Project Camicia Nere (Blackshirt) begins today. Every post you see with this header image will relate to my ongoing project to recreate key elements of the Italian offensive at Guadalajara during the Spanish Civil War in 15mm.
My main source for the battle is LA PARTECIPAZIONE ITALIANA ALLA GUERRA CIVILE SPAGNOLA (1936-1939). There are newer texts and research has moved forward but as it is based upon the C.T.V.s own war diaries and is frequently referred to by later books, I think I can safely compromise given the other research that has come my way. Not forgetting that at the end of the day, I am wargaming, which in itself requires a whole bag of other compromises.
If you are interested in learning more about the battle yourself, there are several resources online. There is a good Wiki, and I can't recommend the La Batalla de Guadalajara and superb Brihuega 1937 websites highly enough.
There are also some videos pertaining to the battle on YouTube. See the separate links below. A word of caution though before you view them. The programme makers have not only used some video footage out of context or from other parts of the war, there are also scenes which have incorporated WW2 filmstock (Panzer II and German MG34's).
Not bad though for getting the creative juices flowing and allowing you to build a mental picture of the battle, troops and terrain.
Further videos and documentray shorts on the SCW can be found on YouTube by conducting a search with the term 'Guerra Civil Espanola' or the name of a SCW battle. I've found that it's best to add the year that the battle took place to cut out extraneous results, eg 'Guadalajara 1937'. The difference in the results for a search of 'Brunete' rather than 'Brunete 1937' on YouTube will not be work safe.
Even if you have little or no understanding of Spanish, the images are universal.
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