Sánchez Barcáiztegui was a of the Spanish Republican Navy. She took part in the Spanish Civil War on the side of the government of the Second Spanish Republic.

Sánchez Barcáiztegui was named in honor of Capitán de navío de primera clase (Ship-of-the-Line Captain First Class) Victoriano Sánchez Barcáiztegui (1826–1875), a Spanish Navy officer who gained fame in the Battle of Callao in 1866 and was killed in action during the Third Carlist War.

Service history

Pre-Spanish Civil War Sánchez 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 after the Asturian uprising.

Spanish Civil War Following the coup of July 1936, the captain took the side of the Nationalists and rebelled, but the crew remained loyal to the Second Spanish Republic and they took over the ship.

Sánchez Barcáiztegui took first part in the blockade of the Gibraltar Strait, then joined a Spanish Republican Navy task force led by the battleship that included cruisers and , destroyers , , , , , , , and three C-class submarines. This fleet entered the Cantabrian Sea where Spanish Republican Army troops were isolated from the remaining Republican-controlled territories. All ships, except Ciscar, which had been requisitioned by the Basque Auxiliary Navy, José Luis Díez, two C and two B-class submarines, returned to the Mediterranean Sea.

Sánchez Barcáiztegui took part in the Battle of Cape Palos where she, together with Almirante Antequera and Lepanto, engaged the cruiser , firing four torpedoes.It is probable that Baleares was actually sunk by Lepanto. Sánchez Barcáiztegui was awarded the Distintivo de Madrid along with other vessels.

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

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

Notes

References

External links Destroyers in Spanish civil war Battle of Cape Palos