Battle of Cape Cherchell

Battle of Cape Cherchell

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Cape Cherchell


caption=
partof=the Spanish Civil War
date=September 7, 1937
place=Mediterranean Sea, near Cherchell, present-day Algeria
result=Republican victory
combatant1=flagicon|Spain|1931 Spanish Republic
combatant2=flagicon|Spain|1939 Nationalist Spain
commander1=
commander2=Manuel Vierna Belando
strength1=2 light cruisers
4 destroyers
strength2=1 heavy cruiser
casualties1=
casualties2=1 ship heavily damaged|

The Battle of Cape Cherchell was a sea battle between the Nationalist heavy cruiser "Baleares" and the Republican light cruisers "Libertad" and "Méndez Núñez" in the Spanish Civil War. In the early morning hours of September 7, 1937, "Baleares" unexpectedly met a Republican convoy consisting of several merchant ships escorted by Republican cruisers and destroyers. "Baleares" was beaten off and badly damaged in the engagement.

The biggest danger for the convoy was not the "Baleares" itself, but Nationalist shore-based aircraft that might have appeared once the Nationalists had radioed the convoy's location. Because of this, the four destroyers quickly broke off the engagement and continued as escorts for the merchant convoy.

While these ships steamed ahead, Republican cruisers "Libertad" and "Méndez Núñez" engaged "Baleares". A crashing volley from the "Libertad" smashed "Baleares"' electronics, temporarily disabling the cruiser's guns. But the Nationalists repaired the damage and the wounded "Baleares" renewed its pursuit.

The ships met again in the afternoon, "Libertad" scoring two more hits on critical areas of the "Baleares". "Baleares" then limped off to wait for her sister-ship "Canarias". The retreating Republican ships were later attacked, ineffectively, by several Nationalist airplanes, including Italian planes from the Non-Intervention Committee blockade on Spain.

References

*

External links

* [http://www.generalisimofranco.com/baleares/03.htm Combate Naval Del Cabo Cherchel]


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