Spanish destroyer Lepanto
Encyclopedia
Lepanto was a Churruca-class
destroyer
of the Spanish Navy
. She took part in the Spanish Civil War
on the government side.
She was named after the Battle of Lepanto
.
and southern Spain. In the course of these operations she was damaged by rebel aircraft on 5 August 1936, a couple of hours before the passage of the Nationalist convoy known as Convoy de la victoria
. In September she joined the squadron
which sailed to the Bay of Biscay
in support of Republican forces isolated on the northern front. For most of 1937 she was on convoy
duty. While involved in one of these missions, Lepanto took part of the Battle of Cape Cherchell
.
At the Battle of Cape Palos
, Lepanto, in company with Sánchez Barcáiztegui
and Almirante Antequera, broke away from escorting the cruiser Libertad and fired three torpedo
es at the Nationalist heavy cruiser
Baleares
. It is probable Lepanto was responsible for the fatal hit in the forward magazine
.
On 5 March 1939, their crews hoping to avoid execution, Lepanto fled Cartagena
with the a Republican squadron bound for Bizerta, Tunisia
, arriving 11 March. The next day, they asked for political asylum, and the ships were interned and left in the custody by a few crewmen, the rest being held in a prison camp
in Meheri Zabbens. Transports Mallorca and Marqués de Comillas arrived 31 March 1939 with new crews to take over the ships.
on 5 April.
Participating in an antisubmarine warfare exercise on 27 July 1940, Lepanto operated in company with destroyers Alcalá Galiano and Churruca against submarine
s C-2, C-4, and General Mola. 24 km (13 nm) off Morro de la Vaca, Lepanto was running at 14 knots (26 km/h) when C-4 broached a few meters off her bow. Unable to change course in time, she ran down the submarine, hitting her broadside between her conning tower
and deck gun, cutting C-4 in two. C-4, commanded at the time by Capitan de Corbeta (Lieutenant Commander
) Francisco Reina Carvajal, went down in 300 m (1000 ft) of water. All 44 of her crew were lost with her.
Lepanto was decommissioned 24 May 1957 and scraped in 1958.
Churruca class destroyer
Churruca was a Spanish destroyer class built for the Spanish Navy based on a British design. Eighteen ships were built, two sold to Argentina.The ships were authorized on 17 February 1915 by Navy Minister Augusto Miranda y Godoy...
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...
of 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...
. She took part 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...
on the government side.
She was named after the Battle of Lepanto
Battle of Lepanto (1571)
The Battle of Lepanto took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of Catholic maritime states, decisively defeated the main fleet of the Ottoman Empire in five hours of fighting on the northern edge of the Gulf of Patras, off western Greece...
.
Civil War
Lepanto saw a lot of action in during Civil War. She blockaded the Gibraltar Strait at the start of the war to prevent the Nationalists transporting toops between Spanish MoroccoSpanish 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:...
and southern Spain. In the course of these operations she was damaged by rebel aircraft on 5 August 1936, a couple of hours before the passage of the Nationalist convoy known as Convoy de la victoria
Convoy de la victoria
The Convoy de la victoria was the name given by the Spanish Nationalists to a naval battle which took place on 5 August 1936 in the Strait of Gibraltar during the Spanish Civil War between the escort of a Nationalist convoy and the Republican destroyer Alcalá Galiano...
. In September she joined the squadron
Squadron (naval)
A squadron, or naval squadron, is a unit of 3-4 major warships, transport ships, submarines, or sometimes small craft that may be part of a larger task force or a fleet...
which sailed to the Bay of Biscay
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
in support of Republican forces isolated on the northern front. For most of 1937 she was on 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...
duty. While involved in one of these missions, Lepanto took part of the Battle of Cape Cherchell
Battle of Cape Cherchell
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...
.
At the Battle of Cape Palos
Battle of Cape Palos
The Battle of Cape Palos, also known as the Second Battle of Cape Palos, was the biggest naval battle of the Spanish Civil War, fought on the night of March 5–6, 1938, east of Cape Palos near Cartagena, Spain.-Leadup to the battle:...
, Lepanto, in company with Sánchez Barcáiztegui
Spanish destroyer Sánchez Barcáiztegui
Sánchez Barcáiztegui was a Churruca-class destroyer of the Spanish Navy. She took part in the Spanish Civil War on the government side....
and Almirante Antequera, broke away from escorting the cruiser Libertad and fired three torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es at the Nationalist heavy cruiser
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...
. It is probable Lepanto was responsible for the fatal hit in the forward magazine
Magazine (artillery)
Magazine is the name for an item or place within which ammunition is stored. It is taken from the Arabic word "makahazin" meaning "warehouse".-Ammunition storage areas:...
.
On 5 March 1939, their crews hoping to avoid execution, Lepanto fled Cartagena
Cartagena, Spain
Cartagena is a Spanish city and a major naval station located in the Region of Murcia, by the Mediterranean coast, south-eastern Spain. As of January 2011, it has a population of 218,210 inhabitants being the Region’s second largest municipality and the country’s 6th non-Province capital...
with the a Republican squadron bound for Bizerta, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, arriving 11 March. The next day, they asked for political asylum, and the ships were interned and left in the custody by a few crewmen, the rest being held in a prison camp
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...
in Meheri Zabbens. Transports Mallorca and Marqués de Comillas arrived 31 March 1939 with new crews to take over the ships.
Post war
On 2 April 1939, just 24 hours after official end of the Civil War, Lepanto and her sister ships which had fought for the Republic sailed back to Spain with new Nationalist crews. They arrived in CadizCádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
on 5 April.
Participating in an antisubmarine warfare exercise on 27 July 1940, Lepanto operated in company with destroyers Alcalá Galiano and Churruca against submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s C-2, C-4, and General Mola. 24 km (13 nm) off Morro de la Vaca, Lepanto was running at 14 knots (26 km/h) when C-4 broached a few meters off her bow. Unable to change course in time, she ran down the submarine, hitting her broadside between her conning tower
Conning tower
A conning tower is a raised platform on a ship or submarine, often armored, from which an officer can con the vessel; i.e., give directions to the helmsman. It is usually located as high on the ship as practical, to give the conning team good visibility....
and deck gun, cutting C-4 in two. C-4, commanded at the time by Capitan de Corbeta (Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
) Francisco Reina Carvajal, went down in 300 m (1000 ft) of water. All 44 of her crew were lost with her.
Lepanto was decommissioned 24 May 1957 and scraped in 1958.