforcements.

The attack against the Francoist troops entrenched in the town of Gandesa was mainly led by the 35th Division of the 15th Army Corps (XV Cuerpo del Ejército), led by Manuel Tagüeña Other divisions involved as the siege progressed were the 3d, 11th, 43d, 45th and 46th. Among the attackers the XV International Brigade, who had led the Battle of Gandesa a few months before, also took part in what would be its last battle in Spain.

After its initial success, the ambitious republican offensive failed and the front stabilized in a line from Serra de Pàndols in the west through Gandesa and neighbouring Vilalba dels Arcs, as far east as the Serra de Cavalls range and north to Serra de la Fatarella. Defended by the Nationalist 50th Division, the republican troops launched repeated attacks against Gandesa town, the wall of the local graveyard bearing the brunt of much of the combat action.

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Wikipedia