Battle of Cape Cherchell
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Cape Cherchell was a naval battle between the Nationalist heavy cruiser
Baleares
and the Republican
light cruisers Libertad
and Méndez Núñez
in the Spanish Civil War
, several miles north of the Algerian
city of Cherchell
. In the early morning hours of September 7, 1937, Baleares unexpectedly met a Republican convoy
consisting of two merchant ships escorted by Republican cruisers and destroyer
s. Baleares was beaten off and badly damaged in the engagement, but the merchantmen were lost when they tried to slip away along the Algerine shoreline.
The biggest danger for the convoy was not the Baleares itself, but Nationalist shore-based aircraft that might have appeared once the Nationalists had radioed the convoy's location. Because of this, the four destroyers quickly broke off the engagement and continued to escort the merchant convoy.
While these ships steamed ahead, Republican cruisers Libertad and Méndez Núñez engaged Baleares. A crashing volley from the Libertad smashed Baleares electronics, temporarily disabling the cruiser's guns. But the Nationalists repaired the damage and the Baleares renewed her pursuit.
The warships met again in the afternoon, Libertad scoring two more hits on critical areas of the Baleares. Baleares then limped off to wait for her sister-ship Canarias. The retreating Republican ships were later attacked, ineffectively, by several Nationalist warplanes, most of them Italian
bomber
s from the Aviación Legionaria, a squadron of the Regia Aeronautica
which fought in Spain under Franco
's orders.
During the engagement the captains of the two freighters escorted by the Republican fleet had panicked and changed course to the south to seek shelter in Algerine waters. One of the steamers ran aground in Cherchell, while the remaining ship reached Bona
, where she was interned
by the French authorities.
The Republican fleet's commander Miguel Buiza was dissmised after the battle.
Heavy cruiser
The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre . The heavy cruiser can be seen as a lineage of ship design from 1915 until 1945, although the term 'heavy cruiser' only came into formal use in 1930...
Baleares
Spanish cruiser Baleares
Baleares was a Canarias-class heavy cruiser of the Spanish Navy. She was designed in Great Britain and was a modified version of the Royal Navy′s County-class cruiser...
and the Republican
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
light cruisers Libertad
Almirante Cervera class cruiser
The Cervera or Alfonso class were three light cruisers built for the Spanish Navy in the 1920s. The ships were built by Sociedad Española de Construcción Naval in Ferrol which had strong British links and were designed by Sir Philip Watts. The design was based on the British Emerald class cruiser,...
and Méndez Núñez
Blas de Lezo class cruiser
The Blas de Lezo class cruisers were a group of two cruisers built for the Spanish Navy in the 1920s. The ships were ordered in 1915 but construction proceeded slowly due to materials shortages during World War I...
in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, several miles north of the Algerian
French Algeria
French Algeria lasted from 1830 to 1962, under a variety of governmental systems. From 1848 until independence, the whole Mediterranean region of Algeria was administered as an integral part of France, much like Corsica and Réunion are to this day. The vast arid interior of Algeria, like the rest...
city of Cherchell
Cherchell
Cherchell is a seaport town in the Province of Tipaza, Algeria, 55 miles west of Algiers. It is the district seat of Cherchell District. As of 1998, it had a population of 24,400.-Ancient history:...
. In the early morning hours of September 7, 1937, Baleares unexpectedly met a Republican convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
consisting of two merchant ships escorted by Republican cruisers and destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s. Baleares was beaten off and badly damaged in the engagement, but the merchantmen were lost when they tried to slip away along the Algerine shoreline.
The biggest danger for the convoy was not the Baleares itself, but Nationalist shore-based aircraft that might have appeared once the Nationalists had radioed the convoy's location. Because of this, the four destroyers quickly broke off the engagement and continued to escort the merchant convoy.
While these ships steamed ahead, Republican cruisers Libertad and Méndez Núñez engaged Baleares. A crashing volley from the Libertad smashed Baleares electronics, temporarily disabling the cruiser's guns. But the Nationalists repaired the damage and the Baleares renewed her pursuit.
The warships met again in the afternoon, Libertad scoring two more hits on critical areas of the Baleares. Baleares then limped off to wait for her sister-ship Canarias. The retreating Republican ships were later attacked, ineffectively, by several Nationalist warplanes, most of them Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
s from the Aviación Legionaria, a squadron of the Regia Aeronautica
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
which fought in Spain under Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
's orders.
During the engagement the captains of the two freighters escorted by the Republican fleet had panicked and changed course to the south to seek shelter in Algerine waters. One of the steamers ran aground in Cherchell, while the remaining ship reached Bona
Annaba
Annaba is a city in the northeastern corner of Algeria near the river Seybouse. It is located in Annaba Province. With a population of 257,359 , it is the fourth largest city in Algeria. It is a leading industrial centre in eastern Algeria....
, where she was interned
Internment
Internment is the imprisonment or confinement of people, commonly in large groups, without trial. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the meaning as: "The action of 'interning'; confinement within the limits of a country or place." Most modern usage is about individuals, and there is a distinction...
by the French authorities.
The Republican fleet's commander Miguel Buiza was dissmised after the battle.