 This force was organized in five motorized columns of some 1,500 men each (a "bandera" of the "Legion" and a "Tabor" of "Regulares" with one or two batteries of 75mm), led by the colonels José Asensio, Francisco Delgado Serrano, Fernando Barron and Heli Rolando Tella and the Major Antonio Castejón.This force had the air cover of eight Italian Sa-81 bombers flown by Italian pilots and nine Junkers Ju 52 flown by German pilots and CR.32 and He-51 fighters.Opposing the Nationalists, the Spanish Republican Army had a force of 13,000 militiamen and soldiers.