Alfonso Beorlegui Canet
Encyclopedia
Alfonso Beorlegui Canet was a Lieutenant Colonel
of Infantry in the Spanish Army
. In the Spanish Civil War
, he led the Nationalist campaign to capture Guipúzcoa in August and September 1936.
On 18 July 1936, at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War
, in Pamplona
, Beorlegui put himself under the orders of General Emilio Mola
, who ordered him take control of the Civil Guard
and Assault Guards
of the city (approximately 2,000 men) and put him in charge of public order in the city. Shortly afterward, Mola ordered Beorlegui to lead an offensive to the Basque
province of Guipúzcoa with the regular troops, Civil Guard forces and some newly raised units of requetés
. After heavy fighting
they occupied Irún
on September 5th, closing the French border to the northern provinces of the Republic. Beorlegui was wounded in the advance towards the international bridge of Irún and died a month later. Mola's forces soon went on to secure the whole of the province, isolating the remaining Republican provinces in the north, which led to their fall the next year.
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
of Infantry in the Spanish Army
Spanish Army
The Spanish Army is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies - dating back to the 15th century.-Introduction:...
. In the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, he led the Nationalist campaign to capture Guipúzcoa in August and September 1936.
On 18 July 1936, at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, in Pamplona
Pamplona
Pamplona is the historial capital city of Navarre, in Spain, and of the former kingdom of Navarre.The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions...
, Beorlegui put himself under the orders of General Emilio Mola
Emilio Mola
Emilio Mola y Vidal, 1st Duke of Mola, Grandee of Spain was a Spanish Nationalist commander during the Spanish Civil War. He is best-known for having coined the term "fifth column".-Early life:...
, who ordered him take control of the Civil Guard
Civil Guard (Spain)
The Civil Guard is the Spanish gendarmerie. It has foreign peace-keeping missions and maintains military status and is the equivalent of a federal military-status police force. As a police force, the Guardia Civil is comparable today to the French Gendarmerie, the Italian Carabinieri and the...
and Assault Guards
Guardia de Asalto
The Guardia de Asalto , usually shortened to Los Asaltos or just Asaltos, were the blue-uniformed urban police force of Spain during the Spanish Second Republic. It was the urban analogue to the green-uniformed Guardia Civil which patrolled the countryside. The Assault Guards were special police...
of the city (approximately 2,000 men) and put him in charge of public order in the city. Shortly afterward, Mola ordered Beorlegui to lead an offensive to the Basque
Basque Country (historical territory)
The Basque Country is the name given to the home of the Basque people in the western Pyrenees that spans the border between France and Spain on the Atlantic coast....
province of Guipúzcoa with the regular troops, Civil Guard forces and some newly raised units of requetés
Requetés
The Requetés were the Carlist militia during the Spanish Civil War. Wearing red berets, they mostly came from Navarre and were highly religious with many regarding the war as a Crusade...
. After heavy fighting
Battle of Irún
The Battle of Irún was the critical battle of the Campaign of Gipuzkoa prior to the War in the North, during the Spanish Civil War. The Nationalist Army, under Alfonso Beorlegui, captured the city of Irún cutting off the northern provinces of Gipuzkoa, Biscay, Santander, and Asturias from their...
they occupied Irún
Irun
Irun is a town of the Bidasoa-Txingudi region in the province of Gipuzkoa in the Basque Autonomous Community, Spain...
on September 5th, closing the French border to the northern provinces of the Republic. Beorlegui was wounded in the advance towards the international bridge of Irún and died a month later. Mola's forces soon went on to secure the whole of the province, isolating the remaining Republican provinces in the north, which led to their fall the next year.
External links
- Biographias Del Bando Nacional (Spanish)
- Entrada de Alfonso Beorlegui en la Enciclopedia Digital Ilustrada del País Vasco "Auñamendi"