Italian ships sunk during Allied bombings on Italy in 1943

[LColombo]

Hello everybody.
In 1943, during the last months of war between Italy and the Allies, a number of Italian ships were sunk or disabled in Italian harbours during bombings and air raids by the American and British air forces. I was looking for information about some of them:

1. Light cruiser Bari, heavily damaged during a USAAF bombing (97 planes) on Livorno on 28.6.1943 and sunk, toppling over on her starboard side and breaking in two, two days later;
2. Destroyer Alpino, sunk in the early hours of 19.4.1943 in La Spezia harbour during an "area bombino" of La Spezia by 170 bombers of the RAF Bomber Command. She was hit by incendiary bombs, set afire, and then blew up when a bomb hit her magazines and sank after losing the stern;
3. Destroyer Bersagliere, sunk in Palermo harbour on 7.1.1943 by USAAF bombers (sank by toppling over on her starboard side); I have read that the casualties among the crew were 59 but found no confirmation;
4. Destroyer Freccia, sunk in Genoa harbour on 8.8.1943 during an area bombing by the RAF Bomber Command on Genoa;
5. Destroyer Geniere, sunk in drydock in Palermo on 1.3.1943 during a USAAF bombing (was hit by five bombs which caused leaks and also caused the drydock to flood, then toppled over on her starboard side and sank);
6. Torpedo boat Angelo Bassini, which capsized and sunk after being hit during an USAAF (92 planes) bombing on Livorno on 28.5.1943;
7. Torpedo boat Giacomo Medici, sunk in Catania harbour during a USAAF bombing on 16.4.1943 (was hit by bombs near the bridge, then topped over on starboard side);
8. Torpedo boat Antares, heavily damaged during the 28.5.1943 bombing on Livorno, brought in shallow waters to prevent her sinking, and abandoned;
9. Torpedo boat Pallade, heavily damaged on 4.8.1943 during a heavy USAAF bombing on Naples (77 planes) and capsized and sunk the following day;
10. Escort torpedo boat Groppo, sunk in Messina harbour during a USAAF bombing (100 planes) on 25.5.1943);
11. Escort torpedo boat Monsone, sunk in Naples harbour during a USAAF raid on 1.3.1943;
12. Corvette Cicogna, sunk by an Allied bombing in Messina harbour on 24.7.1943;
13. Armed merchant cruiser Caralis, set afire during the 28.5.1943 bombing on Livorno and blown up a few hours later.

Does anyone know more about the details of the loss of any of these ships, and, the thing I was most trying to find out, the casualties among the crews?

[Urs Heßling]

hi,

2. Destroyer Alpino, sunk in the early hours of 19.4.1943 in La Spezia harbour during an "area bombino" of La Spezia by 170 bombers of the RAF Bomber Command. She was hit by incendiary bombs, set afire, and then blew up when a bomb hit her magazines and sank after losing the stern;

try the Italian internet with the keywords "cacciatorpediniere" and torpediniere", like this
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classe_Soldati_(cacciatorpediniere)
for ALPINO: lost with the greater part of its crew
for GENIERE: salvaged after the armistice and lost on route to the scrapyard.
another little help http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categoria:Torpediniere_della_Regia_Marina

greetings, Urs

[LColombo]

Hello Urs, I have already tried Internet and I already knew those pages, indeed all the little information I have is collected from either that pages (or the pages about the single destroyers and torpedo boat of that classes) or the links to other sites contained by those pages.

[TD]

Hallo !


Nur große aktive Schiffe vom Torpedoboot bis zum Schlachtschiff oder auch

Hilfsschiffe  wie Vorpostenboote, U-Boot Jäger oder Hafenschutzboote ?


2. 1. 43
I AYP Virginia  B 535 33 19 + B/Fl   Sousses  B

7. 1. 43
I  DD Bersagliere  39   1620 + B/Fl   Palermo  B


Oder Landungsfahrzeuge ??

27. 1. 43
I  LC Mz 702  42     220 + B/Fl   Ras Meshref/Trip. B
I  LC Mz 703  42     220 + B/Fl   Ras Meshref  B

1. 3. 43
I  LC Mz 701           220 = B/Fl   Palermo  B
I  LC  Mz 741  43     220 + B/Fl   Palermo  B
I  LC Mz 747           220 = B/Fl   Palermo  B

bzw. weitaus genauer und besser in

http://historisches-marinearchiv.de/projekte/landungsfahrzeuge/marinefaehrprahm/uebersicht.php

Gruß

Theo

[LColombo]

Hello Theo, I was mostly looking for info about the 13 ships listed above. However I think I have already searched all through Internet in various languages - Italian, English, and German. I hope that maybe somebody could find something more from some other kind of source, maybe books.