It covered the second sector of the Madrid front, from the El Pardo wall to the Manzanares river.

The division was made up of the 5th, 38th and 39th mixed brigades, with 8,166 troops and nine pieces of artillery.

[2] The 5th Division played an important role during the Third Battle of the Corunna Road, defending the accesses to Madrid, the San Fernando Bridge and the El Pardo mountain.

In the spring of 1938, José Miaja sent it to the Levante front to reinforce the republican forces that were resisting the nationalist offensive.

[5] The 5th Division, located between the 25th and 39th, maintained its defensive positions and managed to avoid the defeat of the republican units deployed in the Maestrazgo area.