The Spanish Civil War broke out on July 18, 1936, and General Franco's Nationalist Forces quickly seized control of the sea around the country. All trade with the Republic was subjected to a blockade, and vessels of many nations undertook the perilous task of carrying cargo to and from this zone. Many ships were attacked, seized, captured and confiscated. A considerable number were sunk by aircraft bombing, warship shellfire and submarine torpedoes. Throughout the conflict many British ships were involved. When the war ended on April 1, 1939, countless merchant ships had been sunk, including 27 British. This book tells the story of how the economy of the Republic was maintained, and how munitions were transported to the region.