Spanish destroyer Almirante Ferrándiz

"Almirante Ferrándiz" was a "Churruca"-class destroyer in the Spanish Navy. She took part in the Spanish Civil War on the government side.

She is named in honor of José Ferrándiz y Niño, a Spanish Admiral and former Navy Minister.

History

"Almirante Ferrándiz" took part in the Gibraltar Strait blockade. When a Republican squadron penetrated the Cantabrian Sea to relieve Republican toops isolated in the North, she remained in the strait with "Gravina" to block 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 26 September 1936, at the Battle of Cape Espartel, "Canarias" commenced fire from 16 km (8.5 nm), and with her second salvo hit "Almirante Ferrándiz". "Ferrándiz" continued to open the range, but "Canarias" hit her again with her third salvo, at 20 km (10.8 nm). The destroyer took a total of six hits from "Canarias"' 200 mm (8") main battery and sank 33 km (18 nm) off Calaburras with most of her crew. "Canarias", in an honorable act, stopped to rescue 31 sailors from "Ferrándiz" and authorized a French merchantman to pick up others.

References

*
*cite book | title = La Batalla del Estrecho (The battle in the strait) (in spanish)| author = Alejandro Ramírez| year = 2003 | publisher = Grupo Publicaciones del Sur| id = ISBN 84-95813-09-2
*

External links

* [http://www.kbismarck.com/mgl/destruc.htm Destroyers in Spanish civil war (in Spanish)]