Italian Navy in Aegean Sea, 1915-1918

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gttf
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Italian Navy in Aegean Sea, 1915-1918

#1

Post by gttf » 22 Aug 2017, 16:03

Hello, I’m interested to know if there is some records about the role and actions of the Italian Navy in Aegean Sea during WW I.
On the Italian bibliography there is practically nothing, except some few information which can be found by digging in various books.
AFAIK, for sure, cruiser Piemonte bombarded two times Dedeagatch, now Alexandroupoli (on 15/11/1915, see https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newsp ... 117.2.28.9 and, included in a squadron of 33 Allied warships, on 20/01/1916, see https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newsp ... 122.2.17.4 and http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2101038 ) and was present to the occupation of the Greek battery at Point Karaburun, near Salonika, on 28/01/1916).
A situation of the Italian Navy on Nov., 1st, 1918 (almost at the end of the war) gives as present in Aegean Sea, the Piemonte, the battleships Vittorio Emanuele and Roma, and the cruiser Libia. At the same date, the old cruiser Liguria, the destroyer Alpino and the torpedo-boat Centauro were at Piraeus.
Any help is appreciated
Best regards

Fabrizio

Felix C
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Re: Italian Navy in Aegean Sea, 1915-1918

#2

Post by Felix C » 23 Aug 2017, 15:59

I thought the demarcation of the Med into zones meant Aegean was for British responsibility. There may have been italians units attached as with the Japanese and some French ships. Italians had the Adriatic as zone of responsibility.

There is a brief english language overview of the Italian navy in WW1 and then the detailed official history in Italian.


gttf
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Re: Italian Navy in Aegean Sea, 1915-1918

#3

Post by gttf » 30 Sep 2020, 12:36

Hello,
up to now, I was not able to find out more than I collected three years ago, on the subject.
Anyway, I'd like to know which ships were part of the force (33 warships strong, see the references in my previous posts) which shelled Dedeagatch on Jan., 20th, 1916: the squadron included the Italian cruiser Piemonte.
Thanks in advance
Best regards
Fabrizio

jerryasher
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Location: California, USA

Re: Italian Navy in Aegean Sea, 1915-1918

#4

Post by jerryasher » 01 Oct 2020, 18:01

Hello everyone: Please forgive me, I know nothing of what you have asked about, but your question has spurred one of my own-- I have a French language statement that Italy purchased five trawlers from Japan, they may have been used in the Aegean and numbered Japanese Trawler (English translation) 1,2,3,4,5. Can anyone confirm? or add other details? Were they deployed to the in the Aegean and when.? Sorry for intruding.

gttf
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Posts: 136
Joined: 26 Oct 2009, 23:16

Re: Italian Navy in Aegean Sea, 1915-1918

#5

Post by gttf » 02 Oct 2020, 16:37

Hello, Italian Navy bought, in 1916-1917, 47 Japanese oceanic fishing vessels, used as AS trawlers, gunboats, minesweepers, escort ships etc. They were numbered G1-G47. Five of them were lost during the war:
G46, G32 and G6 torpedoed by submarines on 1/jul/1917, 7/feb/1918, 12/aug/1918
G20 and G4 for other accidents (not better specified) on 3/mar/1917 and 29/aug/1918
The main features were
displacement 330-500 t
armament 1-2 76/40 guns
speed 10 knots
Triple expansion steam engine
They were used in the whole Mediterranean theater hence probably in Aegean Sea also, but I've no clear evidence of it (AFAIK, of course...)
Hope this helps
Fabrizio

Sources
Bagnasco-Rastelli "Navi e marinai italiani nella Grande Guerra", Albertelli, Parma, 1997
Galuppini "Guida alle navi d'Italia. La marina da guerra dal 1861 a oggi", Mondadori, Milano, 1982

jerryasher
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Location: California, USA

Re: Italian Navy in Aegean Sea, 1915-1918

#6

Post by jerryasher » 02 Oct 2020, 21:03

Many thanks gttf.

jerryasher
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Posts: 395
Joined: 27 Jul 2018, 23:31
Location: California, USA

Re: Italian Navy in Aegean Sea, 1915-1918

#7

Post by jerryasher » 03 Oct 2020, 01:39

Hi gttf: Just to let you know I have ordered via books you mentioned. Many thanks.

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