An item referred to the foreign magazine Proc. dated July 1938 reporting that Italy sold to the nationalists (1) in Spain the destroyers Aquila, Falco (renamed in Spanish service respectively Velasco Ceuta and Velasco Melila) and Alessandro Poerio and Guilliemo Pepe and the submarines Mola and Sanjurio.(2)
Notes
1. At that moment was the civil war in Spain (17 July 1936-1 April 1939) still going on. The Spanish nationalists were lead by general Francisco Franco and other generals (nationals) were supported by Germany, Italy and Portugal.
2. Conway’s All the world’s Fighting Ships 1922-1946 gives as Spanish names respectively Melilla, Ceuta, Huesca and Ternel/Reruel. They were all stricken between 1947 and 1950. There were several Italian submarines handed over to Spain although just two remained in Spanish service, the others were soon given back, In April 1937 were the Italian Evangelista Torricelli and Archimedes handed over which stayed in Spanish service until 1959 as the General Mola and the General Sanjurjo.
