Alfredo Erquicia Aranda (24 October 1897 – 22 October 1978[1]) was a Spanish military officer.
Alfredo Erquicia | |
|---|---|
| Born | Alfredo Erquicia Aranda 24 October 1897 |
| Died | 22 October 1978 (aged 80) |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Spain (1913–1931) Spanish Republic (1931–1936) Spanish State (1936–1967) |
Branch |  Spanish Army |
Service years | 1913–1967 |
Rank | Lieutenant general |
| Commands | Armoured Division No. 1 "Brunete" Canary Islands North Africa |
Conflicts | Rif War Spanish Civil War |
| Awards | See awards section |
| Other work | Governor General of the plazas de soberanía |
Biography
editHe entered the Toledo Infantry Academy in 1913,[2] promoted to lieutenant in 1918 and assigned to the Infantry Regiment "Asturias" No. 31, participating in the Rif War, during which he commanded a company of the Moroccan indigenous police.
After the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, he joined the Nationalist faction. In the early days of the conflict, he organized the so-called "Volunteer Mounted Police Group" in Seville, an auxiliary surveillance force specializing in rearguard repression, of which Erquicia himself would be the commander.[3][4] At the beginning of 1937, he participated in the conquest of Málaga, leading the "Antequera–Abdalajís" column, operating in the north of the Province of Málaga. During the course of the war, he also commanded the 2nd Brigade of the 32nd Division and the 2nd Brigade of the 102nd Division.[5] Later, after rising to the rank of colonel, he obtained command of the 22nd Division,[6] that covered the Cordoba front.
During the Francoist dictatorship he continued his military career, serving as head of the divisional infantry of the 23rd and 22nd divisions, and later as commander of the Armoured Division No. 1 "Brunete",[7] based in Madrid. In 1959, after rising to the rank of lieutenant general, he was appointed Captain General of the Canary Islands.[8] Later, in 1962, he would be appointed head of the Spanish Army of North Africa[9] and Governor General of the plazas de soberanía.[10] He went into reserve in 1967.[11]
He died in Jerez de la Frontera on 22 October 1978.[12]
Awards
edit
References
edit- ↑ "Esquela de defunción del Teniente General de Infantería Don Alfredo Erquicia Aranda". necrologicas.lavozdigital.es. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
- ↑ Mazarrasa 1993, p. 38.
- ↑ Reig Tapia 1990, pp. 55–56.
- ↑ Salas 1992, p. 552.
- ↑ Engel 2000, pp. 76, 158.
- ↑ Martínez Bande 1981, p. 124.
- ↑ "Decreto de 23 de septiembre de 1955 por el que pasa a ejercer el mando de la División Acorazada el General de División don Alfredo Erquicia Aranda, que cesa en su actual destino" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (287): 6203. 14 October 1955. ISSN 0212-033X.
- ↑ "Decreto 544/1959, de 9 de abril, por el que se promueve al empleo de Teniente General al General de División don Alfredo Erquicia Aranda, nombrándole Capitán General de Canarias" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (90): 5669. 15 April 1955. ISSN 0212-033X.
- ↑ "Decreto 1941/1962, de 21 de julio, por el que se nombra Jefe del Ejército de España en el Norte de África al Teniente General don Alfredo Erquicia Aranda" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (190): 11205. 9 August 1962. ISSN 0212-033X.
- ↑ "Decreto 1917/1962, de 21 de julio, por el que se dispone que el Teniente General don Alfredo Erquicia Aranda ejerza el Gobierno general de las Plazas de soberanía sitas en el Norte de África" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (190): 11201. 9 August 1962. ISSN 0212-033X.
- ↑ "Decreto 1917/1962, de 21 de julio, por el que se dispone que el Teniente General don Alfredo Erquicia Aranda ejerza el Gobierno general de las Plazas de soberanía sitas en el Norte de África" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (259): 14897. 30 October 1967. ISSN 0212-033X.
- ↑ (in Spanish) Esquelas. Don Alfredo Erquicia Aranda, ABC (29 de octubre de 1978), pág. 70
- ↑ "Decretos de 10 de enero de 1947 por los que se concede la Gran Cruz de la Real y Militar Orden de San Hermenegildo a los Generales de Brigada de Infantería don Alfredo Erquicia Aranda y don José Alvarez Entrena, y de Artillería don Francisco de Arteaga y Fernández" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (22): 506–507. 22 January 1947. ISSN 0212-033X.
- ↑ "Decretos de 15 de julio de 1949 por los que se concede la Gran Cruz del Mérito Militar a don Pío Zabala Lera. Rector de la Universidad Central: don Máximo Cuervo Radigales. Consejero Togado: don Alfredo Erquicia Aranda y don José Malcampo y Fernández de Villavicencio. Generales de Brigada de Infantería, y don Mariano Fernández de Córdoba y Castrillo, General de Brigada de Artillería" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (199): 3197. 18 July 1949. ISSN 0212-033X.
- ↑ "Decreto 727/1966, de 24 de marzo, por el que se concede la Gran Cruz del Mérito Naval, con distintivo blanco, al Teniente General don Alfredo Erquicia Aranda" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (78): 3867. 1 April 1966. ISSN 0212-033X.
Bibliography
edit- Engel, Carlos (2000). Historia de las divisiones del ejército nacional (in Spanish). Almena Ediciones.
- Martínez Bande, José Manuel (1981). La batalla de Pozoblanco y el cierre de la bolsa de Mérida (in Spanish). Madrid: San Martín.
- Reig Tapia, Alberto (1990). Violencia y terror (in Spanish). Torrejón de Ardoz: Akal. ISBN 84-7600-693-4.
- Salas, Nicolás (1992). Sevilla fue la clave: república, alzamiento, Guerra Civil (1931–1939) (in Spanish). Castillejo. ISBN 8480580003.
- Mazarrasa, Javier de (1993). Corazón, cañones, corazas: División Acorazada Brunete no. 1 : cincuenta años de historia (in Spanish). ISBN 9788460615538.