Italian destroyer Intrepido (1912)

Last updated
History
Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg Kingdom of Italy
NameIntrepido
Namesake"Intrepid"
Builder Cantiere Pattison , Naples, Kingdom of Italy
Laid down1 June 1910
Launched7 August 1912
Commissioned6 February 1913
MottoIntrepido maxime ardua ("Arduous undertakings befit the intrepid") (motto of Gabriele D'Annunzio)
FateSunk 4 December 1915
General characteristics
Type Destroyer
Displacement672–770 metric tons (741–849 short tons)
Length
  • 237 ft 11 in (72.52 m) (wl) [1]
  • 239 ft 6 in (73.00 m) (oa)
Beam24 ft (7.3 m)
Draft7 ft 11 in (2.41 m)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) designed
  • 35.79 knots (66.28 km/h; 41.19 mph) maximum
Endurance
  • 1,200 nmi (2,200 km; 1,400 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
  • 500 nmi (930 km; 580 mi) at 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
  • 350 nmi (650 km; 400 mi) at 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Complement4–5 officers, 65–74 enlisted men
ArmamentAs built:
1 × 4.7 in (120 mm) gun
4 × 3 in (76.2 mm) guns
2 × 17.7 in (450 mm) torpedo tubes

After refit:

5 × 4 in (102 mm) guns
1 × 40 mm (1.6 in) AA gun
2 × 17.7 in (450 mm) torpedo tubes

Intrepido (English: "Intrepid" ) was an Italian Indomito-class destroyer. Commissioned into service in the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy) in 1913, she served in World War I, playing an active role in the Adriatic campaign until she was sunk in 1915.

Contents

Construction and commissioning

Intrepido was laid down at the Cantiere Pattison (English: Pattison Shipyard ) in Naples, Italy, on 1 June 1910. She was launched on 7 August 1912 and commissioned on 6 February 1913.

Service history

1913–1914

Intrepido was assigned to the 3rd Destroyer Squadron. After shakedown and training, she took part in various cruises in the Eastern and Western Mediterranean Sea during 1913. [2] She was transferred to the 2nd Destroyer Squadron in 1914 and during that year engaged in minesweeping operations, searching for stray mines in the southern Adriatic Sea. [2]

World War I

World War I broke out in 1914, and the Kingdom of Italy entered the war on the side of the Allies with its declaration of war on Austria-Hungary on 23 May 1915. At the time, Intrepido, under the command of Capitano di corvetta (Corvette Captain) De Grenet, [3] and the destroyers Indomito, Impavido, Impetuoso, Insidioso, and Irrequieto made up the 2nd Destroyer Squadron. The squadron, under the command of Capitano de fregata (Frigate Captain) P. Orsini, was based at Taranto, although although either Impetuoso or Indomito or both were visiting La Spezia that day. [3]

On 5 June 1915, Intrepido escorted the British Royal Navy light cruiser HMS Dublin as Dublin bombarded Donzella on the coast of Dalmatia. [2] On 9 June 1915, Intrepido, Impetuoso, Indomito, Insidioso, Irrequieto, the protected cruiser Quarto, and the destroyers Animoso, Ardente, Ardito, and Audace escorted the armored cruisers Giuseppe Garibaldi and Vettor Pisani as they participated in a bombardment of the lighthouses at the Cape of Rodon and Shëngjin (known to the Italians as San Giovanni di Medua) on the coast of the Principality of Albania. [2]

In the early hours of 17 July 1915 Intrepido, Animoso, Irrequieto, and Quarto bombarded the radiotelegraph station and other Austro-Hungarian military installations on Šipan (known to the Italians as Giuppana), an island off the coast of Dalmatia. [4] The bombardment, as well as another one carried out by the 5th Naval Division, was interrupted when the armored cruiser Vettor Pisani of the 5th Naval Division sighted an Austro-Hungarian submarine at 04:25. [4] After the Italian ships began their return voyage to Italy, the Austro-Hungarian submarine U-4 attacked at 04:40 and torpedoed Giuseppe Garibaldi, [4] which sank within minutes. Intrepido took part in the rescue effort, which saved 525 men out of the 578 on board Giuseppe Garibaldi. [2] [4]

A few hours after an Austro-Hungarian Navy force subjected the Palagruža (known to the Italians as the Pelagosa) archipelago in the Adriatic Sea to a heavy bombardment during the night of 16–17 August 1915, Intrepido, Impavido, Quarto, Animoso, and Ardito, which were on a cruise in the Adriatic Sea north of the line Brindisi–Cattaro, interrupted their operations to respond. They reached Palagruža at around 10:00 on 17 August 1915. [4]

On 3 December 1915 Intrepido — now under the command of Capitano di corvetta (Corvette Captain) Leva — along with Impetuoso , Indomito, Insidioso, and Irrequieto got underway from Brindisi to escort one of the first supply convoys for Italian troops in Albania. As the convoy — composed of the troop transports Re Umberto and Valparaiso, carrying a total of 1,800 men and 150 draft animals — approached Shëngjin on the coast of Albania, Re Umberto, with 765 men on board, hit a mine laid by the Imperial German Navy submarine UC-14 , broke in two, and sank in 15 minutes. Rescuers saved 712 men, of whom Intrepido rescued about a hundred. [2] [4] [5]

After disembarking the survivors at Vlorë (known to the Italians as Valona) in Albania, Intrepido got back underway to carry out an anti-submarine patrol. At 14:00 on 4 December 1915, while returning from her patrol, Intrepido struck a mine south of the Karaburun Peninsula on the coast of Albania. The explosion blew off her bow and tore apart her forward superstructure, killing one officer and three enlisted men and wounding others, including Leva, who suffered serious injuries. [4] [5] Intrepido′s crew beached her near Point Linguetta to prevent her from sinking, but she was deemed unsalvageable. She was stripped of her guns, torpedo tubes, and other useful equipment and abandoned. [5] A few days later her wreck sank in deeper water. [5]

Wreck

Intrepido′s wreck was identified on the seabed near Point Linguetta in April 2007. It is partially destroyed, with debris scattered over an area of approximately 32 square metres (38 sq yd). [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adriatic Campaign of World War I</span>

The Adriatic Campaign of World War I was a naval campaign fought between the Central Powers and the Mediterranean squadrons of Great Britain, France, the Kingdom of Italy, Australia, and the United States.

<i>Indomito</i>-class destroyer

The Indomito class was a class of destroyers of the Italian Royal Navy before and during World War I. Eight were built, six of which at Naples by Societa Pattison, between 1910 and 1913. They were the first large Italian destroyers and the first fitted with steam turbines. The class is sometimes also called the I class. Two of the class were sunk during World War I, but the four surviving ships remained in service until 1937–38. One of the class, Insidioso, was reinstated during World War II and served in the Règia Marina and the German Kriegsmarine before being sunk by U.S. aircraft in late 1944.

Italian destroyer <i>Insidioso</i> Italian Indomito-class destroyer

Insidioso was an Italian Indomito-class destroyer. Commissioned into service in the Italian Regia Marina in 1914, she served in World War I, playing an active role in the Adriatic campaign and seeing action in the Battle of the Strait of Otranto in 1917. Reclassified as a torpedo boat in 1929, she was stricken in 1938. Reinstated in 1941, she was captured by Nazi German forces in 1943 during World War II. She then served in the German Kriegsmarine as TA21 until she was sunk in 1944.

Italian destroyer <i>Giuseppe Cesare Abba</i> Italian Rosolino Pilo-class destroyer

Giuseppe Cesare Abba was an Italian Rosolino Pilo-class destroyer. Commissioned into service in the Italian Regia Marina in 1915, she served in World War I, playing an active role in the Adriatic campaign. Reclassified as a torpedo boat in 1929, she participated in the Mediterranean and Adriatic campaigns of World War II. In 1943, she switched to the Allied side, operating as part of the Italian Co-belligerent Navy for the remainder of the war. She served in the postwar Italian Navy and was reclassified as a minesweeper in 1954. She was stricken in 1958.

Italian destroyer <i>Francesco Nullo</i> (1914) Italian Rosolino Pilo-class destroyer

Francesco Nullo was an Italian Rosolino Pilo-class destroyer. Commissioned into service in the Italian Regia Marina in 1915, she served in World War I, participating in the Adriatic campaign. She supported Gabriele D'Annunzio′s actions in Fiume in 1920, and was renamed Fratelli Cairoli in 1921. Reclassified as a torpedo boat in 1929, she served in the Mediterranean campaign of World War II until she was sunk in 1940.

Italian destroyer <i>Rosolino Pilo</i> Italian Rosolino Pilo-class destroyer

Rosolino Pilo was the lead ship of the Italian Rosolino Pilo-class destroyers. Commissioned into service in the Italian Regia Marina in 1915, she served in World War I, playing an active role in the Adriatic campaign and seeing action in the Battle of the Strait of Otranto in 1917. Reclassified as a torpedo boat in 1929, she served in the Mediterranean and Adriatic campaigns of World War II. Briefly captured by Nazi Germany in 1943, she served on the Allied side in the Italian Co-belligerent Navy for the remainder of the war. She served in the postwar Italian Navy and was reclassified as a minesweeper in 1952. She was stricken in 1954.

Italian destroyer <i>Ippolito Nievo</i> Italian Rosolino Pilo-class destroyer

Ippolito Nievo was an Italian Rosolino Pilo-class destroyer. Commissioned into service in the Italian Regia Marina in 1915, she served in World War I, participating in the Adriatic campaign, during which she took part in motor torpedo boat raids and operated on convoy escort duty. Reclassified as a torpedo boat in 1929, she was stricken in 1938.

Simone Schiaffino was an Italian Rosolino Pilo-class destroyer. Commissioned into service in the Italian Regia Marina in 1915, she served in World War I, participating in the Adriatic campaign, including the Battle of the Strait of Otranto. Reclassified as a torpedo boat in 1929, she took part in the Mediterranean campaign of World War II until she was sunk in 1941.

Italian destroyer <i>Audace</i> (1913) Italian Audace-class destroyer (1913)

Audace was the lead ship of the Audace-class destroyers of the Italian Regia Marina. Commissioned in 1914, she served during World War I, participating in the Adriatic campaign and operating as a convoy escort until she sank after a collision in 1916.

Animoso was the second and final Audace-class destroyer of the Italian Regia Marina. Commissioned in 1914, she played an active role in the Adriatic campaign of World War I. Badly damaged by an accidental explosion in 1921, she was stricken in 1923.

Ardito was the lead ship of the Italian Ardito-class destroyers. Commissioned into service in the Italian Regia Marina in 1913, she served in World War I, playing an active role in the Adriatic campaign. Reclassified as a torpedo boat in 1929, she was discarded in 1931.

Italian destroyer <i>Ardente</i> Italian Ardito-class destroyer

Ardente was the second and final unit of the Italian Ardito-class destroyers. Commissioned into service in the Italian Regia Marina in 1913, she served in World War I, playing an active role in the Adriatic campaign. Reclassified as a torpedo boat in 1929, she was discarded in 1937.

Italian destroyer <i>Giovanni Acerbi</i> 1917 Italian destroyer

Giovanni Acerbi was the second of four Giuseppe Sirtori-class destroyers built for the Italian Regia Marina during World War I. She played an active part in the later stages of that war's Adriatic campaign, including a significant role in that campaign's largest surface action, the Battle of the Strait of Otranto in 1917. Reclassified as a torpedo boat in 1929, she was serving in the Red Sea Flotilla when Italy entered World War II in June 1940. She was disabled in September 1940, stripped of her armament, and either scuttled or sunk in 1941.

Impavido was an Italian Indomito-class destroyer. Commissioned into service in the Italian Regia Marina in 1913, she served in World War I, playing an active role in the Adriatic campaign and seeing action in the Battle of the Strait of Otranto. Reclassified as a torpedo boat in 1929, she was stricken in 1937.

Italian destroyer <i>Impetuoso</i> (1913) Italian destroyer of World War I

Impetuoso was an Italian Indomito-class destroyer. Commissioned into service in the Italian Regia Marina in 1914, she served in World War I, playing an active role in the Adriatic campaign until she was sunk in 1916 by the Austro-Hungarian submarine SM U-17 with the loss of 37 men.

Italian destroyer <i>Irrequieto</i> Italian destroyer of World War I

Irrequieto was an Italian Indomito-class destroyer. Commissioned into service in the Italian Regia Marina in 1913, she served in World War I, playing an active role in the Adriatic campaign. Reclassified as a torpedo boat in 1929, she was stricken in 1937.

Italian destroyer <i>Indomito</i> (1912) Italian destroyer of World War I

Indomito was an Italian Indomito-class destroyer. Commissioned into service in the Italian Regia Marina in 1913, she served in World War I, playing an active role in the Adriatic campaign and seeing action in the Battle of the Strait of Otranto in 1917. Reclassified as a torpedo boat in 1929, she was stricken in 1937 and subsequently scrapped.

Italian destroyer <i>Strale</i> (1900) Italian Lampo-class destroyer

Strale ("Javelin") was an Italian Lampo-class destroyer. Commissioned into service in the Italian Regia Marina in 1901, she served in the Italo-Turkish War and World War I. She was stricken in 1924.

Pontiere ("Bridgeman") was a Soldato-class ("Soldier"-class) destroyer of the Italian Regia Marina. Commissioned in 1910, she served in World War I. Reclassified as a torpedo boat in 1921, she was stricken in 1929.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Fraccaroli, pp. 268–269
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Ruberti.
  3. 1 2 "Forum Eerste Wereldoorlog :: Bekijk onderwerp - Regia Marina Italiana, 1914-1915". Archived from the original on 2019-02-13. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Favre, pp. 83, 119, 122..
  5. 1 2 3 4 Gallery INTREPIDO 2007.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.