Spanish battleship Alfonso XIII

Alfonso XIII was an España-class dreadnought battleship of the Spanish Navy which served in the Spanish fleet from 1915 to 1937. She was renamed España in 1931 for her sister ship, an earlier battleship España that served in the Spanish fleet from 1913 to 1923.

Technical Characteristics

Construction of Alfonso XIII was authorized by the Navy Law of 7 January 1908. She was laid down on 23 February 1910, launched on 7 May 1913, and completed on 16 August 1915.

In order to avoid rebuilding existing docks, she was constructed with a shorter hull than a purely rational design required, and her class were the smallest dreadnought-type battleships ever built.^[1] Amidships freeboard was only 15 feet (4.6 m), and the main battery guns were 24 feet 6 inches (7.5 m) above the waterline.^[1]

With a single stack amidships, two tripod masts, and small superstructure, the Alfonso XIII had a broadside of eight 12-inch (305-mm) guns, each weighing 67.1 tons, firing an 850-pound (385-kg) shell at a muzzle velocity of 2950fps (902 m/s) with a maximum range of 23,500 yards (21500 meters, or 11.6 nautical miles), at a rate of fire of one round per minute. The four twin turrets were arranged with "A" and "Y" on the centerline, and the other two turrets in the wings ("B" to starboard, "Q" to port). This was done in preference to superimposed turrets, as was done in the South Carolinas, to save weight and cost.^[2] Alfonso XIII was able to fire a full broadside, and employ six guns in pursuit or retirement. The secondary battery was poorly laid out^[2] in casemates along the hull too close to the waterline.^[1]

Alfonso XIII was held up somewhat by a lack of materials from the United Kingdom as a result of the outbreak of World War I.^[2])

Built for coastal defense and national pride, more than combat, the Alfonso XIII and her sisters provided Spain with formidable ships at reasonable cost. Unfortunately, due to rapid technological change at the time and the lengthy construction time of the class, Alfonso XIII was obsolescent before completion.^[3]

Operational history

After coastal defense duty during World War I, Alfonso XIII conducted cruises to show the flag, including a visit to Annapolis, Maryland, in 1920, during which USS Reina Mercedes, a former Spanish Navy cruiser captured by the United States during the Spanish-American War in 1898, flew the Spanish flag to honor her visit.

In September 1925, she provided fire support for the Al Hoceima landings, a decisive operation of the Rif War, in present day Morocco.

In April 1931, after the overthrow of King Alfonso XIII, Alfonso XIII was renamed España, the name previously held by her sister ship España, which had been wrecked in 1923 while engaged in combat operations at Cape Tres Forcas.

By 1934, the renamed España was laid up at Ferrol awaiting disposal. But she was refitted in 1936 and fought on the Nationalist side in the Spanish Civil War, when she captured or drove back a number of Republican and foreign merchant ships. España seized the Republican freighter Mar Báltico with a cargo of iron ore on 13 February 1937^[4] and on 30 April she prevented the entry of the British steamer Consett to Santander by firing her main guns across the bows.^[5] According to Nationalist sources^[6] the Consett and other blockade-runners were escorted at the time by the destroyer HMS Forester. Later that day España accidentally struck a mine laid by her own side and sank off Santander, while assisting the destroyer Velasco in turning away the British merchantman Knistley.^[7]

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

• Fitzsimmons, Bernard. The Illustrated encyclopedia of 20th century weapons and warfare, Volume 8. Columbia House, 1978.
• Gibbons, Tony. The Complete Encyclopedia of Battleships and Battlecruisers: A Technical Directory of the World's Capital Ships From 1860 to the Present Day. London: Salamander Books, Ltd., 1983.
• Gray, Randal, Ed. Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1985. ISBN 0870219073.