Themes
Spanish Civil War Evacuation
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Article Highlights
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Introduction - Humanitarian Relief in Spain
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The Royal Navy and the Spanish Civil War
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HMS London in Barcelona 1936
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HMS Devonshire - Peace Ship 1939
The Royal Navy and the Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War was a dispute between Nationalist and Republican factions within Spain. Fascist dictatorships of Germany and Italy entered on the side of General Franco’s Nationalist Party, whilst countries such as the Soviet Union and Mexico aided the Republicans.
Britain remained neutral throughout the conflict fearing that it could escalate into a large scale European war. Therefore, the Royal Navy adopted a policy of ‘non interventionalism’. The Royal Navy did play a part, however, in providing humanitarian aid for people fleeing from war torn Spain.
During evacuations they not only rescued Spanish citizens but also international visitors to Spanish seaside resorts. The Home Fleet patrolled the Atlantic coast while the Mediterranean Fleet guarded the east coast of Spain. By July 1937 the Royal Navy had rescued over 27 000 people.
The Navy were also involved in surveillance aimed at limiting the importation of arms to Spain and protecting the movement of merchant vessels. The Spanish Civil War was a bloody campaign with British ships serving in the line of danger whilst heavy air raids and naval bombardments took place around them.
Destroyers played a crucial role during evacuations ferrying the refugees from Spain to the safety of ports such as Marseilles and Gibraltar. Due to their humanitarian role the Navy painted red, white and blue stripes on one of the ship’s front gun shields.
Although playing a humanitarian role, the Royal Navy operated under dangerous situations. Ships anchored in the Spanish port of Gandia reported several near misses during bomb attacks. On 13 May 1937 HMS Hunter hit a mine off the coast of Almeria, and suffered 17 casualties and 8 deaths. Later that year on 31 August HMS Havock suffered a near miss from a torpedo aimed at an Italian submarine.
