Diputación Foral de Guipúzcoa
Gipuzkoakultura
October 5, 2024

The Auxiliary Navy of the Basque Country
(1936-39)

Naval records of MISTRAL / GIPUZKOA

Ship
MISTRAL / GIPUZKOA MISTRAL / GIPUZKOA MISTRAL / GIPUZKOA MISTRAL / GIPUZKOA
Class
Armed Trawlers
Commanders
  • Com. Manuel Galdos Uzcanga (Oct.36-Jun.37)
  • 1st Of. Eugenio Martinez Anthonissen (Jun.37)
  • Com. Policarpo Bilbao (Jun.37-Aug.37)
  • TN Andrés Corsino de Tuya (Aug.37-Nov.37)
  • TN Antonio Fernández Santos (Nov.37-Jan.38)
  • CC Francisco Miranda Díaz (Jan.38-Nov.38)
Career
Trawler Mistral seized in Oct-36 by the Basque Government and entered service the same month. Renamed Gipuzkoa in Dec-36. Heavily damaged by gunfire of the cruiser Canarias off Bilbao on 5-Mar-37 (5 dead). Repaired, received a lightly armored conning tower. Taken over by the Republican Navy in Santoña on 5-Aug-37. Fled to Bordeaux on 28-Aug-37. Transformed into raider (corsair ship) in 1938, but French authorities didn’t let her to leave. Seized under French Court orders in 1938. Returned to her owners in 1939.
Characteristics of the ship
Built GRT Length Beam Draught Depth Knots Crew
1929 1.252 64’00 10’50 5’83 5’85 11 42-55
 
 
Armament
Oct/36: 1-101’6mm(4”)/50 Vickers; 1-76’2mm(3”)/50 Vickers; 2 machine guns-8mm Steyr
Feb/37: 2-101’6mm(4”)/50 Vickers; 2 machine guns-8mm Steyr; 1 machine gun-9mm Hotchkiss
Jul/37: 2 machine guns-8mm Steyr
Mar/38: 2-101’6mm(4”)/50 Vickers; 2-47mm/50 Vickers; 2 machine guns-8mm Steyr

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