Spaniards in 50 Middle East Commando

Over the years Antonio Fajardo has kindly sent me information on Spaniards in British Service during WW2. As a culmination of over 25 years research, Antonio has managed to find the name of every Spaniard in the 50 Middle East Commando unit. He has kindly let me publish the list. In addition to the list itself, I have paraphrased various of Antonio’s comments to give some context.

When the 50th Middle East Commandos (Queens Royal Regiment) was formed in August 1940 in Egypt, there were 63 Spaniards in the ranks. They had all fought in the Republican Army during the Spanish Civil War and had been recruited by the French Army in refugee camps located in the South of France during 1939. Subsequently they were sent to the Middle East as part of French Foreign Legion or 11eme Bataillon de Marche stationed in French mandated Syria and Lebanon. After the German occupation of France, these Spaniards boarded three lorries and made their way to Palestine and then Egypt to join the British Army and specifically the 50th Middle East Commandos.

Around half were taken POW in Crete. In late 1941 those who escaped were recruited to D Squadron of 1st Regiment SAS along with other ex 50th ME Commandos. Around mid-1943, eight of these Spaniards, including Redondo J, are listed as having been incorporated in to 361 Company Pioneer Corps.

There is a very good Spanish book called “Los Espanoles de Churchill” by Daniel Arasa, which covers most units in the British Army where Spaniards served.

The Spanish members of 50th Middle East Commandos, and their fate on 31 May 1941 in Crete, were:

Date Joined	Number	Name	Crete 31-May-1941
23-Aug-1940	6100501	Alorcon Gomez C	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100502	Asenjo A	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100503	Albadalejo Alejandro	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100504	Alvarez Jose	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100505	Barroso Manuel	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100506	Bardenas R	Escaped
23-Aug-1940	6100507	Castellano	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100508	Delgado A	Escaped
23-Aug-1940	6100509	Diaz J	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100510	Esteve Fernando	Escaped
23-Aug-1940	6100511	Franco Tomas	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100512	Fajardo Joaquin	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100513	Fraile Guerra T	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100514	Fernandez Caballero J	Escaped
23-Aug-1940	6100515	Garcia Juan	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100516	Gomez Serafin	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100517	Galarreta Manzanos L	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100518	Galera E	POW
11-Sep-1940	6100519	Garcia A	Escaped
23-Aug-1940	6100520	Heras Braulio	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100521	Jorda Francisco	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100522	Lloret Carlos	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100523	Leon J	Not in Crete (Hospital)
23-Aug-1940	6100524	Lumbrera(s) Francisco	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100525	Luque Tirado A	Not in Crete
23-Aug-1940	6100526	Mena Juan	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100527	Mena J	Not in Crete
23-Aug-1940	6100528	Marin Basilio	POW
11-Sep-1940	6100529	Marino Angel	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100530	Navarrete Francisco	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100531	Postillo R	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100532	Pinera (?) L	Escaped
23-Aug-1940	6100533	Redondo J	Escaped
23-Aug-1940	6100534	Sanchez Manuel	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100535	Surera M	Escaped
23-Aug-1940	6100536	Santiago B	Not in Crete
23-Aug-1940	6100537	Tavio (?) E	Not in Crete (Cyprus)
23-Aug-1940	6100538	Torralbo Miguel	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100539	Trancho Bartolomeu Moises	Escaped
23-Aug-1940	6100540	Trill Jaime	POW
23-Aug-1940	6100541	Valero Gimenez A	Escaped
23-Aug-1940	6100542	Vargas Crespo A	Not in Crete (Hospital)
23-Aug-1940	6100543	Villanova Jose	Escaped
11-Sep-1940	6100544	Arcos L	Not in Crete (Hospital)
11-Sep-1940	6100545	Blasco Vicente	POW
11-Sep-1940	6100546	Cervantes Santiago	POW
11-Sep-1940	6100547	Martinez M	Escaped
11-Sep-1940	6100548	Martinez Francisco	Escaped
11-Sep-1940	6100549	Martinez B	Escaped
11-Sep-1940	6100550	Garcia A	Escaped
13-Oct-1940	6100551	Bravo Jose	POW
13-Oct-1940	6100552	Balerdi Justo	Not in Crete
13-Oct-1940	6100553	Carmona Miguel	POW
13-Oct-1940	6100554	Cleto Sanchez (?)	POW
13-Oct-1940	6100555	Geronimo J	Reported Missing but Escaped
11-Oct-1940	6100556	Garrigos G	Escaped
11-Oct-1940	6100557	Hidalgo Jose	POW
11-Oct-1940	6100558	Lillo Julian	POW
11-Oct-1940	6100559	Martinez Francisco	POW
13-Oct-1940	6100560	Mercado J	Escaped
13-Oct-1940	6100561	Martinez Aurelio	POW
13-Oct-1940	6100562	Martinez Pereira Francisco	POW
13-Oct-1940	6100563	Rodriguez J	Not in Crete