Spanish destroyer Almirante Ferrándiz
Encyclopedia
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.
squadron penetrated the Cantabrian Sea to relieve Republican toops isolated in the North, she remained in the strait with Gravina to stop any movement of Nationalist troops between Africa and the Iberian peninsula.
In response, the nationalist heavy cruiser
Canarias
(which Republicans believed had been damaged by a bomb) and light cruiser Almirante Cervera
were sent to break the blockade.
On 29 September 1936, at the Battle of Cape Espartel
, Canarias opened fire from 16 km (8.5 nm), and hit Almirante Ferrándiz with her second salvo. Ferrándiz continued sailing away from Canarias, but the heavy cruiser struck her again with a third salvo, at 20 km (10.8 nm). The destroyer took a total of six hits from the Canarias' 200 mm (8") main armament and sank 33 km (18 nm) off Calaburras with most of her crew. Canarias stopped to rescue 31 sailors from Ferrándiz and authorized a French
merchantman to pick up others.
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...
in 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 in honor of José Ferrándiz y Niño
José Ferrándiz y Niño
José Ferrándiz y Niño was a Spanish soldier and politician who became a vicealmirante in the Spanish Navy. He was born in Seville and died in Madrid....
, a Spanish Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
and former Navy Minister.
History
Almirante Ferrándiz took part in the Gibraltar Strait blockade. When a RepublicanSecond 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....
squadron penetrated the Cantabrian Sea to relieve Republican toops isolated in the North, she remained in the strait with Gravina to stop any movement of Nationalist troops between Africa and the Iberian peninsula.
In response, the nationalist heavy 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...
Canarias
Spanish cruiser Canarias
The Canarias was a heavy cruiser of the Spanish Navy. She was designed in the United Kingdom and was a modified version of the Royal Navy's County class cruiser. She was built in Spain by the Vickers-Armstrongs subsidiary Sociedad Española de Construcción Naval...
(which Republicans believed had been damaged by a bomb) and light cruiser 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...
were sent to break the blockade.
On 29 September 1936, at the Battle of Cape Espartel
Battle of Cape Espartel
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...
, Canarias opened fire from 16 km (8.5 nm), and hit Almirante Ferrándiz with her second salvo. Ferrándiz continued sailing away from Canarias, but the heavy cruiser struck her again with a third salvo, at 20 km (10.8 nm). The destroyer took a total of six hits from the Canarias
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
merchantman to pick up others.