Spanish destroyer Sánchez Barcáiztegui
Encyclopedia
Sánchez Barcáiztegui was a Churruca-class
destroyer
of the Spanish Navy
. She took part in the Spanish Civil War
on the government side.
She was named in honor of Victoriano Sánchez Barcáiztegui, a Spanish Navy
Teniente de Navío (lieutenant
) who took part in the Battle of Callao
and was killed in action in the Battle of Motrico during the Third Carlist War
.
in 1926 and commissioned in 1928. She was anchored in Barcelona
harbor in 1934, during which time she served as the prison for Manuel Azaña
after the Asturian uprising
.
side.
Barcáiztegui took part in the blockade of the Gibraltar Strait, then joined a Republican task force (led by the battleship
, and including the cruiser
s and , the destroyers , , , , , , , and three "C"-class submarine
s) penetrating the Cantabric Sea where Republican troops were isolated from the rest of Republican-controlled territories. All ships, except Ciscar, Jose Luis Diez, two "C"- and two "B"-class submarines, returned to the Mediterranean Sea
.
Barcáiztegui took part in the Battle of Cape Palos
, where she (in company with Almirante Antequera and Lepanto) engaged the cruiser , firing four torpedo
es.
On 5 March 1939
, Barcáíztegui was seriously damaged by a bomb after being attacked by five Nationalist Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
s medium bomber
s; the attack also damaged destroyers Alcalá Galiano and Lazaga.
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 in honor of Victoriano Sánchez Barcáiztegui, a 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...
Teniente de Navío (lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
) who took part in the Battle of Callao
Battle of Callao
The Battle of Callao occurred on May 2, 1866 between a Spanish fleet under the command of Admiral Casto Méndez Núñez and the fortified battery emplacements of the Peruvian port city of Callao during the Chincha Islands War...
and was killed in action in the Battle of Motrico during the Third Carlist War
Third Carlist War
The Third Carlist War was the last Carlist War in Spain. It is very often referred to as the Second Carlist War, as the 'second' had been small in scale and almost trivial in political consequence....
.
Pre-Spanish Civil War
Barcáiztegui was launched in Cartagena, SpainCartagena, 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...
in 1926 and commissioned in 1928. She was anchored in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
harbor in 1934, during which time she served as the prison for Manuel Azaña
Manuel Azaña
Manuel Azaña Díaz was a Spanish politician. He was the first Prime Minister of the Second Spanish Republic , and later served again as Prime Minister , and then as the second and last President of the Republic . The Spanish Civil War broke out while he was President...
after the Asturian uprising
Asturian miners' strike of 1934
The Asturian miners' strike of 1934 was a major strike action which took place in Asturias in northern Spain soon developing into armed insurrection against the Spanish government.-Background:...
.
Spanish Civil War
When war broke out, the captain went over to the Nationalists, but the crew mutinied and took the ship to the 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....
side.
Barcáiztegui took part in the blockade of the Gibraltar Strait, then joined a Republican task force (led by the 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...
, and including the 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 , the destroyers , , , , , , , and three "C"-class 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) penetrating the Cantabric Sea where Republican troops were isolated from the rest of Republican-controlled territories. All ships, except Ciscar, Jose Luis Diez, two "C"- and two "B"-class submarines, returned to the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
.
Barcáiztegui took part in 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:...
, where she (in company with Almirante Antequera and Lepanto) engaged the cruiser , firing four 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.
On 5 March 1939
Cartagena Uprising
The Cartagena Uprising took place 4-7 March 1939 during the Spanish Civil War. SS Castillo de Olite sunk during the event-Background:After the fall of Catalonia in February 1939, the military situation of the Republic was hopeless...
, Barcáíztegui was seriously damaged by a bomb after being attacked by five Nationalist Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero was a three-engined Italian medium bomber with a wood and metal structure. Originally designed as a fast passenger aircraft, this low-wing monoplane, in the years 1937–39, set 26 world records that qualified it for some time as the fastest medium bomber in the...
s medium bomber
Medium bomber
A medium bomber is a bomber aircraft designed to operate with medium bombloads over medium distances; the name serves to distinguish them from the larger heavy bombers and smaller light bombers...
s; the attack also damaged destroyers Alcalá Galiano and Lazaga.