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1.
ITALIAN FLAG OFFICERS AND POSTS 1915-1918
Minister
of Marine
Vice Admiral Leone
Viale
30.09.15-Vice Admiral Camillo Corsi [& CNS 10.15-2.17] 00.06.17-Vice Admiral Arturo Triangi de Maderno 00.07.17-Vice Admiral Alberto del Bono Chief of the Naval Staff 00.04.13-Vice Admiral
Paolo Thaon di Revel
00.10.15-Vice Admiral Camillo Corsi 04.02.17-Admiral Paolo Thaon di Revel Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff 00.10.15-Vice Admiral
Emanuele Cutinella-Rendina
Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff 00.00.00-Rear
Admiral Pini
00.00.16-Rear Admiral Paolo Marzolo 00.03.17-Rear Admiral Arturo Triangi de Maderno 00.06.17-Rear Admiral Marchese Lorenzo Cosani Visconti [& acting CinC 3.18-] 00.03.18-Rear Admiral Arturo Triangi de Maderno Inspector-General 2.17-Admiral HRH Luigi
di Savoia, Duke of Abruzzi
1st Naval District, La Spezia 00.00.00-Vice Admiral
Carelli
00.00.15-Vice Admiral Alberto del Bono 00.00.16-Vice Admiral Prince Luigi de Filomarino 00.02.17-Vice Admiral Umberto Cagni 2nd Naval District, Naples 00.00.00-Vice Admiral
Cattolica
00.00.16-Vice Admiral Ernesto Presbitero 00.05.17-Vice Admiral Enrico Millo Taranto 1915- 00.05.15-Vice Admiral
Vittorio Cerri [acting CinC
1.17-3.18]
00.03.18-Vice Admiral Alfredo Acton 3rd Naval District, Venice 00.05.15-Vice Admiral
Emanuelle Cutinelli-Rendina
00.10.15-Vice Admiral Paolo Thaon di Revel 00.02.17-Vice Admiral Prince Luigi di Filomarini 00.00.18-Vice Admiral Paolo Marzolo Fleet Commander & 1st Allied Squadron 00.08.14-Vice Admiral
HRH Luigi di Savoia, Duke of Abruzzi
04.02.17-Admiral Paolo Thaon di Revel Chief of Staff, Fleet 00.00.00-Rear Admiral
Prince Luigi de Filomarino
00.00.15-Rear Admiral Lorenzo 00.00.17-Rear Admiral Morino 1st Squadron - later Combined Battle Squadron 00.00.00-Rear Admiral
Camillo Corsi
00.09.15- 00.00.17-Vice Admiral Camillo Corsi 00.03.18-Rear Admiral Ernesto Solari 2nd Squadron 00.00.00-Rear Admiral
Emanuelle Cutinelli-Rendina
00.05.15-Vice Admiral Ernesto Presbitero 00.00.17-Rear Admiral Giuseppe Mortole 3rd Squadron 00.00.00-Rear Admiral
Prince Luigi de Filomarino
00.05.15-Rear Admiral Baron Ernesto Rubin de Cervin - lost on Benedetto Brin 27.9.15 00.10.15- by 11.18-Rear Admiral Oswaldo Paladini 4th Squadron 00.00.00-Rear Admiral
Umberto Cagni -2.17?
by 11.18-Rear Admiral Vittorio Mola [& Southern Adriatic] 5th Squadron 00.00.00-Rear Admiral
Eugenio Trifari - lost on Garibaldi
18.7.15
Scouting Squadron 00.10.15-Rear Admiral
Giovanni Patris [ex Venice 5.15]
00.11.15-Rear Admiral Bellini 00.05.16-Rear Admiral Pini 00.09.16-Rear Admiral Alfredo Acton-3.18 Albania by 11.18-Rear Admiral
Pio Bodini
WARSHIPS,
1915-1918
This listing of the ships and submarines of the Italian Navy 1915-1918 presents each class in two different ways. Ships are listed by class in chronological order of entry into service. Then they are listed in distribution lists for specific dates throughout the years of conflict. DREADNOUGHT' BATTLESHIPS
In May 1915, three dreadnoughts were fully operational with the Fleet. Three others were preparing to enter service or fitting out. The four 'Caracciolo' class were in the early stage of construction, and if fact, were not to be completed. The result was that the Italian Navy's wartime strength was six ships, of which one was lost in August 1916. Unlike other navies, the Italians did not distinguish between battle squadrons and armoured cruiser squadrons. Both types of warship were allocated to 'squadrons' in a single numerical series.  Dante Alighieri (Photo Ships) single
ship
Dante Alighieri c 1.13- Cavour class Conte di Cavour c.4.15- Guilio Cesare c5.14- Leonardo da Vinci c5.14- blew up at Taranto 2.8.1916 Doria class Andrea Doria c.316 Duilio c.5.15 Caracciolo class Francesco Caracciolo ld 16.10.14 -work suspended 3.16, hull l.12.5.20 Cristoforo Colombo ld 14.3.15-work suspended Marcantonio Colonna ld 3.3.15 -work suspended Francesco Morosini ld 27.6.15-work suspended Distribution
of Active ships-
'PRE-DREADNOUGHT'
BATTLESHIPS
The eight pre-dreadnoughts formed the main component of the battle fleet until the arrival of the Cavour and Doria class dreadnoughts. Two would be lost; two relegated to local defence duties at Venice; leaving the four Regina Elena class in the main body of the fleet.  Regina Margherita (Photo Ships) Saint
Bon class
Ammiraglio di Saint Bon c. 9.00 Emanuele Filiberto c.4.02 Regina Margherita class Benedetto Brin c.9.05 blew up at Brindisi 27.9.1915 Regina Margherita c.4.04 mined off Valona 11.12.16 Regina Elena class Napoli c.9.08 Regina Elena c.6.07 Roma c.2.08 Vittorio Emanuele c.8.08 Distribution
of active ships-
The following obsolescent battleships were employed in harbour duties during the war. Dandolo
5.15-Brindisi
?-Valona
Italia 5.15-Brindisi 12.17-to La Spezia for conversion to merchant ship Andrea Doria 5.15-Brindisi [as GR104] Re Umberto 5.15-depot, La Spezia 3.16-Brindisi 4.18-Valona Sardegna 5.15-Venice Sicilia 5.15-depot/repair ship, Taranto ARMOURED CRUISERS
Apart from the three elderly ships, the Italian navy had seven effective armoured cruisers in May 1915, of which two were early losses.  Amalfi (Photo Ships) Older
vessels
Marco Polo c.7.94-Far East 1917-converted to troop transport at Venice Carlo Alberto c.5.98- 1917-converted to troop transport at Taranto Vettor Pisani c.4.99 Garibaldi class Francesco Ferruccio c.9.05 Giuseppe Garibaldi c.1.01 torpedoed 18.7.15 Varese c.4.01 Pisa class Amalfi c.9.09 torpedoed 7.7.15 Pisa San Giorgio class San Giorgio c.7.10 San Marco c.2.11 Distribution
of active ships
PROTECTED CRUISERS
Most ships of this type were weak and elderly. They were employed on ancillary duties. Somewhat surprisingly, one new vessel entered service in 1913, and two more in 1917. Giovanni
Bausan c 5.85 HQ
ship, Tobruk 7.16-depot at Brindisi
Etna c.12.87 depot then HQ Ship, Taranto Piemonte c 8.89 Elba c.12 95-seaplane depot ship Etruria c.7.94 -13.8.18-lost by explosion, Leghorn Liguria c.12.94 Balloon ship 1917-minelayer Lombardia c.2.93-submarine depot ship Puglia c.5.01- 1917-minelayer Calabria c.7.97 Libia c.3.13 Basilicata c. 8.17- Campania c.4.17- Distribution of active units
SCOUTS
A particular innovation by the Italians was the construction of fast vessels of cruiser size whose prime purpose was to use their speed and gunpower to thwart attacks by enemy torpedo boats. Construction of this type of warship continued after the war, and inspired the French development of the Contre-Torpilleur. Agordat
class
Agordat c.9.00 Coatit c.10.00 Quarto c.3 13 Bixio class Nino Bixio c.5.14 Marsala c.8.14 Poerio class Guglielmo Pepe c.8.15 Alessandro Poerio c.5.15 Cesare Rossarol c.8.15 16.11.18 mined Mirabello class Carlo Mirabello c.8.16 Carlo Alberto Racchia c.12.16 Augusto Riboty c.5.17 Aquila class Aquila c.2.17 Sparviero c 7.17 Nibbio c.5 18 [Falco -c 1.20] Distribution of active units
DESTROYERS
32 destroyers were in service in May 1915. They were organised into squadrons of 5 or 6 boats in each. A further 20 entered service during the war years - to which was added one purchase from Japan. Construction continued after the Armistice. Seven would be lost on active service. Fulmine
c.10.00
Lampo class [completed 1901] Dardo Euro Lampo Ostro Strale Nembo class [completed 1902-1905] Aquilone Borea -lost 14-15.5.17 Espero Nembo -torpedoed 17.10.16 Turbine -lost 24.5.15 Zeffiro Soldato class -1st Group [completed 1907-1910] Artigliere Bersagliere Garibaldino -lost 16.7.18 Granatiere Lanciere Soldato class-2nd group [completed 1910] Alpino Carabiniere Fuciliere Pontiere Ascaro [ex Chinese 1913] Indomito class [completed 1913-1914] Impavido Impetuoso -lost 10.7.16 Indomito Insidioso Intrepido -lost 4.12.15 Irrequieto Ardito class [completed 1913-1914] Ardente Ardito Animoso class [completed 1914] Animoso Audace -lost 30.8.16 Pilo class Guiseppe Cesare Abba c.7.15 Pilade Bronzetti c.1.16 Giuseppe Missori c.3.16 Antonio Mosto c.7.15 Ippolito Nievo c.10.15 Francesco Nullo c.5.15 Rosolino Pilo c.5.15 Simone Schiaffino c.11.15 Audace [ex Japanese] c.3.17 Sirtori class Giovanni Acerbi c.2.17 Vincenzo Giordano Orsini c.5.17 Giuseppe Sirtori c.12.16 Francesco Stucco c.7.17 La Masa class Angelo Bassini c.5.18 Agostino Bertani c.6.19 Benedetto Cairoli c.2.18 Giacinto Carini c.11.17 Nicola Fabrizi c.7.18 Giuseppe La Farina c.3.19 Giuseppe La Masa c.9.17 Giacomo Medici c.9.18 Distribution of destroyers- [data not available for 15 November 1916, but is available for October 1917]
SUBMARINES
For most of the war, the submarine fleet consisted of
small coastal boats which were intended for coastal
defence duties, and patrol duties in the confines of the
Adriatic. Six 'large' boats were completed late in
the war. Of the 7 medium boats only 3 were completed
in time to see active service - two of the three were
lost. A total of 19 small boats were in
service in 1915, of which 6 were lost, and 11 paid off in
1918. Wartime additions totalled 43. Many of those -
the S, W and H classes, and the Argonauta, came from
foreign sources. Only 2 were lost. Large
Submarines
Angelo Emo c.1919 Luigi Calvani c.6.18 Lorenzo Marcello c.1918 Pietro Micca c.8.18 Lazzaro Mocenigo c1919 Torricelli c.9.18 Medium Sized Submarines Balilla c.8.15 -lost 14.7.16 Gugliel Motti c.12.16 -lost 10.3.17 Pacinotti c.12.16 Agostino Barbarigo c 9.18 Andrea Provano c.9.18 Giacomo Nani c.8.19 Sebastiano Veniero c.4.19 Small Submarines Delfino c1892 Glauco class [completed 1905-09] Glauco p/o 9.186 Narvalo p/o 9.18 Otaria p/o 9.18 Squalo p/o 9.18 Tricheco p/o 9.18 Foca [completed 1909] p/o 9.18 Medusa class [completed 1912-13] Argo p/o 9.18 Fisalia p/o 9.18 Jalea -lost 17.8.15 Jantina p/o 9.18 Medusa -lost 10.6.15 Salpa p/o 9.18 Vellela p/o 9.18 Zoea -beached 26.11.17 -salvaged but discarded 26.9.18 Atropo [completed 1913] Nautilus class [completed 1913] Nautlius Nereide -lost 5.8.15 Pullino class [completed 1913-1914] Galileo Ferraris -beached and dbr 27-28.11.17 Giacinto Pullino -lost 30-31.7.16 Argonauta c.2.15 [ex Russian] F class F1 c.10.16 F2 c.9.16 F3 c.10.16 F4 c.1.17 F5 c.11.16 F6 c.5.17 F7 c.3.17 F8 c.2.17 -lost 14.2.17 -salvaged in service 9.17- F9 c.12.16 F10 c.12.16 F11 c.12.16 F12 c .2.17 F13 c.8.17 F14 c.3.37 F15 c.8.17 F16 c.4.17 F17 c.8.17 F18 c.7.17 F19 c.4.18 F20 c.6.18 F21 c.8.18 S class [ex Britain 9.15] S1 S2 S3 W class [ex Britain 8.16] W1 W2 W3 W4 -lost 4-6.8.17 N class N1 c.7.18 N2 c.12.18 N3 c.10.18 N4 c.4.19 N5 c.1.19 N6 c.6.19 H class [Canadian built] H1 12.16 H2 12.16 H3 5.17 H4 5.17 H5 5.17 -lost 16.4.18 H6 7.17 H7 5.17 H8 6.18 Distribution
of submarines
TORPEDO BOATS
A total of 64 boats were in service in 1915. A further 36 were built during the war years. After 1913, all new boats were given a number rather than a name. The two letters of each number indicated the yard in which the boat was constructed. In
Service 1915
Entered
service 1916-1918
Distribution
of Torpedo Boats
MAS BOATS
A major innovation of the Italian navy was the construction of a very large number of motor anti-submarine boats from 1896 onwards. They were employed on patrol duty in significant numbers. The following list indicates a total of 454 in service in November 1918. Summary
distribution of MAS-Boats 1.11.18
Northern
Adriatic -Venice- 12
-Porto Levante and Porto Corsini- 15 -Ancona -10 Southern Adriatic -Brindisi- 13 -Otranto- 10 -Valona -13 -Barletta -2 Ionian Sea - -Taranto -10 -Crotone -12 -Gallipoli-9 Eastern Sicily- -Reggio Calabria-15 - Messina -12 -Syracuse- 15 -Augusta- 2 -Catania -4 Western Sicily- -Trapani - 15 -Bizerta -2 -Palermo -9 -Porto Empedocle-15 -Lampedusa - 2 Southern Tyrrhenian- Ischia -15 -Naples -15 -Salerno - 17 Mid Tyrrhenian - Civitavecchia -20 -Fiumicino- 5 -Anzio- 12 -Gaeta -14 Tuscan Archipelago-Portoferriao -20 -Portolongone -3 -Porto Santo Stefano-10 -Leghorn & Capraia- 18 Training Flotilla -La Spezia -11 Liguria -Genoa-Portofino- 15 -Savona -9 -San Remo-Porto Maurizio- 16 -Villefranche -2 Sardinia -La Maddalena- 14 -Cagliari - 15 Libya -Tripoli -10 -Bengahzi -9 Aegean -Rhodes-2 Inland -Lake Garda -5 |
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