The Schneider Ca-1 in Spanish Service

The Schneider Ca-1 in Spanish Service

28mm model from my collection

Called Carro Pesado de Artilleríe M16 (model 1916) in Spanish service the Schneider Ca-1 like many of its contemporaries, was basically an armored box. Its main armament - a 75 mm Blockhaus Schneider gun, which was positioned in a sponson on the right of the vehicle, but this provided very limited traverse. Secondary armament consisted of two 8 mm Hotchkiss machine guns mounted in sponsons one on each side. The tank’s overhanging front in the shape of a pointed nose was designed to destroy German barbed wire, allowing infantry to break through. The nose meant the 6.32 meter long vehcle was nose heavy and would often become ditched. 

Crew comfort was not a consideration in the design - six crew members (commander/driver, main gunner, two machine gunners, loader, and mechanic) were all crammed into an interior which was 1.5 meters high and under less than 2 meters wide and shared with the engine; making it hot and noisy when operating. The tank was extremely slow, with a maximum speed of 8.1 km/h and a ‘practical’ speed of between 2 and 4 km/h. The riveted and bolted armour had a maximum thickness of 11 mm, though this was later improved by an additional 5.5 mm. With the added armour, the total weight of the tank was 13.5 tonnes.

75mm Blockhaus cannon at the Armoured Vehicle Museum El Goloso, Madrid

As early as 1919, a Spanish Army commission inspected and considered the import of French tanks, particularly the Renault FT and the Schneider CA-1, but apart from a single Renault FT, no vehicles were purchased. Then spurred into action by El Desastre and the collapse of the army infront of Melilla, Morocco in the summer of 1921, the Comisión de Experiencias de Artillería was tasked with coordinating the acquisition of modern armoured vehicles. Part of the purchase included 10 Renault FTs, 1 Renault TSF, replacement parts, support trucks, and ammunition to form a Compañía de Carros de Infantería (Infantry Tank Company) in September 1921.

Another deal at the same time was agreed to form a Batería de carros de asalto (assault tank battery), which was to include: 6 Schneider CA-1s, 6 Latil TAR tractors, 6 tank transporter platforms, 6,000 rounds of 75 mm ammunition, and replacement parts. The purchase was authorized by Royal Decree on September 16th 1921, with a total cost of 1,367,303 Francs.

The Schneider CA-1s sent to Spain had the thicker 16 mm armour and were re-armed with Spanish 7 mm Hotchkiss machine guns. Externally, the tanks were painted in the original French colours – a grey background with green and ochre ‘stains’, sometimes outlined in black, while the interiors were painted white. Initially, the vehicles were inscribed with “ARTILLERIA” and the vehicles number in white on the left side to identify individual tanks. In Spain, they were designated as Carro Pesado de Artillería M16 (Modelo 1916). At some point in early 1922, a battery’s organization was created: 1 command tank, 4 tanks, 5 Latil TAR tractors and tank transporter platforms, a tractor to carry ammunition, and a workshop truck. In the event of war, the battery size would be increased by one tank, one Latil TAR tractor and tank transporter platform, a Pavesi tractor, four ammunition trucks, and a water tank truck.

Batería de Carros de Asalto unit patch

The 6 Ca-1s and their support equipment were sent to Melilla alongside three 45 hp Krupp trucks, a Hispano-Suiza water tank truck, a 15 hp Hupmobile automobile, and two Harley-Davison motorbikes. They arrived in the North African city on March 6th on board the Guillem Sorolla steamship and were inspected by the Commander General of Melilla, José Sanjurjo y Sacanell, as soon as they were unloaded.

Command of the battery was assigned to Captain Carlos Ruiz de Toledo, who, in the future, would play a crucial role in the development of Spain’s first indigenous tank – the Trubia Serie A. Each Ca-1 had a crew of seven: commander (with the rank of lieutenant), a second commander (with the rank of sergeant), a corporal, a driver/mechanic, a main gunner, and two machine gunners.

Ca-1 on its transporter platform with Latil TAR tractor

On March 8th, the Ca-1 battery departed Melilla towards Batel to join General Miguel Cabanella Ferrer’s column. On route was the first instance of what was to become a recurring problem during the Ca-1‘s time in North Africa. The bridges in the region were unable to sustain the combined weight of a tractor, the tank carrying platform, and the tank at the same time, meaning the Ca-1 had to be dismounted and cross the rivers (in most cases dry), by their own propulsion.

The Ca-1 made their combat debut on March 14th 1922, becoming the first ever Spanish tanks to see action. With accompanying infantry, atop of their tank transporter platforms, the Ca-1s left Batel heading towards Kandoussi at 5:30 in the morning. After a stop in Aasel, they arrived on the bank of the River Kert opposite Kandoussi at 8:20. At this point, the assault tanks dismounted and attempted to cross the river bed to attack some Rifian trenches.

Whilst crossing the river, tank No5 got stuck and No3 went to its rescue, with its crew exiting the tank to attach ropes to tow No5. A similar fate befell No6, this left only three tanks to carry out the attack. No2 advanced to the right of Sbuch-Sba (a mountain near to the west of Kandoussi), whilst Nos 1 and 4 took the left, enabling the position to be occupied by infantry by 9:45. As a result of this first ever tank deployment, Lieutenant Vidal Cuadras was mentioned in dispatches.

 The following day, March 15th, the battery returned to Batel. They then went to Driouch, from where, on March 19th, they joined the Renault FTs and a number of armoured cars. Over the next five days, they took part in camp protection duties and the engagements in Midar, Issen-Lassen, and Azrou Ntminta. On March 24th, the battery returned to Melilla by train.

The battery was soon back in the Driouch area, taking part in action alongside two banderas of the Foreign Legion, a battalion of the Regimiento de Infantería “Otumba” Nº 49 and a squadron of the Regimiento de Húsares de Pavía on May 17th 1922.

Ca-1 in the Rif

 I can find no specific info for engagements involving the battery during the following year, but the battery was probably used in night and day guard duties, convoy protection, occupying settlements, and covering retreats. In most operations, because of the 75 mm gun and 16 mm of protection, the tanks were used as mobile forts.

 Between May 28th and June 7th 1923, the battery took part in combat in the hills around Tafersit. Its distinguished actions across those two weeks resulted in the battery being awarded the Medalla Militar Colectiva (Collective Military Medal) by Royal Decree on April 30th 1925. The new commander, Captain Luís Ruano Peña, was also awarded the Medalla Militar Individual (Individual Military Medal). However, according to sources by this point, two Ca-1s had been reportedly lost, however sources also say six vehicles returned to Spain after the hostilities ended, so maybe these lost vehicles were recovered and repaired?

Based on combat experience, a series of field modifications were carried out on some or perhaps all of the Ca-1s. More often than not, because they were used as mobile forts, the tanks found themselves in close combat. Crews needed an increase in firepower, and to that end, a third 7 mm Hotchkiss machine gun was positioned on the rear access doors. Similarly, an opening cut into the front of the driver’s position added a fourth machine gun to be operated by the driver when the tank was stationary.

In some photos, two bracket-shaped structures, one at the rear and the other on top of the driver’s position can be noted, these are thought to be antennas for radio equipment. This theory is supported by photographic evidence of crew members with what appears to be a primitive headset.

After their return to Spain, four Ca-1s were part of the depot of the Regimiento Ligero de Carros de Combate No 1 at Madrid - a mixed armoured unit with Renault FTs and armoured cars. The remaining two Ca-1s were part of the depot strength of RLCC No 2 at Zaragoza, Spains other armoured unit, sometime after returning to Spain the Ca-1s were repainted olive green. 

At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, the first unit remained under Republican command, while the second took the side of the Nationalist rebels. The Madrid vehicles saw some action during the bloody attacks on the Cuartel de la Montaña, the main military barracks of the capital which had an arsenal with a large quantity of weapons which the loyalist workers wanted to use. At least one Ca-1 and two Bilbao armoured cars took part in the fighting. Some of the tanks were manned by militia members of the Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT) and the Unión de Hermanos Proletarios (UHP).

On 21 July, a large column under the command of General José Riquelme y López-Bago used two Schneider CA-1s and a number of improvised armored vehicles to head south towards Toledo. Rebel troops took refuge in the historic Alcázar, holding out until the end of September, when the siege was relieved by Franco’s Army de Africa. In the fighting in Toledo, one Schneider CA-1 was destroyed on Calle Santa Cruz, this vehicle is clearly marked with JSU (Juventudes Socialistas Unificadas) so we have to assume it was manned by members of this union? The remaining Ca-1 joined the retreat back to Madrid.

Destroyed Ca-1 on Calle Santa Cruz, Toledo

The Ca-1s in Zaragoza also participated in the initial fighting, though I have found no real information.

It is possible the remaining Ca-1s in Madrid were used in later fighting, but again no definite information could be found, I think we can probably assume all the Ca-1s were out of action by the end of 1936.

Wargaming with the Ca-1

During the Rif War use the tank as you would any other, an assault weapon supporting infantry and cavalry in their attacks. In defence, use it like a mobile fort covering withdrawals or blocking a road or track denying its use to the enemy or as a convoy escort (be it a very slow one).

During the SCW the Ca-1 could be used as part of a mobile column or in support of one side or the other in attack or defence

20mm Ca-1 from Barcelona Universal Models with Regulares all from my collection