The 

27th Division , known by the nickname " La Bruja ", [ 2 ] was a military unit that fought
during the Spanish Civil War on the Aragón, Segre and Ebro fronts, formed from the columns
of organized communist militiamen in Catalonia during the first days of the war. Initially she
was assigned to the Aragón front , where she took part in
the Huesca , Zaragoza and Teruel offensives ; later he was present at the battles of
the Segre and the Ebro .

When the Civil War broke out in July 1936 , the first forces were formed in Barcelona to
oppose the military rebels. Said forces, formed basically by volunteers and militiamen, would
be grouped in the columns « Ascaso », « Lenin », « Durruti », « Ortiz », etc. Militants of
the UGT and the PSUC formed another column, being the architects of its creation José del
Barrio , Manuel Trueba and Gancedo —that is why it would initially be known as the “Trueba-
Del Barrio” column .—. This column was initially composed of 2,000 men, [ 3 ] later adopting
the column name "Carlos Marx" . He left Barcelona in the direction of Aragon on July 25,
1936. [ 4 ]

After the founding of the People's Army of the Republic, the militia columns stationed along
the Aragón Front were militarized and reorganized into new units: the men of the «Carlos
Marx» column finally became the new 27th Division . [ 5 ] The new unit was made up of
three mixed brigades, the 122nd , 123rd and 124th , [ 6 ] each with four battalions of five
companies each. In each brigade they also added artillery and cavalry units. One of his best
known units was the 1. erbattalion of the 122nd BM , called "the Witch" shock battalion. The
division was taken over by Manuel Trueba Mirones , from the PSUC, with Felipe García-
Guerrero Matas as political commissar. The heads of each of the Mixed Brigades were
Major Marcelino Usatorre (122nd BM), Major Enrique Oubiña (123rd BM) and Lieutenant
Colonel Alfredo Semprún (124th BM). The Chief of Staff fell to Major Eligio de Mateo
Sousa . [ 1 ]

Aragon Front
In early June 1937 the 27th Division was integrated into the newly created XI Army
Corps . [ 7 ] Shortly afterwards he would take part in the unsuccessful Huesca offensive ,
although during the operations he managed to
occupy Sangarrén and Almuniente (June 28). In the month of July the unit was
deployed through Ontiñena , Fraga and Candasnos , until reaching Alcañiz .

Subsequently, his forces became Group «A» [ n. 1 ] of the republican army that
planned to launch an offensive against Zaragoza . [ 8 ] [ 9 ] The offensive began on
August 24 and the troops of the division had the objective of taking the town
of Zuera , having to overcome the natural obstacle that was the Gállego river.. With
this, they sought to cut the Huesca-Zaragoza highway and the possible sending of
reinforcements. Although the republicans launched several assaults against Zuera, all
of them would prove unsuccessful. Due to this failure, the militia major Trueba would
be dismissed as head of the division and replaced by the militia major José del
Barrio . [ 10 ]
At the end of September it would be assigned to participate in the Biescas offensive ,
on the Huesca front. [ 11 ] Her forces managed to occupy Lasieso , Layés and Castillo
de Lerés , leaving Jabarrella 's rebel forces isolated . On September 23, she advanced
towards Orna and occupied this town, as well as Arto and Ibort. She later fought
at Sabiñánigo , but her greatly depleted forces had to be relieved by the 43rd
Division . By December 29 she was in Fraga , recovering from her losses.
The unit was assigned to the Teruel front at the beginning of 1938 and stood out in
the recovery of the «Las Celadas» position, during the battle of Teruel . At the end of
the month it would take part together with the 66th Division in the Republican
offensive against Singra , [ 12 ] which sought to block the road between Calatayud and
Singra (on January 30, 1938). In the course of the operations it would occupy the
area from Villarquemado to Monreal del Campo , although it suffered significant wear
and tear against the Francoist forces. Later it would be involved in the Battle of the
Alfambra, although its worn-out troops saw practically no action. Starting in March
1938, the Aragón front collapsed and the Division left the territory at the beginning
of April . He managed to resist in Corbera , having to cross the Ebro River together
with the rest of the Republican units.

Catalonia and the Ebro

In May 1938, it took part in the Balaguer offensive , occupying the area of Os de
Balaguer , up to the confluence of the Segre with the Noguera Pallaresa . On May 22,
the units of the division fought in the defense of Tossal de Dios, in Balaguer , which
was lost on May 27, returning to positions prior to the Republican attack.
At the beginning of the Battle of the Ebro , the division was in reserve for the Army of
the Ebro , deploying its forces in the area of Cervera and Tàrrega . It was sent to the
other bank of the Ebro , relieving on August 6 the troops of the punished 35th
International Division in front of Villalba de los Arcos . [ 13 ] On August 13, she was
transferred to the Gandesa sector , where she will have an outstanding performance
that same day that will result in a large number of casualties. On September 14, after
fierce fighting at the Gaeta apex, the remnants of the 27th Division crossed the river,
staying in the rear as it replenished its heavy casualties.
With the Campaign of Catalonia , the division, like the rest of the Popular Army , had to
withdraw in the face of Franco's overwhelming superiority. The high casualties that
his brigades suffered during the battle of the Ebro that would prevent their
participation in combat. [ 14 ] After a long retreat, the division crossed the border
through the Vajol pass on February 8, 1939. The commander of the
division, Marcelino Usatorre , also did so on February 9 and was interned in the Saint
Cyprien field.
 Date Attached Army Corps battle front integrated mixed brigades
June 1937 XI Army Corps Huesca 122nd , 123rd , 124th
January 1938 XXI Army Corps Teruel 122nd, 123rd, 124th
May 1938 XVIII Army Corps secret 122nd, 123rd, 124th