▁had ▁taken ▁over ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁ships ▁were ▁not ▁able ▁to ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁high ▁coord ination ▁that ▁was ▁required ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁Later ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁Republican ▁Def ence ▁Minister ▁Ind ale cio ▁Pri eto ▁terminated ▁the ▁Com ités ▁de ▁Bu que ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁his ▁swe eping ▁re organ ization ▁of ▁the ▁Republican ▁Ar med ▁Forces . ▁ ▁The ▁Third ▁Reich ▁and ▁Italian ▁F asc ist ▁military ▁provided ▁decis ive ▁support ▁for ▁General ▁Franco ' s ▁fraction ▁of ▁the ▁army , ▁so ▁that ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Republican ▁Navy ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁block ade ▁of ▁the ▁Stra it ▁of ▁Gib ral tar . ▁Thus , ▁on ▁ 5 ▁August ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁the ▁so - called ▁Con voy ▁de ▁la ▁vict oria ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁bring ▁at ▁least ▁ 2 , 5 0 0 ▁men ▁of ▁the ▁Army ▁of ▁Africa ▁from ▁Spanish ▁Mor oc co ▁to ▁Pen ins ular ▁Spain ▁breaking ▁the ▁republic an ▁block ade . ▁From ▁August ▁ 6 ▁re bel ▁transport ▁ships ▁crossed ▁the ▁Stra it ▁of ▁Gib ral tar , ▁with ▁the ▁cover ▁of ▁Italian ▁bom bers ▁and ▁republic an ▁ ▁Al cal á ▁Gal iano ▁was ▁attacked ▁and ▁hit ▁by ▁F asc ist ▁aircraft ▁while ▁ste aming ▁back ▁to ▁M ál aga . ▁Pro - Fran co ▁sources ▁claim ▁that ▁she ▁suffered ▁ 1 8 ▁se amen ▁killed ▁and ▁ 2 8 ▁wounded . ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 7 , ▁the ▁ ▁and ▁the ▁cru iser ▁Libert