The Ifni War

 The Ifni War

Spain's Forgotten War in the Sahara by Richard Baber

An earlier version of this article appeared in the SOTCW magazine - The Journal

The Ifni War, was just one of many small-scale conflicts which swept through Africa following the end of WW2 as part of the general movement of decolonization. These conflicts intrigue me as a wargamer as you get lots of interesting mixed WW2 era equipment and although they are usually insurgency type conflicts; you get mostly stand-up fight warfare which can be transposed to table top.

Spain's history with southern Sahara and Ifni goes back several centuries, but it was not until 1860 that Ifni became a Spanish possession proper, after years of French-Spanish negotiations which finally resulted in the official recognition of the Spanish protectorate status of the town of Sidi Ifni and the lands around it. By 1946 the region was reorganised and re-named Spanish West Africa.

 After becoming independent from France in 1956, Morocco began to show an interest in the colony; claiming it had an historic rites and anyway the area was geographically part of Morocco. 

 Following the French withdrawal from Morocco, the Moroccan Army of Liberation (Armee de Liberation du Maroc) ALM hereafter, was now free to commit men and material to the recapture of Spanish possessions. 

 In April 1957 violent demonstrations against Spanish rule broke out, this was followed with wide-spread civil unrest and strikes as well as the brutal murder of pro-Spanish officials and their families.  The Spanish high command immediately rushed two bandera (battalion) of the Spanish Legion to Ifni; as the only units permanently stationed there at the time were the locally raised Tiradores de Ifni (see below) and various local police.

 During the next few months the ALM began to infiltrate into villages and towns around Sidi Ifni; Spanish intelligence estimated their numbers to be around 2,000; the government in Madrid responded by sending another two Legion bandera.

On November 21, the Moroccans moved to attack Ifni, storming isolated garrisons, police stations and other government sites. Although the direct attacks against the town were easily repulsed; two nearby outposts had to be abandoned and others were besieged.

 Initial Moroccan attacks had been generally successful. In the space of two weeks, the Moroccans and their tribal allies had asserted control over most of Ifni, isolating inland Spanish units from the capital. Simultaneous attacks had been launched throughout Spanish Sahara, overrunning garrisons and ambushing convoys and patrols.

 Consequently, Moroccan units, resupplied and greatly reinforced, endeavoured to surround and besiege Sidi Ifni, hoping to incite a popular uprising. However the Moroccans underestimated the strength of the Spanish defences. Supplied from the sea by the Spanish Navy and protected by kilometers of trenches and forward outposts, Sidi Ifni, boasting 7,500 defenders by December 9, proved impregnable.

 In January 1958, Morocco redoubled its commitment to the Spanish campaign, reorganizing all army units in Spanish territory as the Saharan Liberation Army (SLA).

The uprising in Spanish Sahara had caused some consternation in Paris who were worried about the rebel success having a cascade effect threatening Algeria; so the French began to negotiate with the Spanish over a joint effort to eradicate the SLA.

In February, the Spanish and French launched a combined major offensive against SLA strongholds between Tan-Tan and Saquiet el Hamara supported by up to 150 aircraft. Spanish motorised columns spread out across the desert at speed catching the rebels in wide pincer type moves. French columns including Groupe Saharienne Portee and legion cavalry driving from Algeria drove the rebels into Spanish blocking positions; both the Spanish and French also dropped paratroops into planned blocking operations in advance of their columns.

The Spanish Navy, carried out a show of force in front of Agadir. Two cruisers, the old Canarias and Méndez Núñez, and 4 destroyers, José Luis Díez, Gravina, Escaño and Almirante Miranda, presented themselves before the city with their cannons pointed at her. They did not fire any shots, but their mere presence served as a warning to the Moroccan government and until the end of the campaign, in mid-1958, there were no attacks on the defensive positions around Sidi Ifni.

By June 20th the war was over and Spain had regained much of her former territories, though most of the lands around the town of Ifni itself had been given over to the natives, with only the town remaining a Spanish possession.

 Game-able actions

As we are talking about an insurgency type conflict, once the Franco-Spanish got their respective acts together the SLA were crushed. But in the early weeks of the conflict there were a few interesting actions which should translate straight to table top:

Tiluin

At Tiluin, 60 Tiradores de Ifni (see below), struggled to stave off a force of hundreds of Moroccans. On November 25, a relief attempt was authorized. A fleet of five CASA 2.111 bombers, bombed enemy positions, while an equal number of CASA 352 transports dropped a force of 75 paratroopers into the outpost.

On December 3, soldiers of the Spanish Legion VI Bandera arrived, breaking the siege and retaking the airfield. All military and civilian personnel were then evacuated overland to Sidi Ifni.

 

The Relief of Telata

Another Spanish garrison at Telata was totally cut off, so a hastily organised relief column was set out, leaving Sidi Ifni on November 24.

Mounted in several old trucks (none of which were capable of off-road travel), the column consisted of a platoon of the Spanish Legion parachute battalion under Captain Ortiz de Zárate.

They made poor headway constantly harassed by Moroccan snipers and road-blocks (simple piles of stones which would not have stopped more modern cross-country transport). By the end of the first day, they had several wounded and Zarate decided to leave his trucks and cut cross country to bi-pass the road

By the next day they were in trouble, food and water were running low and so more seriously was ammunition! The patrol was faced with constant attack by a determined enemy, and was eventually forced to dig in and call for help themselves.

Rations, ammunition and medical supplies were air-dropped to the unit and CASA 2.111 flew strafing and bombing runs against the rebels. But casualties continued to mount; among the dead was Captain de Zárate.

On December 2, a column of infantry, among them the erstwhile defenders of Telata, broke through the Moroccan lines and drove the enemy off, the platoon had suffered two dead and 14 wounded.

 

Withdrawal from Tenin “Operation Gento”

By December 8th this outlying position was finally consider untenable and a plan for the withdrawal of its garrison and dependents was organised.

December 8th is the Day of the Immaculate Conception a public holiday in Spain, but in Tenin the day began with the garrison destroying or rendering useless everything they couldn`t remove including structures and emplacements, etc. About mid-morning the column began its march to safety with the civilians and wounded on mules in the centre protected by infantry and Legionnaires, the column`s rear-guard was 8^th Company of the II Bandera under the command of Captain Román Páez.

This rear-guard soon found itself attacked by rebels equipped with mortars and some automatic weapons, two platoons were isolated from the company which itself became detached from the tail of the column. Only tenacious defence and aggressive action by the legionnaires stopped them being over-run and the tail of the column being exposed to direct attack. Eventually the two platoons fought their way back to the company, which in turn broke off contact and moved to re-join the column which it did successfully before evening. 8^th Company lost 16 men in this engagement – 5 dead, 5 seriously would and a further6 missing presumed killed.

Edchera

On January 13th two companies of the 13th Legion bandera were conducting a reconnaissance patrol when they were ambushed by a large force of rebels. Caught among the high dunes, the Legionaries fought to maintain cohesion, driving off attacks with mortar and small arms fire.

 

The legion platoons formed hedgehog defence positions and tried to take and hold the various bits of high ground they could. 1st platoon in particular held onto one out-crop for most of the day until their casualties and a shortage of ammunition forced them to withdraw back into the company perimeter.  Bloody attacks continued until nightfall, and were fiercely resisted by the Spanish, who inflicted heavy casualties; supported by aircraft, strafing and bombing rebel positions. By nightfall, the Moroccans were too scattered and depleted of men to continue their assault, so abandoned the attack and scattered into the darkness.

 

Uniforms and equipment

Spanish infantry of the period still wore German WW2 style steel helmets, the paratroops had US style rimless tin pots. All formations had fatigues and ankle boots with or without gaiters, webbing could be either German WW2 "Y" straps or US style.

Raventhorpe Mediterranean Germans MG42 team 

 

Uniform colours -

Trousers: khaki, Iraqi sand or pale Russian uniform green

Jacket: sand or pale olive

Legionnaires shirt: pale olive

Feldmutze or Legion Isabellino cap - olive green

 

Weapons

Z-45 SMG (Spanish copy of the MP40)

Mauser 98K

MG42

Mortars - 50, 60, 81 and 120mm

57mm RCL

CETME 1957 (based on the STG44) the first model of the H&K G3 assault rifle

 

Vehicles

The Spanish fielded motorised columns equipped with US supplied M24 "Chaffee" tanks, M8 armoured cars and M3 half-tracks; they also had Canadian C15T 4x4 armoured trucks which the Spanish called: Trumphys

 

Matchbox Chaffee with 2 S&S Models C15T "Trumphys"

Old Skytrex Jeep with a Britannia Africa Korps driver

Hasawaga M3 half-track painted up as part of a Saharan motorised company 

Aircraft

The Spanish CASA (Construcciones Aeronauticas SA) and Hispano companies had licences to build several aircraft formally of German WW2 design, this gives the wargamer the opportunity to field WW2 vintage planes over his tabletop:

 

CASA 2.111 “Pedro”

This aircraft is based on Heinkel He111, but by 1956 these had been upgraded with Rolls-Royce 500-29 V12 engines. These were used for observation, bombing and even ground attack strafing! 

CASA 352L “Pava”

This was the venerable Junkers Ju52 tri-motor, used for the usual supply/transport and for paratroops, but also observation and on occasion bombing attacks using hand thrown ordinance! 

Hispano HA-1112 M1L “Buchon”

The Spanish built version of the Messerschmitt BF 109G2, but powered by Rolls-Royce Merlin 500-45 engine

The Spanish also used T6 Texans in a ground attack role

Tiradores de Ifni

Created by decree of the Government of the Second Republic on April 9 1934 (CL. 293), it was decided to build a military force to garrison the territory, with its headquarters in Sidi Ifni, to be known Tiradores de Ifni (basically Ifni riflemen).

This was in the main a colonial light infantry unit, based on those already operating in the northern protectorate of Spain in Morocco. The organizational structure was a kind of regimental unit, consisting of three "Tabores" (Battalion sized formation) each of three "Mias" (Companies) each, with their corresponding supporting arms.

This establishment, was well tested by the indigenous Regulares forces in the north of the protectorate, and mainly composed of indigenous personnel who could reach the rank of officer, supported by a few Europeans. The majority of European personnel were in specialist roles (communications. supply and logistics, military engineering and artillery).

Their weaponry consisted of the usual pistols, rifles, submachine guns, light and heavy machine guns, mortars of 50, 60, 81 up to 120 mm; also infantry, anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns. The unit has specialist elements: transport and supply; demolitions and light engineering and health

Uniform

Tiradores de Ifni uniform photo taken at the military museum in Sevilla

Combat fatigues of a yellowish khaki colour with ankle boots & gaiters and peaked cap (similar to a German feldmutze) was the standard uniform, but on patrol men wore the "kandora" (a wrap-around turban with face covering) and "hijab" (full robe), these traditional desert outfits being far more suitable to the climate and conditions.

 Rebels

Liberation Miniatures French Moroccan tirailleur

The odd photos on the internet and in various books and articles show a variety of Arab dress, turbans, robes, etc, plus a more regular military look - various pattern of fatigues; I`ve seen no images of SLA rebels wearing helmets of any description.

Various plastic Arabs

Schellhole Scenics & Retrokit Goumier

Blitz Goumier

Weapons

Any type of bolt action rifle - Mauser, Lee Enfield, Mosin Nagant, even older Remington, Winchesters and others would be possible.

SMGs, LMGs, light mortars were all used, but I would limit the numbers of automatics to platoon leaders, regular Moroccan Army instructors, etc

 

Models and figures

Now the regular vehicles are easy to get from various manufacturers, including di-casts, S&S Models now do a C15T in resin.

Raventhorpe DAK command given STG44

Three Liberation Miniatures Iragi with Raventhorpe heads and a Britannia DAK figure with MP40 

Liberation Miniatures Iraqi MG3 gunner with Raventhorpe head and a real Frankenstein figures of my creation - the body is Platoon20, the head Warrior Miniatures and the G3 from Elheim   

 

For Legionnaires/paratroops I used Liberation Miniatures Iraqis with G3 and MG3, head-swapping them with various Raventhorpe heads. I also added a few Platoon20 moderns to vary the look a bit and then added a few Britannia Miniatures and Raventhorpe Afrika Korps figures to complete my unit.

 

For SLA rebels, the bulk of mine are the WW2 Goumiers and various Riffi from my Riff war set-up, to these I've added a couple of packs of Liberation Miniatures Moroccans from their French-Indo China War range as Moroccan regulars.  

 

Sources

La Campana del Sahara (1957-58) by Carlos Canales Torres

The Spanish Foreign Legion (Osprey Men-at-Arms 161) by John Scurr

El Tercio by Jose Montes Ramos
Les Troupes de Marine by Lavauzelle
La Coloniale du Rif au Chad by Erwan Bergot

SOTCW member Steve Thomas has some excellent stuff on his website - http://balagan.info

 

Post script

Near where we now live in Spain we often pass Alférez Rojas Navarrete barracks which is the base for The Special Operations Command (Mando de Operaciones Especiales) or MOE and is the command charged with overseeing the various Special OperationsGroups (Grupos de Operaciones Especiales or GOE) of the Spanish Army.

The barracks is named after 2^nd Lieutenant Francisco Rojas Navarrete who was killed in Ifni on December 7^th 1957 leading 1^st section of 1st Company of the Expeditionary Battalion of the Infantry Regiment of Soria 9, he went out to protect the Engineer troops in charge of repairing the track that leads to Tenín, near the town of Tafrut Beni- Aix. For his actions he was posthumously promoted to the rank of 2^nd Lieutenant and later in 1960 posthumously awarded the Military Medal.

His citation reads: despite being wounded by a mortar shell, continued to encourage his troops until the moment of his death.

Troops from the MOE were recently involved in securing and protecting the withdrawal of allied personnel from Kabul, Afghanistan.