Felix’s Secret Mission: The Operation That Changed Everything

Reflecting on the Spanish Civil War in 1950, Republican minister Federica Montseny shared with historian Burnett Bolloten that the government had considered offering either the Canary or the Balearic Islands to Germany in exchange for its neutrality. However, the Largo Caballero government couldn’t substantiate this proposal with written evidence, and consequently, the Germans continued their support for the Nationalists.

Following the Fall of France in June 1940, Hermann Göring advised Adolf Hitler to occupy Spain and North Africa instead of launching an invasion of the British Isles. Even before the armistice with France was finalized, General Heinz Guderian advocated seizing Gibraltar, a key naval base for Britain. Guderian went as far as suggesting postponing the armistice to allow for a swift advance through Spain with two Panzer divisions to capture Gibraltar and invade French North Africa. General Alfred Jodl, Chief of Staff of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) operations, presented Hitler with a formal plan to cut off Britain from its eastern empire by invading Spain, Gibraltar, North Africa, and the Suez Canal, rather than directly attacking Britain.

On July 12, 1940, the OKW established a special group to plan these operations. On July 22, Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, head of the Abwehr and a Spain expert, along with other German officers, traveled to Madrid to meet with Spanish dictator General Francisco Franco and Spanish War Minister General Juan Vigón. Afterward, they proceeded to Algeciras to assess the feasibility of seizing Gibraltar, concluding that Franco’s regime was hesitant to join the war effort. Canaris’s group determined that Gibraltar could only be taken with heavy assault artillery, which Germany lacked. Canaris reported to Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel that even if Gibraltar were captured with Spain’s cooperation, the British would likely retaliate by landing in Morocco and French West Africa.

In August, Canaris met with Franco’s brother-in-law, Ramón Serrano Súñer, urging him to persuade Franco to stay out of the war. Subsequently, Franco sent Serrano Súñer to Berlin to gauge Hitler’s stance, as Canaris had assured him that Germany wouldn’t force Spain into the conflict. When Serrano Súñer met Hitler on September 16, Hitler didn’t strongly advocate for Spanish involvement, perhaps because he intended to meet with Franco himself soon.

On August 24, Hitler approved a plan to seize Gibraltar, and on October 23, he met Franco at Hendaye, France, proposing for Spain to enter the war on the Axis side by January 1941. Franco declined the offer, citing Spain’s need for substantial military and economic assistance. Hitler took offense when Franco expressed doubts about a German victory against the British, and Franco highlighted the likelihood of Britain retreating to Canada even if the British Isles were invaded and conquered.

A superficial memorandum of understanding was signed at Hendaye by Franco and Hitler, neither side achieving its desired outcomes. Hitler reportedly remarked to Benito Mussolini afterward that he would rather endure having four of his teeth pulled out than endure another meeting with Franco.

Despite facing obstacles, German military strategists proceeded with planning a large-scale operation against Gibraltar, known as Operation Felix. The plan involved two German army corps crossing the Pyrenees into Spain. General Ludwig Kübler’s corps would traverse Spain to assault Gibraltar, while General Rudolf Schmidt’s corps would secure its flanks. Air support would comprise one fighter and two dive-bomber wings. Field Marshal Walther von Reichenau was designated as the overall commander of Operation Felix. The plan also included provisions for occupying Spanish territories in North Africa: Spanish Morocco, Río de Oro, and the Canary Islands, which could serve as bases for German U-boats.

The proposed German order of battle included an Expeditionary Corps under General Rudolf Schmidt, comprising the 16th Motorized Infantry Division, the 16th Panzer Division, and the SS Division Totenkopf. Additionally, the 49 Gebirgsarmeekorps or Army Mountain Corps, commanded by General Ludwig Kübler, included units like the Grossdeutschland Infantry Regiment, the 98th Regiment of the 1st Mountain Division, as well as artillery, engineering, and support battalions.

On November 12, Hitler issued Führer Directive №18, initiating political measures to persuade Spain to enter the war and outlining the objectives of German intervention in the Iberian Peninsula. This directive also mentioned the potential invasion of Portugal and requested investigation into occupying Madeira and the Azores.

On December 5, 1940, Hitler decided to request permission from Franco for German troops to cross into Spain on January 10, 1941. General Jodl was slated to make preparations for the attack on Gibraltar upon Franco’s agreement. However, when Canaris met with Franco on December 7 and emphasized the urgency of Spain’s entry into the war, Franco cited Spain’s economic and infrastructural limitations, as well as the fear of losing territories to a British counterinvasion in response to a German seizure of Gibraltar.

Upon receiving Canaris’s report, Hitler decided to cancel Operation Felix. His disappointment was evident in a subsequent letter to Mussolini, expressing concerns about Franco’s decision.

Efforts were made in early 1941 to persuade the Spanish government to reconsider its stance, but Franco continued to decline participation in the war, citing Spain’s economic and military challenges. The German Foreign Minister noted that Franco showed no intention of joining the conflict. Consequently, the OKW advised that Operation Felix was not feasible at that time, as the troops earmarked for it would soon be required elsewhere.

Recognizing Gibraltar’s strategic importance and its susceptibility to attacks from the Spanish mainland, the British took extensive measures to fortify the territory during the outbreak of war. Most of the civilian population was evacuated to the United Kingdom and other parts of the Empire, with exceptions made for essential personnel in the dockyard and members of the Gibraltar Defence Force. The garrison was significantly reinforced, and anti-aircraft defenses were bolstered. Additionally, a comprehensive program to enhance Gibraltar’s fortifications commenced, including the construction of a network of tunnels within the Rock and the establishment of strongpoints and minefields along the land border.

The British garrison in spring 1941 comprised the following units:

• 2nd Battalion, The King’s Regiment.
• 2nd Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry.
• 4th Battalion, The Black Watch (from July 1940).
• 4th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment (from July 1940).
• 3rd Heavy Regiment, Royal Artillery, equipped with 8 x 9.2 inch, 7 x 6 inch, and 6 x twin 6-pounder coast artillery guns.
• 10th Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, equipped with 4 x 3 inch, 4 x 3.7 inch, and 2 x 2-pounder anti-aircraft guns.
• 82nd Heavy AA Regiment, Royal Artillery (from July 1940), equipped with 16 x 3.7 inch guns, 8 x 40mm Bofors AA guns, and radar.
• 3rd Searchlight Battery, Royal Artillery.
• “Special Detachment” of №1 Tunnelling Company, Royal Canadian Engineers (from November 1940).
• №2 Tunnelling Company, Royal Canadian Engineers (from March 1941).
• Royal Engineers, Royal Signals, and supporting arms.

In addition to these preparations, a specialized group of army and navy officers, known as the 128th Liaison Delegation Party, was formed. This group would be activated in the event of the German Army advancing into Spain. It had two potential roles: to support General Franco if he chose to resist the Germans and to facilitate liaison with any British forces sent to aid the Spanish, or, if Franco aligned with the Germans, to sabotage Spanish ports and infrastructure and organize resistance with the involvement of the Special Operations Executive, a role that became more prominent as the war progressed, leading to the group being renamed the Joint Intelligence Centre.

Upon Hitler’s insistence, the OKW developed a revised plan for the capture of Gibraltar, codenamed Felix-Heinrich. This plan, submitted to General Franz Halder on March 10, 1941, proposed launching the operation after the completion of the German invasion of the Soviet Union. The operation, tentatively scheduled for October 15, would largely follow the original plan, utilizing the same forces but incorporating new supporting units.