Battle of Cape Espartel
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Cape Espartel was a naval battle of the Spanish Civil War
that broke the Republican
blockade
of the Strait of Gibraltar
, securing the naval supply route to Spanish Morocco
for the Nationalists early in the war. The action occurred on September 29, 1936 between two Nationalist cruiser
s and a squadron of Republican destroyer
s.
in July, but at a large cost to the Spanish Navy
: Over 30 officers had been shot by hundreds of mutinous sailors, loyal to the Revolution, that were imprisoned afterwards or killed in the fighting.
Their prize included the old battleship
España (formerly the Alfonso XIII
), the cruisers Almirante Cervera
and the unfinished Canarias
, two light cruisers, one destroyer, and a number of torpedo boat
s and sloop
s. In September, a small squadron, including the Almirante Cervera and Canarias, steamed from Ferrol to engage the Republican navy.
At the start of the war, the Republican navy had the battleship Jaime I
, three light cruisers, 14 destroyers, plus five submarines. In addition to the España, the two cruisers and one destroyer taken by the Nationalists, by the following year they had completed the Almirante Cervera and Canarias, plus they had purchased four destroyers and two submarines from Fascist Italy. The Nationalists established a blockade of the Republican-held coastline for the entire duration of the war, but their paucity of ships limited the blockade's effectiveness.
, while her sister ship Almirante Ferrándiz
was patrolling off Ceuta
. A fierce exchange of fire followed, during which the destroyer Almirante Ferrándiz was chased and sunk by the Canarias in the Alboran Sea
, while the Gravina was pursued and hit by the Cervera along the Atlantic coast of Morocco. The main guns of the Canarias found their mark at a range of 11 miles typwith their second salvo, while those of Cervera performed poorly. The surviving Republican destroyer retreated toward Casablanca
. This action was decisive to open the Straits to the insurgents' shipping.
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...
that broke 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....
blockade
Blockade
A blockade is an effort to cut off food, supplies, war material or communications from a particular area by force, either in part or totally. A blockade should not be confused with an embargo or sanctions, which are legal barriers to trade, and is distinct from a siege in that a blockade is usually...
of the Strait of Gibraltar
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. The name comes from Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq , albeit the Arab name for the Strait is Bab el-Zakat or...
, securing the naval supply route to Spanish Morocco
Spanish Morocco
The Spanish protectorate of Morocco was the area of Morocco under colonial rule by the Spanish Empire, established by the Treaty of Fez in 1912 and ending in 1956, when both France and Spain recognized Moroccan independence.-Territorial borders:...
for the Nationalists early in the war. The action occurred on September 29, 1936 between two Nationalist cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s and a squadron of Republican 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.
Background
The Nationalist conspirators at Ferrol had been able to seize the city's naval baseNaval base
A naval base is a military base, where warships and naval ships are deployed when they have no mission at sea or want to restock. Usually ships may also perform some minor repairs. Some naval bases are temporary homes to aircraft that usually stay on the ships but are undergoing maintenance while...
in July, but at a large cost to the Spanish Navy
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Armada is responsible for notable achievements in world history such as the discovery of Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path...
: Over 30 officers had been shot by hundreds of mutinous sailors, loyal to the Revolution, that were imprisoned afterwards or killed in the fighting.
Their prize included the old battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
España (formerly the Alfonso XIII
Spanish battleship Alfonso XIII
Alfonso XIII was an España-class dreadnought battleship of the Spanish Navy which served in the Spanish fleet from 1915 to 1937. She was renamed España in 1931 for her sister ship, an earlier battleship España that served in the Spanish fleet from 1913 to 1923.-Technical...
), the cruisers Almirante Cervera
Spanish cruiser Almirante Cervera
Almirante Cervera was a light cruiser of the Cervera class of the Spanish Navy. She was named after the Spanish admiral Pascual Cervera y Topete, commander of the Spanish naval forces in Cuba during the Spanish-American War...
and the unfinished Canarias
Canarias class Cruiser
The Canarias class was a class of heavy cruiser of the Spanish Navy. Two ships of the class were completed in the 1930s. They were designed in the United Kingdom and were modified versions of the Royal Navy's County class cruiser. They were built in Spain by the Vickers-Armstrongs subsidiary...
, two light cruisers, one destroyer, and a number of torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
s and sloop
Sloop
A sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
s. In September, a small squadron, including the Almirante Cervera and Canarias, steamed from Ferrol to engage the Republican navy.
At the start of the war, the Republican navy had the battleship Jaime I
Spanish battleship Jaime I
Jaime I was an España-class dreadnought battleship of the Spanish Navy which served in the Spanish fleet from 1921 to 1937.-Technical Characteristics:...
, three light cruisers, 14 destroyers, plus five submarines. In addition to the España, the two cruisers and one destroyer taken by the Nationalists, by the following year they had completed the Almirante Cervera and Canarias, plus they had purchased four destroyers and two submarines from Fascist Italy. The Nationalists established a blockade of the Republican-held coastline for the entire duration of the war, but their paucity of ships limited the blockade's effectiveness.
The battle
The Nationalists engaged a squadron of Republican destroyers stationed on the western end of the Straits. The destroyer Gravina was deployed near Cape EspartelCape Spartel
Cape Spartel is a promontory in Morocco about above sea level at the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, 12 km West of Tangier. It is frequently but incorrectly referred as the northernmost point of Africa, which is instead Ras ben Sakka, Tunisia....
, while her sister ship Almirante Ferrándiz
Spanish destroyer Almirante Ferrándiz
Almirante Ferrándiz was a Churruca-class destroyer in the Spanish Navy. She took part in the Spanish Civil War on the government side.She was named in honor of José Ferrándiz y Niño, a Spanish Admiral and former Navy Minister.-History:...
was patrolling off Ceuta
Ceuta
Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain and an exclave located on the north coast of North Africa surrounded by Morocco. Separated from the Iberian peninsula by the Strait of Gibraltar, Ceuta lies on the border of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta along with the other Spanish...
. A fierce exchange of fire followed, during which the destroyer Almirante Ferrándiz was chased and sunk by the Canarias in the Alboran Sea
Alboran Sea
|300px|thumb|]]The Alboran Sea is the westernmost portion of the Mediterranean Sea, lying between Spain on the north and Morocco and Algeria on the south...
, while the Gravina was pursued and hit by the Cervera along the Atlantic coast of Morocco. The main guns of the Canarias found their mark at a range of 11 miles typwith their second salvo, while those of Cervera performed poorly. The surviving Republican destroyer retreated toward Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
. This action was decisive to open the Straits to the insurgents' shipping.