"This is Bermeo" a Bermeo Travel Page by zizu

The Basque Navy was one of the military units most singular and worse known about those who took part in the Civil war, 1936-39. It was created in October, 1936 to help to the Spanish Republican Navy in the protection of the maritime traffic and the fishing activity in own waters, and in order that it was supporting free of submarine mines the accesses to the Basque ports. The crews organized with voluntary personnel, proceeding from the sea-coasts merchant and fishing, substituting his scanty or void military formation with a high motivation.

'...The "Nabarra" fought against the "Canarias"" two more hours. It had received 190 impacts, and when his cannon of prow stayed out of combat it gave about-face and continued shooting with the cannon of stern. It was already seven o'clock when it launched his last missile. The first fires had been dominated, but others had arisen. The machines were destroyed and the ship was doing water. It was sinking. The cover was a sieve full of crafty and harmed irons. The chimney, a dough of scrap. This fishing boat of Terranova nevermore might furrow deep seas, nor fish cod, nor confront any more storms.

Of his crew of fifty two men, all less fourteen had fallen down. The captain and all the officials, except one, had died. Only he was remaining a machinist. The first gunners also had died. Fourteen survivors, between whom there were the operator of radio and the cabinboy, were situated seriously wounded.

The corpses were resting on cover, and some of them were burning still.

People who were seeing from the coast and undoubtedly from the "Canarias", were expecting to see some white flag arose on board of the "Nabarra", but the "Nabarra" never gave up itself. Already at night, the ship began to sink in the Ocean turned into an ardent torch that only the water had to extinguish. With great difficulty the fourteen lowered a destroyed llaunch and for the second time, staggering, they got into trying to gain the coast rowing. The "Nabarra" sank for the stern in the middle of flames of red vivacious color taking with it to the bottom the bodies of thirty eight brave sailors in a worthy funeral of a viking.'

George L. Steer, 'The tree of Gernika'