Convoy de la victoria

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Convoy de la victoria
Part of the Spanish Civil War
Destructor Alcala Galiano (AG).jpg
Destroyer Alcalá Galiano in her sea trial without weapons
Date5 August 1936
Location Mediterranean Sea, near Punta Carnero
Result Nationalist victory
Belligerents
Flag of Spain (1931-1939).svg Spanish Republic Flag of Spain (Civil) alternate colours.svg Nationalist Spain
Commanders and leaders
José María Sánchez Ferragut Manuel Súnico Castedo
Strength
1 destroyer 1 gunboat
1 coastguard ship
1 torpedo boat
Casualties and losses
none none

The Convoy de la victoria (English: "convoy of victory") is 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.

Francoist Spain Period of Spain (1936 to 1975)

Francoist Spain, known in Spain as the Francoist dictatorship, officially known as the Spanish State from 1936 to 1947 and the Kingdom of Spain from 1947 to 1975, is the period of Spanish history between 1936 and 1975, when Francisco Franco established a totalitarian military dictatorship. Francoist Spain has been considered fascist in the terms of authoritarian ultranationalism, but it has been described by some authors as semi-fascist.

Strait of Gibraltar strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea

The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Gibraltar and Peninsular Spain in Europe from Morocco and Ceuta (Spain) in Africa. The name comes from the Rock of Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq named after Tariq ibn Ziyad. It is also known as the Straits of Gibraltar, the Gut of Gibraltar, the STROG in naval use, and Bab Al Maghrib, "Gate of the West". In the Middle Ages, Muslims called it Al-Zuqaq, "The Passage", the Romans called it Fretum Gatitanum, and in the ancient world it was known as the "Pillars of Hercules".

Spanish Civil War War between the Republicans and the Nationalists in Spain from 1936 to 1939

The Spanish Civil War took place from 1936 to 1939. Republicans loyal to the left-leaning Second Spanish Republic, in alliance with the Anarchists and Communists, fought against the Nationalists, an alliance of Falangists, Monarchists, and Catholics, led by General Francisco Franco. The war was known as a struggle between democracy and fascism, particularly due to the international political climate. The Nationalists won the war in early 1939 and ruled Spain until Franco's death in November 1975.

Contents

Background

At the end of July 1936, the Spanish rebel forces were in dire straits. The Republic held two-thirds of the country, the capital city, the gold reserves, the major urban centers and most of the industries. Furthermore, the main shock force of the rebels, the Spanish Army of Africa, was isolated in Spanish Morocco, the Republic held most of the Navy, and from 19 July Spanish Republican Navy warships were patrolling the waters between Morocco and the mainland. Nevertheless, with the assistance of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, the Nationalists managed to airlift their troops from Africa to Andalusia. [1]

Spanish Republican Navy

The Spanish Republican Navy was the naval arm of the Armed Forces of the Second Spanish Republic, the legally established government of Spain between 1931 and 1939.

Nazi Germany The German state from 1933 to 1945, under the dictatorship of Adolf Hitler

Nazi Germany is the common English name for Germany between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party (NSDAP) controlled the country through a dictatorship. Under Hitler's rule, Germany was transformed into a totalitarian state that controlled nearly all aspects of life via the Gleichschaltung legal process. The official name of the state was Deutsches Reich until 1943 and Großdeutsches Reich from 1943 to 1945. Nazi Germany is also known as the Third Reich, meaning "Third Realm" or "Third Empire", the first two being the Holy Roman Empire (800–1806) and the German Empire (1871–1918). The Nazi regime ended after the Allies defeated Germany in May 1945, ending World War II in Europe.

Andalusia Autonomous community of Spain

Andalusia is an autonomous community in southern Spain. It is the most populous, and the second largest autonomous community in the country. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a "historical nationality". The territory is divided into eight provinces: Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga and Seville. Its capital is the city of Seville.

The airlift of troops

The Nationalists requested and received transport aircraft from Germany and Italy in order to transport their troops, establishing the first airlift of troops in history. Germany sent 20 Junkers Ju 52 and, between 29 July and 5 August, the Nationalists carried 1,500 men of the Spanish Army of Africa across the Strait by air, and another 15,000 between 5 and 15 August [2] (according to historian Hugh Thomas, 12,000 men were flown between August and September). Hitler said that: "Franco ought to erect a monument to the glory of the Junkers-52". [3] This success was a major psychological blow (the news of the arrival of the Moors spread terror among the Republicans), [3] but the Republican Navy still controlled the Straits and the Republican battleship Jaime I threatened the transport aircraft with her heavy anti-aircraft fire. [4]

Junkers Ju 52 airliner and military transport aircraft

The Junkers Ju 52/3m is a German transport aircraft manufactured from 1931 to 1952, initially designed with a single engine but subsequently produced as a trimotor. It had both civilian and military service during the 1930s and 1940s. In a civilian role, it flew with over 12 air carriers including Swissair and Deutsche Luft Hansa as an airliner and freight hauler. In a military role, it flew with the Luftwaffe as a troop and cargo transport and briefly as a medium bomber. The Ju 52 continued in postwar service with military and civilian air fleets well into the 1980s. The aircraft has continued to be used well beyond that date for purposes such as sightseeing.

Spanish battleship <i>Jaime I</i>

Jaime I was the third and final member of the España class of dreadnought battleships of the Spanish Navy. She had two sister ships, España and Alfonso XIII. Jaime I was built by the SECN shipyard; she was laid down in February 1912, launched in September 1914, and completed in December 1921. She was armed with a main battery of eight 12-inch (305 mm) guns and could steam at a speed of 19.5 knots.

Convoy de la Victoria

On 5 August, Franco decided to break the Republican naval blockade, with a convoy of merchant ships, carrying 2,500 [5] to 3,000 soldiers, [6] equipment and heavy weapons. The convoy departed from Ceuta and was made up of four transports escorted by the gunboat Dato, the coastguard ship Uad Kert (a World War I armed trawler, ex-HMT Rother) and the old T-1 class torpedo boat T-19. The convoy was covered by five Savoia SM.81 bombers, three trimotors Fokker, one DC-2, 2 Nieuport fighters, two hydroplanes and a squadron of Breguet XIX. [7]

Ceuta Autonomous city in Spain

Ceuta is an 18.5 km2 Spanish autonomous city on the north coast of Africa, separated by 14 km (9 mi) from Cadiz province on the Spanish mainland by the Strait of Gibraltar and sharing a 6.4 km (4 mi) land border with M'diq-Fnideq Prefecture in the Kingdom of Morocco. It lies along the boundary between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean and is one of nine populated Spanish territories in Africa and, along with Melilla, one of two populated territories on mainland Africa. It was part of Cádiz province until 14 March 1995 when both Ceuta and Melilla's Statutes of Autonomy were passed, the latter having been part of Málaga province.

Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 medium bomber

The Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 Pipistrello was the first three-engine bomber/transport aircraft serving in the Italian Regia Aeronautica. When it appeared in 1935, it represented a real step ahead in Italian military aviation: it was fast, well armed and had a long range. It proved effective during the war with Ethiopia and the Spanish Civil War. Despite being too slow to remain competitive as a bomber in the later years of World War II, it was one of the most flexible, reliable and important aircraft of the Regia Aeronautica from 1935 to 1944, and adapted to second-line duties in a wide range of tasks.

Fokker F.VII transport aircraft family

The Fokker F.VII, also known as the Fokker Trimotor, was an airliner produced in the 1920s by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker, Fokker's American subsidiary Atlantic Aircraft Corporation, and other companies under licence.

Three Republican destroyers were keeping a close watch on Spanish Morocco ports, but in the morning of 5 August the Nationalist aircraft launched air attacks against the Republican vessels in the Strait and the Republican destroyer Lepanto was forced to leave Gibraltar by the British authorities. [8] Because of this, only Alcalá Galiano engaged the Nationalist ships. The convoy, bound for Algeciras, reached its destination on the evening after a brief exchange of fire. While mooring in Algeciras, the gunboat Dato straddled the British destroyer HMS Basilisk after misidentifying her as Republican. [9] While steaming back to Málaga, Alcalá Galiano was attacked and hit by Nationalist aircraft. Francoist sources claim that she suffered 18 seamen killed and 28 wounded. [10] [11]

Spanish destroyer <i>Lepanto</i>

Lepanto was a Churruca-class destroyer of the Spanish Republican Navy. She took part in the Spanish Civil War on the side of the government of the Second Spanish Republic. She was named after the Battle of Lepanto.

Algeciras City in Andalusia, Spain

Algeciras is a port city in the south of Spain, and is the largest city on the Bay of Gibraltar. The Port of Algeciras is one of the largest ports in Europe and the world in three categories: container, cargo and transhipment. It is located 20 km north-east of Tarifa on the Río de la Miel, which is the southernmost river of the Iberian peninsula and continental Europe. In 2015, it had a population of 118,920.

HMS <i>Basilisk</i> (H11) destroyer

HMS Basilisk was a B-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy around 1930. Initially assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet, she was transferred to the Home Fleet in 1936. The ship escorted convoys and conducted anti-submarine patrols early in World War II before participating in the Norwegian Campaign. Basilisk was sunk by German aircraft during the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940.

Aftermath

From 6 August transport ships crossed the Strait of Gibraltar, with the cover of Italian bombers. [2] On 7 August, the battleship Jaime I and the cruiser Libertad shelled Algeciras and severely damaged Dato and Uad Kert. However, in the first week of August, a German Junkers Ju 52 struck the Republican Jaime I and Italian bombers started to harass the Republican fleet so that they could no longer prevent the passage of transport ships. Furthermore, the Republican warships were inefficiently handled by their crews and two German cruisers, [12] Deutschland and Admiral Scheer patrolled the Strait. In addition, the English authorities in Gibraltar and Tangier were hostile to the Republic. The British oil companies in Gibraltar refused to sell fuel to the Republican navy. The Tangier International Commission denied the use of the harbor to the Republican Navy, because this was contrary to the city's neutrality, but nevertheless authorized the passage of food, goods and gasoline for the German transport planes to Spanish Morocco. [13] By the end of September, the Republic had lost control of the waters between Morocco and the mainland after the battle of Cape Espartel. [14]

German cruiser <i>Deutschland</i> Deutschland-class cruiser

Deutschland was the lead ship of her class of heavy cruisers which served with the Kriegsmarine of Nazi Germany during World War II. Ordered by the Weimar government for the Reichsmarine, she was laid down at the Deutsche Werke shipyard in Kiel in February 1929 and completed by April 1933. Originally classified as an armored ship (Panzerschiff) by the Reichsmarine, in February 1940 the Germans reclassified the remaining two ships of this class as heavy cruisers. In 1940, she was renamed Lützow, after the Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruiser Lützow was handed over to the Soviet Union.

German cruiser <i>Admiral Scheer</i> Deutschland-class cruiser

Admiral Scheer was a Deutschland-class heavy cruiser which served with the Kriegsmarine of Nazi Germany during World War II. The vessel was named after Admiral Reinhard Scheer, German commander in the Battle of Jutland. She was laid down at the Reichsmarinewerft shipyard in Wilhelmshaven in June 1931 and completed by November 1934. Originally classified as an armored ship (Panzerschiff) by the Reichsmarine, in February 1940 the Germans reclassified the remaining two ships of this class as heavy cruisers.

Tangier City in Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, Morocco

Tangier is a major city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Maghreb coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. The town is the capital of the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, as well as the Tangier-Assilah prefecture of Morocco.

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The Spanish Civil War had large numbers of non-Spanish citizens participating in combat and advisory positions. The governments of Germany, Italy—and to a lesser extent Portugal—contributed money, munitions, manpower and support to Nationalist forces led by Francisco Franco. The government of the Soviet Union, and to a lesser extent France and Mexico, likewise aided the Republicans (Loyalists) of the Second Spanish Republic. The aid came even after all the European powers had signed a Non-Intervention Agreement in 1936. While individual sympathy for the plight of the Spanish Republic was widespread in the liberal democracies, pacifism and the fear of another world war prevented them from selling or giving arms. The Nationalist pleas meanwhile were answered within days by Hitler and Mussolini.

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Spanish destroyer <i>José Luis Díez</i>

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Spanish cruiser <i>Almirante Cervera</i> Almirante Cervera-class cruiser

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Spanish coup of July 1936

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References

  1. ↑ Graham, Helen. (2005). The Spanish Civil War. A very short introduction,. Oxford University Press.p.24
  2. 1 2 Preston Paul. (2006). The Spanish Civil War. Reaction, Revolution & Revenge. Harper Perennial. p.119
  3. 1 2 Thomas, Hugh. (2001). The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. London. p.357.
  4. ↑ Jackson, Gabriel. (1967). The Spanish Republic and the Civil War, 1936–1939. Princeton University Press. Princeton. p. 249
  5. ↑ Beevor, Antony. (2006). The Battle for Spain. The Spanish Civil War, 1936–1939. Penguin Books. London. p.73
  6. ↑ Preston, Paul. Franco. Harper Collins. London. 1994. p. 162
  7. ↑ Thomas, Hugh. (2001). The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. London. pp.357–358
  8. ↑ Preston, Paul. Franco. Harper Collins. London. 1994. p. 161.
  9. ↑ Moreno de Alborán y de Reyna, Fernando (1998) La guerra silenciosa y silenciada: Historia de la campaña naval durante la guerra de 1936–39. Gráficas Lormo, p. 700. ISBN   84-923691-1-6 (in Spanish)
  10. ↑ Alpert, Michael (2008). La guerra civil española en el mar. pp. 99–100. ISBN   84-8432-975-5 (in Spanish)
  11. ↑ Balfour, Sebastian; Preston, Paul (1999). Spain and the great powers in the twentieth century. Routledge. p. 1. ISBN   978-0-415-18078-8 . Retrieved 25 July 2011.
  12. ↑ Deutschland class cruiser
  13. ↑ Jackson, Gabriel. (1967). The Spanish Republic and the Civil War, 1936–1939. Princeton University Press. Princeton. pp. 249–250
  14. ↑ KBismarck.org: "The Turning point at sea, 29 November 1936". From "Canarias, Adiós", by Willard C. Frank, Jr.

Coordinates: 36°04′41″N5°23′57″W / 36.07806°N 5.39917°W / 36.07806; -5.39917

Bibliography

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