SPANISH CIVIL WAR Deutschland photo Album GIBRALTAR PALMA IBIZA majorca ALMERIA

  
The Republican government had warned Italy and Germany that the port of Palma de Mallorca was not open to visits by ships of foreign powers which used such visits for the offloading of weappons and other war materiel. Following the outbreak of theish Civil War in 1936, Deutschland and Admiral Scheer were deployed to theish coast on 23 July 1936 to conduct non-intervention patrols off the Republican-held coast of Spain.

During the deployment, her gun turrets were painted with large black, white, and red bands to aid in identification from the air and indicate her neutral status. The port was attacked by Republican aircraft, though anti-aircraft fire from the warships drove them off. The torpedo boats Seeadler and Albatross escorted Deutschland to the island of Ibiza on 24 May.

The attack killed 31 German sailors and wounded 74. On 29th May 1937 an operation was mounted from the Los Alcazares air base in pursuit of the Nationalist squadron which was operating in the Mediterranean.

A special effort was made to pursue the cruiser Canarias using the Tupolev SB-2 high-speed bombers, nicknamed "Katiuskas". One went through the foredeck into the seaman's mess and the other hit the ships side causing little damage. The bombb which exploded in the seaman's mess caused a fire with 23 crew members being killed, 19 seriously injured and 64 slightly wounded. She arrived at 1900 hrs on 30th May 1937 and moored at 41 berth in the Dockyard. 53 of the wounded were taken to the Military Hospital. Even here the number of injured were found too much for the staff to treat and an urgent request was signalled to England for more nursing staff to be flown out to help. Staff from Codali's, the Undertakers, worked all night and most of the next day preparing coffins for the burial ceremony at the North Front Cemetery.

On 31 May at 11am the Deutschland sailed leaving her Chaplain and an Interpreter. During the night another sailor died from his wounds bringing the total of dead to 24. A Royal Naval Guard from HMS Arethusa escorted each lorry.

At the rear followed detachments from all British ships in the Harbour, the Dutch Submarine O. 13, the USS Kane and the Turkish destroyer Kocatepe. The Band of the Royal Marines played suitable music. The funeral service was conducted in the presence of the Governor, Sir Charles Harington by the Dean of the Church of England Cathedral and the German Chaplain. The grave was closed with shots being fired by a detachment from HMS Despatch. Two further seaman died on the 1st and 2nd June and were buried with full military honours. A further seaman died on the 6th June. On 8th July the Admiral Graf Spee called at Gibraltar to collect 5 sailors, on the 24th July a further 17 were collected by the cruiser Koln. On the 30th July the cruiser Nuremberg arrived to collect the remainder of the injured sailors as well as the Chaplain and the interpreter.

Those killed in the Action or who died subsequently. Buried on the 31 May 1937. Buried on 1st June 1937. Buried on 2nd June 1937.

Died in the Military Hospital on 6th June but not buried at Gibraltar. Three died on board the Deutschland. Four destroyers accompanying the cruiser fired 200 sshells, causing 19 deaths among civilians and destroying 35 buildings.

Some days later the Government of the Republic made it known that serious damage had been inflicted on the German cruiser "Deutschland" by bombing carried out by... Jos Arcega Njera and Leocadio Mendiola. It is reasonable to suppose that the version listing Mendiola and Arcega as pilots of the two Katiuskas was promulgated so as not to compromise the Soviet government, which was not keen to engage in armed conflict with Nazi Germany at that time.

That is to say, for strictly political reasons. And so the "official version" remained for posterity. It can be found in many history books dealing with the subject. And the extent of Mendiola's and Arcega's participation in the affair is still unclear. Certainly Mendiola always maintained that he took a direct part in the bombing.

The shelling of Almería - or its indirect consequences - could have brought about a radical change in the conduct of operations. At the next council of ministers of the Republican Government Indalecio Prieto asked his colleagues for authorisation to dispatch squadrons of bombers over German and Italian vessels sailing in the Mediterranean. Fear that such action might turn out to be politically unfavourable to the Republican cause resulted in the socialist leader's proposal being rejected. We cannot send with postal system which sadly in many countries is a problem. The item "SPANISH CIVIL WAR Deutschland photo Album GIBRALTAR PALMA IBIZA majorca ALMERIA" is in sale since Thursday, June 14, 2018. This item is in the category "Collectables\Militaria\Other Militaria\Navy".

The seller is "amgarchive" and is located in Skipton. This item can be shipped worldwide.