80th Mixed Brigade

The 80th Mixed Brigade was a unit of the Spanish Republican Army created during the Spanish Civil War. Located on the secondary front of Andalusia, the brigade played a minor role during the war.

80th Mixed Brigades
80.ª Brigada Mixta
ActiveFebruary 1937–March 1939
Country Spain
Allegiance Republican faction
Branch Spanish Republican Army
TypeInfantry
SizeBrigade
Part of21st Division
Garrison/HQJaén
EngagementsSpanish Civil War:

History

The unit was created in February 1937 on the Jaén-Granada front from the "Granada" and "Maroto" battalions, as well as confederal militia forces from the Noalejo sector. The command of the new brigade fell to Enrique García Moreno, while the command of the General Staff was entrusted to José Gavilanes Verea. In April the 80th Mixed Brigade was assigned to the 21st Division;[1][n. 1] By then it had its headquarters in Jaén and covered the Frailes-Mures-Charilla sector.[3]

García Moreno was briefly replaced in June 1937 by Antonio Gallego Abril, and shortly after by Carlos Cuerda Gutiérrez. He held command of the unit until January 20, 1938, when he was replaced by Manuel Galván Rodríguez.[3]

In May 1938 one of the unit's battalions was sent as reinforcement to the Levante front, being replaced by another battalion made up of recruits. In October it was relieved of its positions by the 106th Mixed Brigade, with the 80th Mixed Brigade being subjected to a reorganization in the Martos and Torredonjimeno area. In November, it was scheduled to participate in an attack against Granada, but the operation was eventually thwarted and instead it participated alongside the 78th Mixed Brigade in an attack against the Tózar-Limones sector — which resulted in the near destruction of its 3rd battalion. It remained on the Andalusian front until the end of the war.[3]

Controls
Commanders
  • Enrique García Moreno;
  • Antonio Gallego Abril;
  • Carlos Cuerda Gutiérrez;
  • Manuel Galván Rodríguez;
Commissars
Chief of Staff
  • José Gavilanes Verea;

Notes
  1. As of June 1937, the division was integrated into the IX Army Corps.[2] The 80th Mixed Brigade was assigned to the 21st Division throughout the entire conflict.[3]

References
  1. Zaragoza 1983, p. 58.
  2. Álvarez Rey & Lemus López 1998, p. 444.
  3. Engel 1999, p. 78.
  4. Álvarez 1989, p. 184.

Bibliography
  • Álvarez, Santiago (1989). Los comisarios políticos en el Ejército Popular de la República (in Spanish). Ediciós do Castro.
  • Álvarez Rey, Leandro; Lemus López, Encarnación (1998). Historia de Andalucía Contemporánea (in Spanish). Universidad de Huelva.
  • Engel, Carlos (1999). Historia de las Brigadas Mixtas del Ejército Popular de la República (in Spanish). Madrid: Almena. ISBN 84-922644-7-0.
  • Zaragoza, Cristóbal (1983). Ejército Popular y Militares de la República, 1936-1939 (in Spanish). Barcelona: Ed. Planeta.
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