Light explorers class Navigators

(To Mario Veronesi)
07/11/18

It was the last explorer of the Royal Navy, so it closed with this series of ships, the most numerous, the evolution of a type that had originated in the previous century with theExplorer and with the messengers. They had the names of sailors and never denied this qualification. They ended one by one, after struggling strenuously, shot dead by torpedoes, plane bombs, or by enemy ships. Sole survivor the From Recco, which had better luck, despite having sailed more at war. From the 1938 they were classified destroyer.

The first examples reveal some defects of stability and robustness, so that changes were made by obviating critical points. Subsequently, except the From Recco andUsodimare, they were enlarged by a meter and equipped with a new bow. Also the aa armament was modified with the adoption of machine guns from 37 and 20 mm. Apart from the initial defects were good units for features and performance, certainly among the best types of destroyers. Initially the units could embark 54 torpedoes Vichers-Elia (Kg. 760 each), or 56 torpedoes Bollo (Kg. 590 each). During the second world war, in the 1941 on the units destined to install mines, the ferroguides were lengthened. The units could possibly embark German antenna-type torpedoes, up to the 85 number and, of the antisom type, up to the 110 number.

1) Luca Tarigo (photo opening), built in the Ansaldo shipyards of Genova Sestri. In the few months that preceded his sinking in 1927 he traveled 18.000 miles, completing thirty war missions, mainly fast convoys for transporting troops on the Naples-Palermo-Tripoli route. The last mission took off from Naples in the late evening of 13 April 1941. The convoy bound for Tripoli consisted of four small German merchant ships and an Italian ship, the escort included in addition to the Tarigo, the Ct lightning e Baleno. After two days of navigation, at two in the morning of the 16 April the convoy that passed through the shallows of Kerkenah (gulf of Gabes), was sighted of stern with radar by the British Jervis, Nubian, Mohaws e Janus, and subjected to sudden and intense cannonading. The steamships were burned one by one, lightning e Baleno they were knocked out, while the Tarigo attacked the English formation. Stopping for a breakdown, before sinking, he managed to launch the last torpedo, which hit the destroyer Mohaws which sank a short distance.

2) Lanzelotto Maloncello (photo), built in the Sestri's Ansaldo shipyard in 1926. The 9 July 1940 took part in the fight of Punta Stilo, but the need to escort the convoys will see him engaged in this task. His activity in the war was long and brilliant, during the escort convoys he attacked the submarine enemies several times. In the 1942 it remained in arsenal in La Spezia for works, during which the German radar "Dete" was installed on board. Returning in January of the 1943 operated on the route Trapani-Tunis, as a fast transport of German troops. The last exit was the 23 March 1943 from Pozzuoli together with the Black shirt and Pancaldo, meeting in the morning with theAscari coming from Palermo, the group of four units of Germanic troops continued to Tunis. Unfortunately at 7,30 24 March, 28 miles north of Cape Bon, the Maloncello He bumped into a mine, which broke out in the middle of the ship, sank in two.

3) Leone Pancaldo, built in the Naval shipyard of the Tirreno di Riva Trigoso in the 1927. After having participated in the fight of Punta Stilo, the unit was part of the others in Augusta, where it moored to a buoy in the roadstead, but during an attack by British torpedoes, it was hit by a torpedo in the bow compartment straight. Overflowed by the water he sank on his side. Being sunk in the port, the recovery works started immediately and could be carried out for a few months. Towed in Genoa, it was put back into operation, and the "Owl" ecogoniometer was loaded. On 30 Day April 1943 was on its seventh mission, along with the Ct Hermes (ex Greek, armed by the German navy), carried out troops from Pozzuoli to Tunis. Attacked at 11,30 by about 30 enemy bombers, it was hit by bombs that destroyed the engine and caused waterways. The Pancaldo sank to a point near Capo Bon.

4) Antonio da Noli (Photo), built in the Naval shipyard of the Tirreno di Riva Trigoso in the 1927. Fourth explorer from pre-war activity similar to that of other units. The Da Noli had at war a long and hard activity that ended tragically the day after the armistice. The September 8 unit was located in La Spezia, when it received the order to move to Civitavecchia. While he was sailing in the company of Vivaldi towards that port, they were diverted to the waters of Sardinia to attack the German traffic and join the other units headed to Bona. Between the 16,00 and 17,00 of the 9 September, reached the Bocche di Bonifacio, a lively action developed between the two destroyers and various German look-outs and motorboats, some of which were sunk. Some German batteries were located on the coast, the From Noli in order to get out to escape the blows of the Germans, hit a mine breaking into two sections and sinking quickly.

5) Ugolino Vivaldi, built in the Odero shipyards of Genova Sestri in the 1927. At the declaration of war he was in Taranto, his war activity was among the brightest, working since the early days. In July 1940 took part in the fight of Punta Stilo. On the first of August 1940 at 23,05 the unit sighted the English submarine Oswald in surfacing, the speed increased, he spurred it sinking it. The submarine was rescued 52 shipwrecked on 55. He participated in the battle of Pantelleria, suffering serious damage. The ship reached Naples for urgent work. After brief missions in the Tyrrhenian Sea, in early September 1943 moved to Genoa. The September 8 was started to meet off Spezia with the destroyer From Noli and to head towards Civitavecchia, but received the order to take to the Sardinian waters, headed for the Bocche di Bonifacio. After the battle with German boats and coastal batteries, he left the area beaten by the enemy, heading towards the Balearics. Unfortunately, a plane bomb struck him and towards the 11,30 in the morning of the 10 September he sank.

6) Antoniotto Usodimare (Photo), built in the Odero shipyards of Genova Sestri in the 1927. He had a life similar to that of previous units, both in peace and in war. Unfortunately, this ship in its activity was involved in numerous collisions. The 10 August 1934, was invested near the island of Procida, by the steamer Pallas. The 1 February 1941 on the route to Brindisi came into collision with the steamer Vicinale. The 8 September 1942 during the convoy escort match from Messina, for an error of the ship Ankara, was invested towards the bow. The series of painful incidents was not over, theUsodimare was sunk by an Italian submarine theAlagi, the 8 September 1942 at 21,25 in the Sicilian Channel area.

7) Emanuele Pessagno, built in the Ancona Shipyard in the 1927. The conflict found him in Taranto, and participated in the clash of Punta Stilo. Transferred to Brindisi, it was used for traffic protection missions to Albania. In the 1941 it was at sea in the unfortunate episode of the Italian Naval Squadron south of Crete, culminating in the clash of Guado and Cape Matapan, then it was used for escorting convoys to North Africa. He worked until 29 May 1942, the day when, while escorting a ship from Brindisi to Benghazi, he was torpedoed by an enemy submarine. Hit at the bow and center, at 3,30 in the morning it sank in less than a minute to about 70 miles from the Cyrenian port.

8) Nicoloso da Recco (Photo), built in the naval yards of the Quarnaro River in the 1927. At the end of the world war, of the twelve class explorers "Browsers"He was the only one to sail even after the peace treaty. More and more units were needed for escorting the Libyan convoys, the From Recco, in the summer of 1941 moved to Palermo, starting the new and very intense activity in the Sicilian Channel. He carried out escorts to convoys, and to isolated units, rescues of shipwrecked sunken steamers, hunt for submarine enemies, rapid transport of troops and materials. To his credit the killing of numerous enemy aircraft. Based in Taranto, the September 8 armistice surprised him. The following day, he moved to Malta on the basis of the agreed clauses. During the period of cobelligerance it was often used for escorting allied convoys or for the transport of materials and personnel to the battleships Vittorio Veneto e Italy, interned in the Suez Canal to the Amari Lakes. From the 1 March 1948 to the 30 November 1950 was home to the Dredging Command. From January 1, 1951 raised the flagship banner of the 1 Silent Naval Division. The 15 July 1954 went into disarmament awaiting radiation.

9) Nicolò Zeno, built in the naval yards of the Quarnaro River in the 1927. During the three long years of the conflict he carried out missions on all the routes of the central Mediterranean, the Ionian and the Aegean. He distinguished himself in anti-aircraft defense, in hunting submarines, in rescuing shipwrecked men, in laying mines and in the fast transport of troops. The 15 March 1943 moved to La Spezia for restoration work. The September 8 unit was not yet ready, unable to move, the 9 September 1943, to prevent capture by the German side, was sunk in the port of La Spezia.

10) Giovanni Da Verazzano (Photo), built in the naval yards of the Quarnaro River in the 1927. The outbreak of the war surprised him at La Spezia, while he was in the arsenal for the great work of enlarging the hull. The unit was called to escort escorts later than twin units. His first convoy for Benghazi left the 29 November 1941 from Taranto. He moved to Naples and from that port sailed the 17 October 1942 with five other coaches and three torpedo boats, to escort a convoy of four steamers to Libya. Around 13 hours of the 19 day, the formation was sighted by submarine enemies, a first torpedo directed against the From Terrazzano it was avoided, but a second hit the hull, removing the stern with the rudder and the propellers. Attempts to save the ship were useless, which sank to the 13,30 about 28 miles from Lampedusa.

11) Alvise Da Mosto, built in the naval yards of the Quarnaro River in the 1928. Initially baptized Alvise Ca da Mosto, had rectified the name in Alvise Da Mosto in the 1930. In the spring of the 1941, it passed like all the other twin units, escorted by convoys in the Sicilian Channel and by the laying of torpedo barriers. His activity on the North African routes was short-lived. After some completed missions, the 30 November 1941 left Trapani for the last navigation, escorting the cistern Mantovani. The convoy spotted at 14,00 1 December near the shallows of Karkenah, was attacked by airplanes that hit and burned the cistern. Just before the 18,00 while the From Mosto was intent on the recovery of the shipwrecked, was attacked by English ships: Aurora, Penelope e Lively. At the 18,15 hit in full in the central ammunition dump, it sank quickly.

12) Antonio Pigafetta, built in the naval yards of the Quarnaro River in the 1928. It was the last of the twelve Browsers to enter service, and at the outbreak of hostilities he was in Taranto. In the war the Pigafetta it was one of the most fortunate and active units. He performed 213 missions well, covering over the years from 1940 to 1943 over 70.000 miles. The wear and tear of a long time, added to the damage suffered by the ship, in an aerial bombardment suffered in Tunis the 26 April 1943, forced the ship to retire to undergo a long cycle of works in Rijeka. The 8 September 1943, at the time of the proclamation of the armistice, the unit was still halfway through the cycle of works. The 10 day, to avoid its use by the Germans, was sabotaged by embarking most of the disassembled machinery on a steamer that was then sunk in the open sea. However, the Germans captured the destroyer, and later succeeded in putting it back into operation with the name of TA 44. The 17 February 1945 hit by bombs of allied aircraft, sank in the port of Trieste.