Regia Marina High Commands

[VJK]

Hi,

On 9 August 1935 were formed Comando superiore 'del Fronte marittimo Est, responsible for Comando in Capo Dipartimento Marina Militare Autonomo dell’Alto Adriatico and Comando in Capo Dipartimento Militare Marittimo dello Ionio e Basso Adriatico, and Comando superiore 'del Fronte marittimo Ovest, responsible for Comando in Capo Dipartimento Militare Marittimo Alto Tirreno and Comando in Capo Dipartimento Militare Marittimo Basso Tirreno. The C-in-C of Fronte marittimo Est from 4 Oct 1935 - 24 May 1937 was Ammiraglio d’armata Giuseppe Cantù. Does anyone know who commanded the marittimo Ovest?

Very best regards,

VJK

[VJK]

Nearly 2 years on, has anyone any new information, please?

Best regards,

VJK

[jwsleser]

VJK

Are you sure about your information? The RM organization listed in jack Greene's Mare Nostrum pages 62-66 doesn't list either of those commands in 1940. I Googled Ammiraglio d’armata Giuseppe Cantù. He was assigned as the Presidente del Consiglio superiore di marina (6 maggio 1931-21 aprile 1936) then as the Commissario generale d'Italia all'esposizione universale di New York. He died in NY in 1940.

I only have a few of the USSM official histories (the convoy volumes) so I can't check that source.

Pista! Jeff

[VJK]

Hi Jeff,

For the life of me I can't now find my original source about the 2 "Fronte", but attached is an extract from Cantu's service record showing his command. I can add, that the 2 Comando Superiore were formed by Royal Decree no. 16379, 9 August 1935.

Kind regards,

VJK

[Dili]

I don't have what can be called "front" commands in 1940. For the period you asked i have no information. The "regional" commands existed in 1940.

[OHara]

It seems the Comandi Superiori intitolati al Fronte Ovest e al Fronte Est were temporary commands instituted at the beginning of the Ethiopian war and dissolved in May 1937. Sorry, but I don't see any names of commanders. My source is L'organizzazione della Marina durante il conflitto volume 1. (Rome 1972)

Vince

[VJK]

Many thanks for your efforts gents. It would make sense that they were temporary commands - that would explain the almost complete lack of info about them. I remembered that my source was the "Gazzetta Ufficiale del Regno", where the Royal Decree was published establishing the Comandi Superiori and outlining the commands subordinated to the Fronts, but I can't now find the edition in question. Frustrating...

Having gone through my files of the senior Admirals, I have 2 possible candidates for the missing command:

Ammiraglio di squadra designato d’armata Salvatore Denti Amari, Duca di Piraino
1 Jan 1936 - 21 Apr 1936: at disposition of Ministry of Marine for Special Duties
21 Apr 1936 - 24 May 1937: President, Higher Naval Council
24 May 1937 - 5 Feb 1938: President, Admirals Committee
(This could fit, because Cantù was concurrently President of the Admirals Committee during his command)

Ammiraglio designato d'armata Giuseppe Sirianni
I have no info about him after he finished his stint as Minister of the Navy on 6 Nov 1933, other than that he was a Senator)

Food for thought...

Kind regards,

VJK

[Steen Ammentorp]

Hi VJK,

Not much help here, though I have a feeling that you may be right about Denti Amari. Anyway the edition of the "Gazzetta Ufficiale del Regno" you are looking for is #216, part 1 of 16th September 1935. http://augusto.agid.gov.it/gazzette/ind ... 1935216_P1

[OHara]

VJK,

I can confirm that Cantú was the east commander (commandante superiore del fronte marittimo est) in 1937. I can also confirm that neither Denti Amari nor Sirianni were the west commander. Source: Uomini della Marina 1861-1946: Dizionario Biografico (Rome 2015). I can check on other names if you have more candidates.

Vince

[VJK]

Thanks Steen for finding the respective edition of the Gazzetta, it was really starting to bug me!

Vince, many thanks for your efforts, I will go through my files again and try to come up with some new candidates. The Royal Decree stated that the Commander will be either an Ammiraglio di squadra designato d'armata (as was Cantú) or an Ammiraglio di squadra, which opens up a far wider scope of possibilities. I would have thought that there would be an Ammiraglio di squadra designato d'armata available for the command, but then maybe not... I'll get back to you with a new list.

Kind regards,

VJK

PS: Your book sounds interesting, I''m thinking of buying it. Would it be possible for you to scan a page, just so that I can see the depth of info contained. MTIA.

[VJK]

Hi Vince,

Here are my latest contenders:

Ernesto Burzagli
Ugo Conz
Gino Ducci
Antonio Foschini
Pietro Lodolo

Kind regards,

VJK

[OHara]

I will, but give me a week. Leaving town right now.

Vince

[OHara]

VJK.

Here you go.

Ernesto Burzagli -- no. Senator 1933. Left the service (age) in 1936.
Ugo Conz -- no. Senator 1933. Left the service (age) in 1934.
Gino Ducci -- no. Senator 1933. Minister ("ministro di Stato") 1935. Left service (age) in 1935.
Antonio Foschini -- no. Senator 1933. Assigned to the reserves (collocato in ausiliaria) in 1935. Retired 1941.
Pietro Lodolo -- no. "Presidente del Consiglio superiore di Marina 1934-35. To reserves 1935.

Maybe the position was never staffed?

Vince

PS. The dictionary is large 24x30cm. 570 pages. Profusely illustrated. Iachino gets two pages and four photos. Antonio Imbert gets a quarter page with a photo. Riccardo Imperiali the rest of the page with two photos. I can hold the book at arms length for 32 seconds before my strength is exhausted.

[VJK]

Hi Vince,

Many thanks for your efforts. I was just going to post that I found the book online just yesterday - excellent source, if a bit overall on dates (mostly just years, not day and month). Surprisingly and disappointingly there is no mention of the CinC of Ovest. The hunt goes on...

Kind regards,

VJK