Falmouth during the Spanish Civil War with General Franco

The war fought between 1936 and 1939 was between the Nationalists under General Franco and the Republicans.

The BP tanker British Corporal, having been bombed and machine gunned by aircraft, put into Falmouth in mid August 1937. Two local men onboard described their experience.

"We were just about scared stiff," said Stephen Walsh, donkey-man, of New Street, Falmouth, who was carrying splinters of bombs which he had picked up from the deck and had kept as souvenirs.

"The watching was the worst part of it. Each time the 'planes came over they dropped bombs and then opened fire. We had an ensign spread out on the deck and another was flying at the masthead at the time. l am still amazed how we survived without getting any casualties."

Ivor Campion, of Langton Road, said: "Except for the watch, all hands were asleep when the first bomb fell. It was a quarter to six, and we were 30 miles off Algiers.

The bomb landed about yards on the port bow. "When we ran on deck we saw three three-engined monoplanes with white tailpieces marked with a blue cross circling over the ship. Everyone ran aft, and the skipper ordered us to the boats.

"Just as we got them the machines returned and swept the ship from stem to stern with machine-gun fire. The air was thick with bullets, and we had to run for shelter between decks."

The tanker was followed by the damaged British ship Hilda Moller, which came into port having experienced four months of running the blockade of Spanish ports where she came under attack from the air and ship bombardment. The ship reached Falmouth with officers using a pocket compass to steer by as her main compass was out of action.

Hilda Moller, the British tanker Stanbridge, along with the Spanish destroyer Jose Luiz Diez, were in Gijon when they came under attack by heavy aerial bombardment. Badly damaged with a gaping hole in her starboard side and her bridge damaged, the Stanbridge came to Falmouth for drydocking.

The tanker was followed by the Spanish Republican destroyer Jose Luis Diez, also badly damaged in Gijon. The naval vessel loaded with refugees left Spain for France then came to Falmouth to seek shelter and repairs.

n The Jose Luis Diez, the Spanish destroyer which landed in Falmouth causing a mass desertion

The Spanish destroyer’s unexpected arrival in Falmouth caused a diplomatic incident with this country’s non-intervention policy in the Spanish War.

Two weeks into the destroyer’s stay at the docks 60 crew members deserted but were stopped from entering the town by police drafted in from other Cornish towns.

"In the days that followed the 60 men who refused to sail on the ship were marched under a heavy police escort from the docks to the British Sailors’ Society Seamen’s Bethel in Lower Quay Street where they remained under guard until the following day when they were sent to Exeter Prison.

"Three Western National buses parked on the Town Quay in front of the harbour office and Chain Locker pub, took the men to Exeter prison.

The Spanish sailors said they would do anything rather than go back to the ship as they feared a submarine was off Falmouth ready to sink their ship. Rumours spread throughout the town with the situation escalating when two Italian salvage vessels were seen off the port.

One contemporary newspaper reported: “The arrival vicinity off the port of two Italian salvage vessels Arpione and Raffio has given rise to further unfounded rumour. It stated that the craft are endeavouring to locate a vessel sunk off the Manacles but local contention is that they have been operating several miles from the spot where the ship disappeared.

"This has given rise to the statement that the ships may be provision carriers for the supposed Spanish rebel submarine seen off the coast.

"There is, however no substantiation of the allegations that any submarine other than of British nationality has been seen: and yesterday because of weather the two Italian vessels ceased operations temporarily and anchored in the sheltered Helford River, while members of the crews came ashore in a longboat and picked winkles at Durgan!”

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During 1938 the Raffio found the wreck of the cargo ship Cap Finisterre off the Manacles, from which she recovered a large part of the ship’s cargo of steel ingots.

Many of the Spanish sailors from the destroyer remained at the prison until October and November 1937 when they were eventually taken to Southampton to be deported to France. All the men said they had been treated very well by the British authorities.

The Jose Luis Diez left the docks under tow of the tugs Lynch and Norgrove for St Just Pool, where before sailing, she loaded her ammunition, which had been discharged into two barges before she docked. In a battle off Gibraltar in late 1938 the destroyer was badly damaged and beached. Eventually salvaged the destroyer was finally decommissioned in 1965.