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 Franco-Spanish operation of the Rif War, in present day Morocco.
In April 1931, after the advent of the Second Spanish Republic, Alfonso XIII became part of the Spanish Republican Navy and 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.
At the time of General Franco's coup in 1936 Ferrol fell within Nationalist territory. España was refitted 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 and on 30 April she prevented the entry of the British steamer Consett to Santander by firing her main guns across the bows. According to Nationalist sources 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. All her crew, exception made of five seamen, were rescued by Velasco.
Read more about this topic: Spanish Battleship Alfonso XIII
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