IRN Ferrol (GS-1917 (1932-mod))
These very handy ships started out life as Royal Navy Monitors armed with a single 9.2" gun. These guns were removed from the old armoured cruisers (Cressy, Drake classes) being replaced in service by the modern cruisers of the C, D and Frobisher classes. The hulls used for these ships was the same as the Arabis type escorts. In Iberian service the ships were described as Barco de la Garda, Guardships. Their duties were much like the other miscelaneous type ships, coast defence, training ships, and any other duty they may have been given. By 1939-40 the four ships had been reduced to Guardships and operated out of the port of their name. The ships were still seaworthy and went to sea reguarly as part of their training ship duties.
As received from the Royal Navy the ships had been armed with a single 6" on the quarterdeck (Y), a single 4" on the poop deck in (X) position, two 4" abreast the funnel, two 47mm (2pd) in the bridge wings and the 9.2" turret forward of the bridge. For ships of their size they were heavily armed. The four ships were taken in hand 1930-31 for a complete refit to upgrade the minor weaponry to then modern standards. Once the license to build the long range 9.2" had been sourced, these ships had their old gun replaced with the modern weapon. 20mm AA guns were added in the late 1930's.
| Displacement | 1,800 tons std, 2,250 tons full load |
| Length | 260 ft |
| Breadth | 36.5 ft |
| Draught | 13 ft |
| Machinery | 2 shaft geared turbines, 5,000shp |
| Speed | 20 knots |
| Range | 3500 at 12 knots |
| Armour | 2" deck |
| Armament | As 1932 mod 1 x 9.2" (1x1) 3 x 4" (3x1) 4 x 2pd (1x4) 6 x 20mm (2x2 2x1) |
| Complement | 90 |
| Notes | IRN
Ferrol IRN Cadiz IRN Vigo IRN Cartagena |
Original bridge layout before modernisation.