Eighty years ago tomorrow, Guernica in Spain was heavily bombed during the Spanish Civil War. The attack gained infamy because it involved the deliberate targeting of civilians by a military air force. Charles Debono says that the aircraft being used during this war were known, as evident from a lecture given in Malta at the time, but the tactics were not.

At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936, right-wing forces rose up against the Republican government. However, Republican resistance was stronger than expected and the country was dragged into a civil war. Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy sent help to the right-wing forces or, as were commonly known, the Nationalists, in the form of the Condor Legion and the Corpo Truppe Volontarie respectively.

In April 1937, Oberstleutnant Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen, commander of the Condor Legion, received orders to conduct raids in support of the Nationalist advance on Bilbao. To back Nationalist efforts, the Condor Legion began planning a strike on a key bridge and railroad station in the Basque town of Guernica.

A fire engine in action on the Palace Square during an air raid practice after the Guernica bombing.A fire engine in action on the Palace Square during an air raid practice after the Guernica bombing.

Though Guernica had a population of around 5,000, the raid was scheduled for a Monday which was market day in the town (there is some dispute whether a market was taking place on April 26), thus increasing its population. To complete his objectives, Richthofen also included a number of aircraft from the Italian Aviazione Legionaria. The force consisted of 23 Junkers Ju 52 bombers, four Heinkel He 111 bombers, 10 Heinkel He 51 fighters, three Italian Savoia Marchetti SM.81 Pipistrello bombers, a single Dornier Do 17 twin-engine bomber, 12 Italian Fiat CR.32 biplane fighters and, possibly, six new Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters.

The attack on Guernica was code-named Operation Rügen and was launched on April 26, 1937. Heinkel He 111 and Dornier Do 17 bombers attacked the train station. Following that attack, Junkers Ju 52 bombers dropped a mix of high explosive and incendiary bombs on Guernica for approximately 15 minutes, while the escorting fighters strafed ground targets in and around the town. It is calculated that about 300 to 1,600 civilians lost their lives. The attack indicated that the Condor Legion intended to destroy the town from the start.

The use of aircraft, especially bombers, to bomb and terrify the civilians was to be the tactic of a future war

In Malta, during the early stages of the Spanish Civil War, a lecture was conducted by the secretary of the Air Raids Precautionary Committee Malta to the Passive Defence personnel. It is evident that the authorities knew which particular bombers were being used in this war and their capacities. However, the tactics of bombing were a little different from what happened during the bombing of Guernica (see side box).

A practice air raid was held in Malta after the Guernica bombing on June 2, between 2pm and 4pm. The practices were only confined to the area of Valletta and HM Dockyard. The beginning of the exercise was marked by the firing of three maroons from the Auberge de Castile. This warning was repeated from the Police Depot in Valletta and from HM Dockyard. On the firing of the air raid warning, the police had instructions to clear the streets of Valletta and ordered all traffic to leave the city. All pedestrians were told to take shelter either in their house or in air raid shelters.

Three shelters were available for members of the public for this exercise. These were at the Old Railway Station, Mamo’s Garage and Marsamxett Tunnel.

During the practice, smoke candles and tear gas generators were used in streets for the purpose of training the police and personnel of the Passive Defence Services. The air raid practice came to an end at about 4pm and the all clear signal was given by word of mouth by the police.

The attack on Guernica remains a symbol of the dawn of a new and terrible age of total war, as Germany launched the blitzkrieg (lightning war) theories into practice after the outbreak of World War II. It is evident that the attacks on Guernica had their impact on Malta too.

The use of aircraft, especially bombers, to bomb and terrify civilians was to be the tactic of a future war. Such heavy attacks occurred during World War II, when the Germans invaded Poland and later Western Europe when the Luftwaffe conducted indiscriminate bombings on the civilians. These lessons were not learnt in Malta and this situation was seen when the Italians started attacking Malta on June 11, 1940.

A mural in Guernica based on the famous Picasso mural painting, which depicts the attack and destruction in abstract form and which many art critics regard as one of the most moving and powerful anti-war paintings in history.A mural in Guernica based on the famous Picasso mural painting, which depicts the attack and destruction in abstract form and which many art critics regard as one of the most moving and powerful anti-war paintings in history.

The following is part of a lecture on aircraft attacks by the use of explosive bombs, delivered by the secretary of the Air Raids Precautionary Committee Malta to the Passive Defence personnel before the Guernica bombing in 1937:

“The performance of most modern aircraft is kept secret by all governments. Types of aircraft are designed for specific duties. As far as we are concerned, bombers and, particularly heavy bombers, are the most important from an air raid precautions point of view.

This type of aircraft is fitted with two or multiple engines and the performance is based on three cardinal points: speed, range and weight-carrying capacity.

In connection with speed, it is of interest to note that the ceiling of heavier aircraft is 35,000 feet, and the relativity of time for the attainment of height is a very important factor.

A laden bomber can attain a height of 25,000 feet in 20 minutes, and for comparison, defensive aircraft v fighters will attain the same height in approximately nine to 10 minutes.

The range of bombers is to be computed as flight to objective laden and return to aerodrome empty. This varies from 1,000 to 2,000 miles according to the several types of aircraft, power of engines and the number of engines. In this connection, the following particulars of certain foreign aircraft are given for comparison:

Italy Savoia Marchetti SM.81 200 mph 12000 miles 2000 lbs
Germany Junkers Ju 52 180 mph 900 miles 3000 lbs
Germany Heinkel He 111 225 mph 900 miles 3000 lbs
Germany Heinkel He 111 280 mph 840 miles 1200 lbs
Germany Dornier Do 17 280 mph 840 miles 1200 lbs

As indicated above, the carrying capacity given refers to single aeroplanes. One can see therefore, that the formation of nine planes could carry a load of over 10 tons of bombs. The most economic form of bomb transport in the relation of effectiveness would naturally be a larger quantity of small weight of bombs, especially with reference to gas of a persistent nature.

The Times of Malta of April 29, 1937, carried the story of the bombing of Guernica on the front page.The Times of Malta of April 29, 1937, carried the story of the bombing of Guernica on the front page.

There are several methods of bombing. High altitude bombing is used for indiscriminate bombing. Diving bombing is no longer considered necessary. From an altitude of 10,000 feet accuracy to within 28 yards of the target has been registered. The pattern of the fall of bombs will conform roughly to the shape of the aircraft formation.

Accuracy depends on the skill, coolness, courage of a pilot, especially when the target is a relatively unknown foreign country which is under bombardment and also when the powers of the defence are brought to a high standard of efficiency. Wind direction also affects accuracy. Bombing can be carried out singly or in squads.

In countries where the structural features of large cities are mainly woodwork, one can visualise an air attack to be carried out in three waves, the first being incendiary bombs to start fires, call out emergency and fire brigades and cause the evacuation of householders. The second would be highly explosive to create casualties among trained personnel and firefighters and seriously affect the morale of that part of the civil population which are under evacuation and also to destroy buildings and loosen or break all gas shelters. The third and final wave would consist of gas bombs which would then have easy access inside buildings and cause greater casualties.”

Charles Debono is the curator of the National War Museum.

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