Drawing made by G.J. Frans Naerebout and published in Op de Lange Deining written by G.A.J. Bovens
Almirante Cervera
An item reported that the British battle cruiser HMS Hood (1) in the afternoon the day before arrived off Bilbao, Spain.(2) The Hood was flagship of a vice admiral and who was to command the British naval force in the Spanish waters.
Notes
1. Nicknamed Mighty Hood. Pennant 51. Her building at the shipyard of John Brown&Company was ordered on 7 April 1916, laid down on 1 September, launched on 22 August 1918, commissioned on 15 May 1920 as world largest warship, sunk on 24 May 1941 during her battle with the German battleship Bismarck. The only one of the four projected Admiral class battle cruisers caused by an insufficient design despite the modifications after the Battle of Jutland (31 May-1 June 1916). During this battle England lost battle cruisers due to the weakness of their armour. Building costs 6.025.000 pond sterling. Main armament 4x2-38,1cm.15” guns.
2. At that moment was the Spanish Civil War (17 July 1936-1 April 1939) still going on. The Spanish light cruiser Almirante Cervera (1923-1966, main armament 3x2 and 2x1-15,2cm/6” guns of the Nationalists threatened to capture or sink each Spanish or foreign ships entering the waters of Biscay. The government at Bayonne, France reported that an unknown British cargo ship was captured by the Almirante Cervera. The Dutch government protected her merchant shipping by sending warships like the coastal defence ship Hr. Ms. Hertog Hendrik (originally 2x24cm/9.4” and 4-15cm/6” guns) and the light cruiser Hr. Ms. Java 10-15cm/6”guns) to escort her merchant ships in convoys.
