September 2012 - Costa Calida Chronicle

Spanish history in the Mediterranean as the
scene of many naval campaigns against the
Turks and Berbers. There were examples of
armaments used at this time – a crossbow,
various muskets (some 16 th Century), and
manacles. Elsewhere, photographs showed
the Cartagena Shipyards as they were
in the early and mid 20 th Century. As well
as numerous models of ships, including
destroyers and submarines, many built in
Cartagena, the museum had paintings on
display of boats and individuals from a wide
variety of eras which had some relationship
with Cartagena and its naval activity. Finally,
there was an exhibition related to naval
diving, which was not really surprising, as this
activity is headquartered in Cartagena.
Remains of Mazarron I
The Military Museum is situated in the
Plaza General López Pinto with the entrance
from Calle San Juan. When we visited it
in November 2011 it opened from Mon-Sat
(not holidays), between 10am-1.30pm and
entrance was free.
The museum has a grand collection of
historic guns and artillery pieces, most with
explanatory panels in both English and
Spanish. One of the larger guns from the
Cabo Tiñoso battery was on display, together
with the sobering information that a similar
gun had sunk the merchant ship Castillo de
Olite, near Escombreras, on the morning of
7 March 1939, producing the greatest naval
catastrophe in Spanish history with 1476
dead and 342 wounded. The ship had been
carrying troops just before the end of the Civil
War.
Exhibits inside the Military Museum
Across from the main entrance, was a
collection of shells and bullets of all shapes
and sizes and further artillery pieces. There
was even a radio-controlled plane which had
been used in the 1950’s by the Spanish army
for fi ring practice. For us, one recurring
theme as we walked around the museum was
evidence of the horrors of the Spanish Civil
War. Walking up the stairs to the museum’s
fi rst fl oor, there was a small sign which noted
that it was there that Chief of the Regiment
of Artillery in Cartagena, Colonel Gerardo
Elias Armentia Palacios, was shot dead by the
Republican 206 th Brigade as it assaulted the
building in March 1939.
Upstairs, there is a long gallery with many
side rooms. In one was a model showing
Cartagena and its bay with the various
gun batteries which were established during
the early 20 th Century. Photographs of the
batteries were in the next room. The central
passage itself contained detailed models of
guns in cases, as well as pictures of prominent
Spanish military fi gures around the walls. Also
to be seen on this fi rst fl oor was a collection of
regimental fl ags, models of tanks, planes and
military vehicles, and full sized rifl es, machine
guns and handguns by the score. Add to all
this a comprehensive collection of uniforms
and you will appreciate that if you have the
slightest interest in military history, there will
be something here to interest you!
Article by Clive and Rosie Palmer who have
written several guide books on towns and
regions in Murcia. These can be seen at, and
obtained from, www.lulu.com, or contact
clive.palmer5@btinternet.com. Clive
and Rosie’s most recent book, “Exploring
Murcia, Days Out” is now available to buy
from the CHM/Costa Cálida Chronicle offi ce
on Camposol B, Best Wishes (who also stock
other of their books), A Time 4 A Change in El
Algar or phone Patti on 986 433 978.
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