SPAIN
Regiment of Infantry ‘Toledo’ No. 35
Sergeant 1863
The ancient city of Toledo on the River Tagus, lies in the central part of Spain and serves as capital of the province of the same name. It was once a Roman city and later became the capital of the Visigothic kingdom of Toledo which was overrun by the Moors in the eighth century. It flourished as a multicultural center of Islamic Spain until the Reconquista and grew in importance as a place of science and learning, although the Jews and Moors were expelled in the late 1490s. The city went into decline when Philip II moved his court to Madrid in 1561 but would always remain an important regional city. Among its most famous residents was Alfonso X of Castille (1221-1284) and the artist El Greco for the latter part of his life. It has also been known throughout the world for its iron and later steel working and the production of its legendary swords and blades. A reputation it holds to this day.
Toledo is dominated by its citadel, the Alcázar. The Romans built a fortress here and in one form or another, a fortress has stood upon these heights ever since. The current building was constructed in the 15th and 16th centuries. In the nineteenth century it served as the Regimental headquarters of the 35th Regiment and a Military Academy as well as a communications center for the new science of telegraphy. It has been fought over many times, but none so catastrophically as the Republican siege at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. The Nationalists held the Alcázar from June 21st 1936 until their relief on September 27th. During this time the fortress was almost reduced to rubble by bombing and artillery fire. It remained a symbol for Nationalist resistance until the end of the war. It was completely restored and today it is a Regional Military Headquarters and the main Museum of the Spanish Army.
The infantry regiment of Toledo was raised in 1661 in Madrid during the war against Portugal and was known as the “Tercio de Vera” after its commander. It consisted of eight companies and by 1664 was established as the provincial Tercio of Toledo and saw service in the War of Rosellyn (A portion of the War of the league of Augsburg). By 1698 the regiment was known as “Old Blues” after the color of its coat. Upon the death of the Hapsburg Charles II of Spain, the throne passed to Philip V, a Bourbon. This sparked the War of Spanish Succession whereby Austria, Britain and their allies tried to curb French domination of Europe. During this war the regiment saw action in Italy and at home during the great battles of Almanza and Villaviciosa. It was part of the force that relieved Cueta on the Moroccan coast (opposite Gibraltar) in 1720 and was in garrison there until 1735. The War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748) saw the regiment in Italy fighting hardest at the Battle of Piacenza. After seeing some further African service it was sent to the West Indies where in took part in the defense of Havana and Puerto Rico from 1760 to1764 and later in South America 1776 to 1780 in the so called Cevallos Expedition to defend the vice-royalties on the River Plate. They were back in Europe in 1781 to assist in the retaking of the Island of Minorca from the British.
The Napoleonic Wars (known in Spain as the War of Independence from 1808 to 1814) would see the regiment through many changes and sacrifices. It fought in many battles including Talavera, Albuera and Badajoz, where it was almost totally destroyed. It received its greatest regimental award at the Battle of Medina del Campo in 1812. The ‘Medal of Distinction’ is featured on its regimental crest.
It would be 45 years before the regiment saw action again. This was in Morocco from 1859 to 1860 where it formed part of the reserve corps under Lt. General Prim taking part in the Battle of Castillejos. It would serve there again in 1893 and from 1921 to 1927. It participated in numerous actions in the Second Carlist War of 1872-6. Its last campaign of the 19th century was in Cuba from 1895 to 1898 fighting the rebels. It returned to Spain before the Spanish-American War. Like most Spanish regiments it fought throughout the nation during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). It went through various changes in role and designation during the second half of the 20th Century. After the Spanish Army took on its professional status in 1987 and the reorganization that accompanied it, the regiment was finally disbanded after nearly three centuries of faithful service.
UNIFORMS
It appears that the original uniform coat was blue, hence its name ‘Old Blues’ in the late 17th century. The color of collars and cuffs is not known but the stockings may have been red. In 1709 they, like most of the Spanish infantry were wearing white coats; the Toledos with blue cuffs. For the rest of the 18th century their uniforms conformed with regulations and were similar in cut and style with French fashion. In the early 1700s Grenadiers wore small miter caps with cloth fronts in regimental color bearing a device edged white or yellow. A black sheepskin band, about 3 or 4 inches wide was worn round the base of the cap. Later the caps became taller and pointed completely of brown or black fur. By the end of the century, they sported the familiar elaborately laced bags hanging down the back of the cap. In 1800 the facings of the Toledo Regiment were sky blue.
The War of Independence was marked by frequent changes of uniform brought on by clothing shortages and organizational factors. In 1809 the Toledo Regiment was wearing brown uniforms with yellow facings and shakos. In 1812 they were in blue coatees faced red with grey trousers and a tapered British style shako. By 1814 they wore dark blue coatees with white lapels and blue trousers. The facings were yellow again but the bell topped shakos were restored. After the wars the Spanish infantry uniforms would change many times before the mid eighteen fifties. In the eighteen twenties the coatees were turquoise blue, the thirties blue with carmine facings followed by a short time when the coatees were green. In the late 1840s they reverted back to blue, this time faced white with tapered French style shakos.
In 1856 there came a major change. Along with most European armies, they adopted a tunic which in the fashion of the times was double breasted and long skirted. The color was dark blue with red collar, cuffs and turned back lapels. The lapels bore yellow lace stripes (grass green for light infantry). The trousers were initially light blue, unchanged from the previous uniform but in 1859 changed to madder red as in the French army. The headdress would define the Spanish infantry for years to come. It was an off white uniquely shaped shako called the Ros after its designer, General of Infantry Ros de Olano. With minor changes it was worn by much of the army for the next 60 years and is still worn by the ceremonial unit of the Spanish Army in full dress. In 1862 a single breasted tunic was worn which had a removable red plastron. Our illustration shows a sergeant of the regiment in about 1863 wearing parade dress. This item was not worn for very long and was soon discarded. In 1872 the skirts of the tunic were shortened and only the collar, bearing the regimental number remained. At the same time the trousers received double blue stripes down the sides and the Ros lost the two black leather strips on the sides. By the turn of the century, the tunic had two patch pockets on the breast and by 1912 a khaki uniform was being worn. On campaign in 1859 the troops wore a short brown greatcoat with a long cape coming over the elbows. This became blue by 1862. In 1870 the blue greatcoat was worn with turned back skirts like the French and had red woolen wings for infantry, green for light infantry. Troops often wore the traditional Spanish sandals on campaign. The Ros was worn with a white cover, usually with a Havelock.
In the background of our illustration is Toledo’s Alcázar. Below it is the Alcázar Bridge with the River Tagus flowing underneath.
Regimental Names 1661-1987.
1661 Tercio de Vera
1664 Tercio Provincial de Toledo
1693 Tercio Provincial de los Azules Viejos (Old Blues)
1704 Regimiento Provincial de los Azules Viejos
1707 Regimiento de Infanteria Toledo No. 5
1715 Regimiento de Infanteria Toledo No. 19
1718 Regimiento de Infanteria Toledo No. 11
1769 Regimiento de Infanteria Toledo No. 18
1797 Regimiento de Infanteria Toledo No. 17
1815 Regimiento de Infanteria Toledo No. 19
1823 Battalón de Infanteria No. 37 & Battalón de Infanteria No. 38
1847 Regimiento de Infanteria Toledo No. 35
1939 Regimiento de Infanteria No. 26
1943 Regimiento de Infanteria Toledo No. 35
1965 Regimiento de Infanteria D.C.C. Toledo No. 35
1987 Regiment Disbanded
Bibliography:
Acosta, Jose El Ejercito Espanol en Campana. Almena 1998
Bueno, Jose M. La Infanteria de Linia. Barreira 1983
Hinds, James The Spanish Army of Philip V Editions Brokaw 1987
Regimental records