ENRIQUE MORENO PLAZA (La Unión, 1906-1937)
Enrique Moreno was captain of the Merchant Navy and a member of the Barcelona Nautical Group. He studied in Cartagena. He worked as a pilot on the cod fishing boats belonging to PYSBE, when they were fishing in Newfoundland and the Artic. He qualified as a master mariner in 1933. When the war broke out, he was first office on the cod fishing boat Hispania. In October, he was appointed captain of the armed Bou trawler Vendaval, which was rechristened Nabarra in December. He was involved on numerous escort and fisheries protection services on this vessel. He also took part in the seizing of the Pluto and Palos (20 and 23-12-36) and fought with the Velasco (8-1-37) and thus avoided Bilbao being mined. When protecting the merchant ship Galdames, the Nabarra clashed with the cruiser Canarias for several hours until it was sunk (5-3-37). Enrique Moreno preferred to go down with his vessel rather than surrender. As a small tribute, one of the Basque Navy motor launches was christened in 1937 as Comandante Moreno.
