Clock from the Central Market, Alicante

This is the clock from Alicante’s Central Market which stopped at 11:20 on 25 May 1938, when Italian planes bombed the city. The eight or nine Savoia 79s had set out from Son Sant Joan (Mallorca).  By taking the unusual step of starting their bombing run inland, flying towards the sea, and then back inland, they evaded the primitive sound detectors that were part of the city’s defences.

The planes belonging to the 10th and 19th squadrons commanded by Captains Tullio Prato and Prieto Zugiotti of Group 28 of the Stormo de Bombardamento Veloce. They had taken off at 8:10 intending to bomb the port, but weather or some other circumstance led to the change in route and target. The aerial photographs that Italian naval vessels habitually took of these attacks do not include any showing the bombing of civilian targets.

Alicante was a city in the reaguard that was a frequent victim of aerial bombardments, which killed 490 people during the Civil War. The final one took place on 28 March 1939, only a few days before the end of the conflict. These attacks were most intensive in May and June 1938, coinciding with the rebel offensive against Valencia that spring and summer.    

The bombing of the Central Market left 273 dead and 224 wounded. The clock stopped at 11:20 which, according to the local Civil Defence Committee, was the time the attack took place. The planes dropped 56 100 kilogram bombs and 20 15 kilogram incendiary bombs, some of which hit the market. The clock is exhibited in the Market, and a memorial in the square in front recalls these sad events.