Orders of Battle for the Spanish Sahara and Ifni War

Here are the orders of battle I’ve found so far for the Spanish Sahara and the Ifni War.

La Legion

1956 Sep 1958

A good chunk of the Spanish Legion fought in Spanish Sahara. At least the 2^nd, 4^th, 6^th, 9^th and 13^th Banderas served there, and presumably supporting units. I assume they all had the organisation given for the 13^th when it was formed in 1956.

The full organisation for the Legion was:

I believe the 6th Bandera included Paratroopers. The Paratroopers – whoever they were – were formed in 1957.

Aug 1958 – Dec 1963

In August 1958 Tercios 3 and 4 moved to El Aaiún and Villa Cisneros respectively. They were known as Saharan Tercios from that time.

Saharan Tercios

* Disbanded at the beginning of 1964

Jan 1966 – 1969

In January 1966 the Light Armoured Groups were renamed and reequipped.

Saharan Tercios

1970 – 1973

In 1970 the 1^st Light Saharan Group were reequipped.

Saharan Tercios

1974 – 1976

In 1974 both Light Saharan Groups had armoured transports added.

Saharan Tercios

Paracaidistas (Paratroopers)

Details taken from a site on the Spanish Paratroopers.

1953

Airforce formed the 1er Escuadrón de Paracaidistas del Ejército del Aire.

1954

The army jumped onto the Airborne band wagon during February 1954 by forming their own airborne unit from volunteers of the Legion.

1ª Compañía de la I Bandera de Paracaidistas del Ejército de Tierra

Following the tradition of the Legion, the members are referred to as “Caballero Legionario Paracaidista”.

8 Dec 1956

On 8 Dec 1956 the army reorganised its paratroopers into the Agrupación de Banderas Paracaidistas made up of:

I Bandera Paracaidista “Róger de Flor”.

II Bandera Paracaidista “Róger de Lauria”.

At the end of that same year they will be sent to Sidi-Ifni.

1957-58

Both the Escuadrón de Paracaidistas del Ejército del Aire and the Agrupación de Banderas Paracaidistas served in Ifni.

In 1957-58 the paratroopers seemed to have had American equipment. The helmets didn’t have camouflage at that time, and judging from the photo, nor did the uniforms.

From 1958 the Agrupación de Banderas Paracaidistas served with the sixth Bandera of the Legion as a general reserve, with the two formations rotating shifts in Ifni.

1960

Agrupación de Banderas Paracaidistas gained a third Bandera. Called “Ortiz de Zárate” in memory of the hero of T’zelata.

1962

II Bandera stationed in Aaiún, Spanish Sahara.

1965

Escuadrón de Paracaidistas del Ejército del Aire disbanded and replaced by Escuadrilla de Zapadores Paracaidistas (Air Combat Engineers).

Tiradores de Ifni

Originally formed largely European Officers and Moroccan other ranks. During the Saharan conflict more and more Spanish were drafted into the ranks until it was predominantly European in nature (presumably because the indigenous troops had become unreliable).

The unit was equipped with pistols, guns, sub-machine guns, automatic rifles, machine guns, and 50, 60, 81 and 120 mm mortars, anti-tank guns, and anti-aircraft machine-guns.

It also included Transmissions, Demolitions, Medical and Transport units. The transport was light due to the difficult nature of the terrain.

1934

Batallón de Tiradores (more like a Regiment than a Battalion)

3 x Tabores (~Battalion)

3 x Mias (~Company)

1938

Was renamed to a number in keeping with the other Indigenous units. And given at the end of the war there were at least 4 Tabores, I assume the unit grew during the war sometime.

Grupo de Tiradores de Ifni nº 6

4 x Tabores (~Battalion)

3 x Mias (~Company)

1939

Had a Tabor in Ifni, two in the Canary islands and a forth in the Territory of the Sahara.

1942

A fifth Tabor was formed and sent to Equatorial Guinea.

1943

Unit renamed Grupo de Tiradores de Ifni nº 1.

The fifth Tabor returned to Ifni and was disbanded.

??

Another reorganisation, with the two Tabors in the Canaries being dissolved, and leaving two Tabors in the Territory of Ifni and a third in Sahara.

1954

A forth Tabor was formed from the Batallón de Infantería LV, Santa Cruz de Ifni, and a fifth from Batallón de Cabrerizas.

1957

At this stage they were still wearing the kandora, turban, chilaba, tarbuch (fez), and salacof of the Indigenous troops.

1966

Grupo de Tiradores de Ifni nº 2 formed.

1969

Both units dissolved when Morocco took over the territory of Ifni.

Airforce

Details taken from a site on Spanish Paratroopers and Ifni.

In 1957-58 the Spanish airforce used a fairly antiquated set of planes, including Germans aircraft they had acquired at the start of the Civil war (1936).

Junker JU-52 (CASA 352) (T-2). These could carry 15 passengers with equipment.

Savoia SM.81 (T-1) “Pedro”.

Douglas DC-3 Dakota (T-3)

Heinkel 111 (CASA 2111) (B2-I).

Messerschmitt Me 109 (Hispano HA 1112 M1L) “Buchón”