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.

She is 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

History

Pre war

"Barcáiztegui" was launched in Cartagena, Spain 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.

panish Civil War

When war broke out, the captain went over to the Nationalists, but the crew mutinied and took the ship to the Republican side.

"Barcáiztegui" took part in the blockade of the Gibraltar Strait, then joined a Republican task force (led by battleship "Jaime I", and including the cruisers "Libertad" and "Cervantes", destroyers "Almirante Valdés", "Almirante Antequera", , "Almirante Miranda", "Alsedo", "José Luis Díez", "Lepanto", "Lazaga", and three C-class submarines) 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 Spanish cruiser "Baleares", firing four torpedoes. [It is probable "Baleares" was actually sunk by "Lepanto".]

On 5 March 1939, "Barcáíztegui" was seriously damaged by a bomb after being attacked by five Nationalist Savoia-Marchetti SM.79s; the attack also damaged destroyers "Alcalá Galiano" and "Lazaga".

Post war

"Barcáiztegui" was refloated in 1940, repaired by the Nationalists, and recommissioned, serving until decommissioned in 1964. She was scrapped in 1965.

Notes

References

*”Buques de la Guerra Civil Española. Destructores” (Spanish Civil War Ships, destroyers) by Dionisio García Flórez, ISBN 84-932284-7-8. (Spanish)

External links

* [http://www.kbismarck.com/mgl/destruc.htm Destroyers in Spanish civil war (in Spanish)]
* [http://www.revistanaval.com/armada/batallas/palos.htm Battle of Cape Palos (in Spanish)]