Spanish destroyer Lepanto

Spanish destroyer Lepanto

"Lepanto" 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 Battle of Lepanto.

Civil War

"Lepanto" saw a lot of action in during Civil War. She blockaded the Gibraltar Strait at the start of the war to prevent the Nationalists transporting toops between Spanish Morocco and the south of the Iberian peninsula. Then, she joined the squadron pentrating the Cantabric Sea in support of Republican forces isolated on the northern front, as well as taking part in the Battle of Cape Cherchell and in convoy protection. At the Battle of Cape Palos, "Lepanto", in company with "Sánchez Barcáiztegui" and "Almirante Antequera", broke away from escort of "Libertad" and fired torpedoes at Nationalist heavy cruiser "Baleares". It is probable "Lepanto" was responsible for the fatal hit in the forward magazine.

On 5 March 1939, their crews hoping to avoid execution, "Lepanto" fled Cartagena with the a Republican squadron bound for Bizerta, Tunnisia, arriving 11 March. The next day, they asked for political asylum, and the ships were interned and left in the custody by a few crewmen, the rest being held in a prison camp in Meheri Zabbens. Transports "Mallorca" and "Marqués de Comillas" arrived 31 March 1939 with new crews to take over the ships.

Post war

2 April 1939, just 24 hours alter oficial end of the Civil War, "Lepanto" and her sisters which had fought for the Republic sailed back to Spain with new Nationalist crews. They arrived in Cadiz on 5 April.

Participating in an antisubmarine warfare exercise on 27 July 1940, "Lepanto" operated in company with destroyers "Alcalá Galiano" and "Churruca" against submarines "C-2", "C-4", and "General Mola". 24 km (13 nm) off Morro de la Vaca, "Lepanto" was running at 14 knots (26 km/h) when "C-4" broached a few meters off her bow. Unable to change course in time, she ran down the submarine, hitting her broadside between her conning tower and deck gun, cutting "C-4" in two. "C-4", commanded at the time by Capitan de Corbeta (Lieutenant Commander) Francisco Reina Carvajal, went down in 300 m (1000 ft) of water. All 44 of her crew were lost with her.

"Lepanto" was decommissioned 24 May 1957 and scraped in 1958

References

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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)]
* [http://www.terra.es/personal6/garridojm/home.htm C4 accident (in Spanish)]


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