The Spanish merchant navy’s covert involvement in the Second World War: the case of the Aline

Abstract

This article is an investigation into a potential connection between the ship Aline and other types of activity related to logistics or warfare during the second world war, based on research derived from both physical artifacts (found aboard) and personal histories (from crew members), and secondary source materials. The author's own experiences as a member of the crew of the ship in 2000 served as the basis for collecting both physical objects associated with German symbols, and testimony from previous crew members about whether or not the ship had been used militarily. In order to provide context for the hypothesis presented here, the article presents an overview of Spain's participation in World War II through the merchant marine service, specifically through secret operations and front companies, and provides logistical support for Nazi Germany. Following this section is an examination of the history of the Aline, which includes multiple name changes, different owners, entries in Lloyd's Register, and technical specifications, such as the possibility of having installed engines manufactured by MWM, which have associations with German wartime technologies. The results of these examinations indicate that there was an indirect and covert level of Spanish merchant shipping involved in World War II, however it does not provide conclusive proof of the Aline's role in military action. As such, the authors conclude that the case they present serves as a major area of ongoing research into history; although it is limited due to insufficient documentation at the time, and also because there are missing records from that time.