Cabo San Tome details

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Spearfish
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Joined: 30 Aug 2009 09:35

Cabo San Tome details

Post by Spearfish » 20 Feb 2022 09:39

On October 12 1937 the armed merchantman Sabo San Tome was lost after an engagement with Nationalist gunboats off Cape Rosas while bringing in war material from Odessa.
Can anyone provide details of her armament (I am uncertain whether or not it was identical to her sister ship the Cabo San Agustin) and, more importantly, exactly what cargo she was carrying? It does not appear to be listed in Howson's Arms for Spain

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Ironmachine
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Location: Spain

Re: Cabo San Tome details

Post by Ironmachine » 21 Feb 2022 09:54

First, the name of the ship was Cabo Santo Tomé, not Cabo San Tomé.

She was armed in the Soviet Union with 4 x 75mm guns (unknown model) and 4 x 45 mm/46 21-K guns plus some machine-guns. She also carried some depth charges.
Despite frequent claims that the ship also carried a pair of 152,4mm guns, the official documents clearly state that the only guns onboard were the eight I mentioned.

As for the cargo, there is a list in the Enciclopedia de la aviación militar española (Editorial Quirón) that says the ship carried 1,200 metric tons of foodstuffs, 1,500 of flour, 50 of medical supplies, 2,100 of small arms and light weapons, 500 of munitions, 6 planes, 50 tanks and 75 guns, However, that information is unsourced and the article also has some clear mistakes (for example, it claims that the Cabo Santo Tomé was armed with 105mm guns, which she wasn't), so I'm not sure how much you can trust the reliability of that "cargo manifest".

Regards.

Spearfish
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Posts: 246
Joined: 30 Aug 2009 09:35

Re: Cabo San Tome details

Post by Spearfish » 21 Feb 2022 18:07

Ironmachine
Very many thanks for your response and the information.
Also apologies for getting the name of the ship wrong.

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