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Spanish destroyer Teruel

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Spanish destroyer Teruel, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 29 November 202513 sources
Guglielmo Pepe
Company typeScout cruiser, later reclassified as destroyer
IndustryNaval military vessel
Founded2 July 1913
Headquarters
Venice
,
Italy
ProductsNaval warship

Overview

Guglielmo Pepe was an Italian scout cruiser belonging to the Alessandro Poerio class. She entered service with the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy) in 1915 and actively participated in World War I, particularly in the Adriatic campaign, where she frequently supported operations involving Italian motor torpedo boats. Due to her relatively light displacement, she was reclassified as a destroyer in 1921. Alongside her sister ships, Alessandro Poerio and Cesare Rossarol, she was named to honor a distinguished Neapolitan cavalry officer renowned for his role in defending Venice against the Imperial Austrian Army during the revolutionary uprisings of 1848.

In October 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, Fascist Italy transferred ownership of the vessel to the Spanish Nationalist forces. Renamed Teruel after the eastern Spanish city, she continued serving within the Spanish Navy until being officially removed from the naval register in 1948.

Design

The Italian light scout cruiser Guglielmo Pepe (Italian: esploratore leggero) measured approximately 85 m (278 ft 10 in) in length and had a beam of about 8 m (26 ft 3 in). Propulsion was provided by three Yarrow three-drum water-tube boilers, which supplied steam to two sets of Belluzzo steam turbines rated at 24,000 hp (17,897 kW). The ship featured two three-blade propellers. With a fuel storage capacity of 325 tons, she could cover a distance of around 2,400 nautical miles (4,400 km; 2,800 mi) cruising at 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph). Notably, Guglielmo Pepe was capable of launching torpedoes while maintaining speeds exceeding 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph).[1] Her standard displacement was 891 tons, increasing to 1,270 tons when fully loaded.[2]

Initial blueprints specified an armament consisting of four 102/35 mm guns and eight 450-millimetre (17.7 in) torpedo tubes,[3] but these plans were modified during construction. Upon commissioning, she was equipped with six 102/35-millimetre guns, four 450-millimetre (17.7 in) torpedo tubes, and had the capacity to carry 42 mines for minelaying operations. This armament made her comparable to the Austro-Hungarian Novara-class scout cruisers.[2] In 1916, she received two 76/40 mm Mod 16 RM guns;[3][4] these were replaced in 1917 by two 40/39 mm guns.[3][4] A further upgrade in 1918 saw the installation of 102/45 mm guns.[2][3][4]

Construction and commissioning

Guglielmo Pepe was laid down on 2 July 1913 by Gio. Ansaldo & C. at their shipyard in Sestri Ponente, Italy. She was launched on 17 September 1914 and officially commissioned into service on 20 August 1915.

1915–1916

When Guglielmo Pepe entered active service in August 1915, World War I was ongoing. By 30 December 1915, she had been assigned to the 2nd Scouting Group within the 4th Naval Division alongside her sister ships Alessandro Poerio and Cesare Rossarol, with their base located at Venice.[3]

On 3 May 1916, Guglielmo Pepe and Cesare Rossarol set out accompanied by the destroyers Francesco Nullo and Giuseppe Missori, tasked with providing distant support to the destroyers Fuciliere and Zeffiro, which were engaged in laying a minefield[5] off Šibenik, known in Italian as Sebenico, along the Austro-Hungarian Adriatic coast.[3][5] Near Punta Maestra, this Italian formation encountered four Austro-Hungarian Huszár-class destroyers and six torpedo boats belonging to Austria-Hungary and initiated an attack.[3][5] The enemy vessels retreated toward their naval base at Pula, pursued by the Italians. During this engagement, three Austro-Hungarian seaplanes launched an attack on the Italian squadron, which managed to repel them. However, at approximately 15:50, an Austro-Hungarian cruiser accompanied by two torpedo boats left Pola to reinforce their forces, prompting the Italians to cease pursuit and withdraw.[6] Meanwhile, Fuciliere and Zeffiro successfully completed the minefield deployment during the night of 3–4 May.[7]

On 11 May 1916, Guglielmo Pepe together with Cesare Rossarol laid mines off the coast of Ancona, Italy.[3]

During an operation on 12 June 1916 at dawn, the destroyer Zeffiro, commanded by Capitano di fregata (Frigate captain) Costanzo Ciano, entered the port of Poreč on Istria’s western shore under escort from Guglielmo Pepe, Cesare Rossarol, destroyers Alpino and Fuciliere, as well as coastal torpedo boats 40 PN and 46 OS.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Lieutenant Nazario Sauro, an Italian irredentist serving as pilot aboard Zeffiro, participated in this mission.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Members from Zeffiro, including Sauro, captured a local gendarme who revealed the location of an aircraft hangar. Subsequently, at around 04:50, joined by supporting vessels including Alpino, Fuciliere, 40 PN, and 46 OS, they commenced a bombardment lasting approximately twenty minutes.[8] The hangar sustained damage from hits by 76 millimetres (3.0 in) shells fired by the Italian ships. Austro-Hungarian coastal artillery responded with counterfire before ten Austro-Hungarian seaplanes launched an aerial assault against the Italians. Allied aircraft intervened, resulting in a dogfight where two Italian and one French aircraft collided with enemy seaplanes. Despite suffering damage and casualties—including four fatalities—all Italian vessels returned safely to base.[8]

Between 1 and 2 November 1916, preparations were underway involving Guglielmo Pepe, Alessandro Poerio, and destroyers Francesco Nullo and Giuseppe Missori to potentially support an incursion by MAS motor torpedo boats into the Fasana Channel along Istria’s southwestern coast.[9]

1917–1918

During the night spanning 25 to 26 August 1917, the vessels Guglielmo Pepe and Cesare Rossarol escorted the coastal torpedo boats 34 PN, which was towing the motor torpedo boat MAS 6, and 35 PN, towing MAS 91. The two MAS boats released their towlines near the harbor at Durrës (referred to by Italians as Durazzo), located on the coast of the Principality of Albania, intending to strike steamers anchored there. However, upon arrival, the MAS boats discovered no steamers present and withdrew without achieving their objective.

On 18 October 1917, an Austro-Hungarian naval squadron comprising the scout cruiser Helgoland alongside destroyers Balaton, Csepel, Lika, Orjen, Tatra, and Triglav departed from Cattaro with the mission to intercept Italian convoys. Failing to locate any convoys, Helgoland and Lika advanced close to Brindisi, aiming to provoke Italian forces into pursuit and thereby lure them into a submarine ambush set by Austro-Hungarian submarines U-32 and U-40. At 06:30 on 19 October 1917, Guglielmo Pepe, carrying Counter Admiral Biscaretti, departed Brindisi accompanied by Alessandro Poerio and destroyers Pilade Bronzetti, Insidioso, and Simone Schiaffino in pursuit of the Austro-Hungarian squadron. Additionally, destroyers Ippolito Nievo and Rosolino Pilo together with the British light cruiser HMS Weymouth diverted from their voyage between Vlorë (Valona) and Brindisi to assist in the chase. Despite a prolonged pursuit that included Italian aerial assaults on the enemy ships, the Austro-Hungarian force managed to evade capture, with all Italian vessels returning safely to port.

The ships Guglielmo Pepe, Cesare Rossarol, Ippolito Nievo, and the destroyer Indomito were tasked with supporting a raid planned for the night of 10–11 February 1918 against Durrës. This operation involved motor torpedo boats MAS 9 and MAS 20, which were towed by coastal torpedo boats 37 PN and 38 PN. However, adverse weather conditions led to the cancellation of this mission.

At 23:54 on 14 May 1918, Ippolito Nievo, towing MAS 99, along with Pilade Bronzetti, towing MAS 100, released their towlines approximately 15 nautical miles from Bar (known in Italian as Antivari) on Montenegro’s coast. The two MAS units launched an unsuccessful attack on Bar before regrouping with their respective destroyers. This operation was supported by Guglielmo Pepe and Cesare Rossarol, with all vessels returning to Brindisi by 09:00 on 15 May.

On 2 October 1918, a naval group including Guglielmo Pepe, Alessandro Poerio, Cesare Rossarol, Ippolito Nievo, and Simone Schiaffino sailed alongside the battleship Dante Alighieri and scout cruiser Carlo Alberto Racchia. Their objective was to provide distant cover for a British-Italian bombardment of Durrës. The primary role of this task force was to guard against any potential counterattacks from Austro-Hungarian warships stationed at Cattaro.

By late October 1918, Austria-Hungary was effectively collapsing. The Armistice of Villa Giusti, signed on 3 November and effective from 4 November 1918, ended hostilities between Austria-Hungary and the Allies of World War I. Subsequently, on 10 November, Guglielmo Pepe and Cesare Rossarol transported Italian infantry reinforcements to Pola to bolster Italian forces already occupying the city. The conclusion of World War I followed shortly after with an armistice between the Allies and the German Empire on 11 November. Later that month, on 27 November 1918, Guglielmo Pepe took control of Rab Island off Dalmatia’s coast.

Post-World War I

In 1921, the vessel Guglielmo Pepe was redesignated as a destroyer. It undertook multiple voyages and participated in diplomatic missions across the Aegean Sea and Black Sea. The city of La Spezia honored Guglielmo Pepe in 1922 by awarding it battle ensigns, alongside the scout cruiser Falco, the destroyer Angelo Bassini, and the torpedo boat Premuda.

In 1936, Guglielmo Pepe received minor maintenance and repair work. Amid the Spanish Civil War, the Spanish Nationalist faction sought to acquire destroyers and initiated negotiations with Fascist Italy to purchase ships from the Regia Marina. However, the Nationalists considered Italy's asking price excessive due to the aging condition of these destroyers nearing the end of their operational lifespan. Furthermore, Benito Mussolini, then Italian Prime Minister, insisted on payment in foreign currency and cash. Despite these challenges, after protracted and complex discussions, the Nationalists consented to buy both Alessandro Poerio and Guglielmo Pepe for just over five million pesetas each.

Spanish commanding officers traveled to an Italian shipyard to assume control of the vessels. Meanwhile, their crews departed from Spain aboard two separate merchant ships on 7 October 1937, arriving at Porto Conte, a coastal bay in Sardinia, on 9 October to rendezvous with the ships. The transfer of ownership from Italy to the Spanish Nationalists was formally completed on 24 October 1937.

By 1937, both Guglielmo Pepe and Alessandro Poerio were considered outdated, with worn propulsion systems and armaments deemed insufficient by Spanish standards. They underwent significant reconstruction at an Italian shipyard, which included lengthening their hulls by approximately 1 meter, reducing their draft to about 2.8 meters, and replacing original boilers with five Yarrow boilers. Armament changes involved installing a single 102-millimeter gun, removing both 40-millimeter guns, and adding two 37-millimeter plus two 20-millimeter guns. These modifications reduced their standard displacement to 845 tons and full-load displacement to 911 tons; their top speed decreased to around 31 knots while crew size increased to approximately 130 personnel per ship. Upon completion of these upgrades, the Italians handed over the vessels to Spanish crews in Sardinia in November 1937, although Guglielmo Pepe was not officially removed from the Regia Marina′s naval register until 5 January 1939.

Spanish Civil War

The vessel was renamed Teruel by the Spanish Nationalists.[10][11][12] Crewed by Spaniards, she set sail from Sardinia on 29 November 1937 alongside Huesca (formerly Alessandro Poerio), heading toward Palma de Mallorca in the Balearic Islands.[11][13] During this journey, Huesca experienced engine failure, requiring Teruel to tow her for the remainder of the trip to Palma de Mallorca.[13] Upon reaching port, Teruel joined the Nationalist destroyer flotilla stationed there, which also included Huesca, Ceuta (previously the Italian cruiser Falco), Melilla (formerly the Italian cruiser Aquila), and Velasco.[11] This flotilla was tasked with convoy escort missions, support for land forces, disrupting merchant shipping of the Spanish Republican faction, and conducting antisubmarine patrols. Command of the flotilla was assumed on 5 December 1937 by Capitán de fragata (Frigate Captain) Francisco Regalado Rodríguez, who would later become an admiral and Minister of the Navy.[11]

Teruel embarked on her initial sortie from Palma de Mallorca on 14 December 1938 but was forced to return due to mechanical issues.[11] On 22 February 1938 in the afternoon, she accompanied Melilla and Velasco in escorting the merchant vessel Pasajes, which was traveling between Formentera and Mallorca within the Balearic Islands.[11]

On 5 March 1938, a combined force including Teruel, Huesca, Velasco, and the gunboats Canalejas and Cánovas del Castillo provided escort for the merchant ships Umbe Mendi and Aizkorri Mendi, en route from Italy to Cádiz.[11][13] Later that day at 17:30, they met a cruiser division that had departed Palma de Mallorca south of Ibiza to take over escort duties.[11] Subsequently, the gunboats returned to Ibiza while the destroyers headed back to Palma de Mallorca.[11] Consequently, these vessels missed participating in the Battle of Cape Palos, where a Spanish Republican Navy squadron sank the cruiser Baleares during the night of 5–6 March.[11]

On 14 March 1938, Teruel left Palma de Mallorca intending to escort a convoy but encountered mechanical failure that necessitated her return to port under escort by Huesca.[11] Following repairs, she conducted several antisubmarine patrols in nearby waters throughout April 1938.[11]

While sailing as part of a flotilla on 24 May 1938, Teruel unintentionally collided with Huesca during nighttime operations.[11][13] The collision resulted in severe damage to Teruel′s bow and significant harm to the stern of Huesca.[11][13] Both vessels returned to Palma de Mallorca,[11][13] with Teruel arriving on 25 May.[11] After receiving emergency repairs, they departed Palma de Mallorca on 14 June 1938 bound for Cádiz where permanent repairs were undertaken.[11][13]

Once repaired, Teruel resumed operations based out of Palma de Mallorca. On 3 November 1938, she set out with a Nationalist squadron toward the Strait of Gibraltar, but a significant mechanical malfunction forced her diversion to Ceuta on North Africa’s coast, escorted by the light cruiser Navarra.[11] After undergoing further repairs there, she returned to Palma de Mallorca on 11 November 1938.[11]

During December 1938 and January 1939, Teruel patrolled along Catalonia’s coastline aiming to intercept merchant vessels destined for Republican ports.[11] On 9 February 1939, alongside Huesca, she participated in a sortie supporting an uprising by Ciutadella de Menorca’s garrison against the Republican government on Menorca in the Balearic Islands,[11][13] transporting troops who secured Menorca for Nationalist Spain. By 12 February, Teruel, together with Ceuta and Huesca, entered Mahón.[11] Patrol operations off Catalonia resumed later that month.[11] She also took part in a naval review held at Salou on 22 February before proceeding to Cádiz for maintenance.

Repairs completed in early March 1939 allowed Teruel to operate near Cartagena. The Spanish Civil War concluded on 1 April 1939 with Nationalist victory. Among her notable wartime accomplishments were seizing the Soviet steamer Zyrianin and capturing the American tanker Nantucket Chief, which Nationalists subsequently handed over to international authorities at Gibraltar.

Subsequent Service

Following the conclusion of the Spanish Civil War, Teruel was integrated into the postwar Spanish Navy. Throughout the conflict, she had demonstrated mechanical deficiencies, and consequently, no efforts were made by the Spanish Navy to modernize her systems after the war.[11] Stationed at Mahón, her role was limited to serving as an auxiliary vessel and a training ship.[11] On the morning of 22 October 1940, Teruel, along with Huesca and the destroyer Churruca, arrived in Barcelona transporting 100 cadets from the Naval School located in San Fernando on a training cruise that included multiple port visits.[11] Later, on 30 June 1941, Teruel departed from Cádiz carrying the Spanish High Commissioner in Morocco and his family, heading towards Ceuta and Tetouan along the North African coastline.[11]

The ship was officially decommissioned on 24 January 1948[11] and was removed from the naval registry on 17 August 1948. Afterward, she was dismantled and scrapped.

  1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named GreatestDives
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Wreck Site
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Mondo Sommerso
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named navypedia
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Favre.
  6. ↑ [1]
  7. ↑ [1]
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Giorgerini
  9. ↑ [1]
  10. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Marina Militare
  11. ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13 11.14 11.15 11.16 11.17 11.18 11.19 11.20 11.21 11.22 11.23 11.24 11.25 11.26 11.27 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named todoavanteteruel1937
  12. ↑ Buques de la Guerra Civil Española (1936–1939) – Destructores (in Spanish).
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named todoavantehuesca1937

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