The Spanish Foreign Legion

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The History of the Legion

The Spanish Foeign Legion was created by Millan Astray in January, 1920. Unlike the French Foreign Legion which denies Frenchmen to serve, Spaniards can serve in the Spanish Foreign Legion. Foreigners have only made up 25% or less. Going back to the elite Spanish formations of the Renaissance, Legion regiments are known as 'Tercios'. Each 'Tercio' is broken into 'banderas' of about 600 men. Astray created the 'Credo of the Legion', which held death in battle was the greatest honor. Militaristic Catholicism was expected of Legionnaires by Astray. The Legion first saw combat in Morroco against the Riff and there leader Abd el-Krim. One of the first orders of the Legion was that they where sent to Uad Lau to guard a road to Xauen under the command of Francisco Franco. The Legion fought fiercly against the Riff and was known for cruelty and bravery. An example of this was when Dictaroe General Primo de Rivera visited Morocco in 1926, he was appalled to find one battalion of the Legion awaiting inspection with heads stuck on their bayonets. During the Riff War the Legion acted as shock troops and normally acting as the vanquard when advancing and the rearguard when retreating. They acted magnificently during the war and quickly became the elite fighting force for Spain. In 1922 Millan Astray made a number of injudicious speeches and was removed from command of the Legion on 13 November 1922. The command was given to Lieutenant Colonel Rafael de Valenzuela. When the Riffs attacked Tizi Azza, the key to the outreaches of the Melilla defence line, Lieutenant Colonel Valenzuela was send to break the siege. He was kill in a successful action aimed at breaking the siege. Lieutenant Colonel Franco was put in command of the Legion. After the Riff captured some blockhouses that where French, the French and Spanish formed a alliance to defeat the Riff. In 1925 the Spanish attacked the Riff from the North and the French attacked from south. This was to much for the Riff. Abd el-Krim surrendered his troops. After the Riff War (1919-1926), the legion continued to serve in North Africa. But in September,1934, the legion was used to put down a insurrection by Asturian miners.




In 1936 when Civil War broke out the Nationalist knew they couldnt win the war without the help of the Legion. General Francisco Franco was sent down to make sure the legion was on the Nationalist side. With the help of the Germans, which supplied Ju-52s, the Legion was sent to mainland Spain. The Loyalist quickly overwhelmed the Republicans to take the West and South. For most of the war the Legion was used as the Spearhead. The 3, 5, and 13 Banderas saw heavy fighting. Probaly the most famous legion battle was at Badajoz in 1936 where the 9 and 5 Banderas led the assault despite heavy casualties. The Legion was involved in almost every major battle in the Civil War. The Legion was involved in the Battle of Madrid (1939). There they met there arch enemy, the International Brigrade. Many Italians,which Mussolini sent, where formed into the Spanish Foreign Legion. At the end of the Civil War the Legion was much bigger than it was at the beginning of the war.





After the Civil War, the Legion didn't see as much hard core action as it did see the years before. During the 50's and 60's the Legion was used as a force to protect its territory in North Africa. In April of 1956 Spain agreed to withdraw from from Northern and Southern Morocco, not including Ceuta, Melilla, Infi, and Spanish Sahara. It took about two years to withdraw all its troops completley from the territory. The Legion then saw the most action, since the Civil War, in the late 50's when Morocco irregulars attacked Infi and raided into Spanish Sahara. The most famous action taking place at Edchera, Spanish Sahara in January, 1958. The year 1961 marked the establishment of an elite within an elite when a Spanish Foreign Legion Parachute Battalion was established. In 1969 Spain ceded Infi to Morocco. In November, 1975, 250,000-350,000 unarmed Moroccans had taken part in King Hassen's 'March of Conquest'. They had stopped short of forcing a confrontation with the legion. After the death of Franco,20 November 1975, a negotiated settlement was reached and in early 1976 the Legion was pulled out of the Sahara, through the Legion still remains in Ceuta and Melilla. Since 1976 Spain has joined Nato and the once Spanish Foreign Legion is now call the Spanish Legion because they stopped excepting foreigners in 1987. The Legion is now used in peace keeping missions for Nato. They have recently been involved Bosnia, Croatia, Angola, Nicaragua, Haiti, El Salvador, and Guatemala. In 1979 the Spanish Legion was estimated at 10,000.