Italian cruiser San Giorgio
Encyclopedia
San Giorgio was an armoured cruiser of the Italian Royal Navy . Commissioned in 1910, it served in both the First World War and the Second World War, being scuttled at Tobruk in 1941.
s, the San Giorgio class, on 3 August 1904. The new class featured the same main armament as the earlier ships but had a different armour scheme and were fitted with a higher forecastle
to give better seaworthiness. Accommodation for the ship's crew was also improved.
The two sister ships differed in their power plants. The first ship of the class, San Giorgio used two vertical triple-expansion steam engines, fed from 14 coal-fired boilers to drive two propeller shafts, while San Marco used more modern and powerful steam turbine
s. Both ships had four funnels. San Giorgios engines were designed to produce 19500 ihp and propel her to 22.5 knots but on trials, they generated 19595 ihp, allowing the ship to reach 23.2 knots.
San Giorgio had a main armament of four 254 mm (10 in) guns in two twin turrets situated fore and aft. These could fire a 230 kg (500 lb) shell to about 25000 metres (27,340.3 yd). Secondary armament was eight 190 mm (7.5 in) guns in four twin side turrets, which could fire a 91 kg (200 lb) shell to 22000 metres (24,059.5 yd). Tertiary anti-torpedo-boat armament consisted of 16 76 mm (3 in) guns mounted in casement
s on the ship's sides, while the ship was fitted with three submerged torpedo-tubes, one each on the port and starboard broadsides and one in the ship's stern.
San Giorgio was laid down on 4 July 1905 at the Castellammare Naval Dockyard, was launched
on 27 July 1908 and commissioned
on 1 July 1910.
and some of her armour had to be removed. The need to repair this damage meant that the San Giorgio was out of service at the outbreak of the Italo-Turkish War
, although it served later on in the war, rejoining the fleet in June 1912. San Giorgio ran around again in November 1913 in the Strait of Messina
, but the damage this time was not severe, although it did result in the Captain of the ship being dismissed.
During the First World War, the San Giorgio operated in the Adriatic Sea
, taking part in the defence of Venice
and, along with her sister ship San Marco and the armoured cruiser Pisa, in the bombardment of Durrazo
, Albania
in October 1918. Her light armament was revised during the war, with eight 75 mm guns being replaced by six anti-aircraft guns of similar calibre.
Following the end of the war San Giorgio made cruises to the Far East and China, and served as part of the Red Sea
naval division, supporting land operations in Italian East Africa. She was used as a training ship for naval cadets between 1930 and 1935, when it was deployed as part of the Italian forces blockading Spain in the early stages of the Spanish Civil War
.
San Giorgio was rebuilt at La Spezia
between 1937 and 38 as a training ship. It retained its primary and secondary armament of 254 mm and 190 mm turrets, but the tertiary armament of 76 mm guns (including the anti-aircraft guns added in the First World War) were removed, as were the ship's torpedo tubes. These were replaced by eight 100 mm (3.9 in) dual purpose gun
s in four twin turrets, together with six 37 mm Breda M39 guns, twelve Breda M35
20 mm cannon and four 13.2 mm machine guns. She was converted to burn oil fuel, with the number of boilers reduced to eight and two of her four funnels being removed.
In 1940, with war approaching, it was decided to use San Giorgio to supplement the defences of Tobruk
from both naval and air attack. A fifth twin 100 mm turret was fitted on the ship's forecastle, ahead of the 254 mm turret, while extra machine guns were fitted. She sailed to Tobruk in May 1940, and was anchored in shallow water just outside the port, surrounded by torpedo nets.
Italy declared war against France
and the United Kingdom
on 10 June 1940, and on 12 June San Giorgio engaged in a gun duel with a British naval force attacking Tobruk, including the cruisers HMS Liverpool
and HMS Gloucester. On 19 June, the British submarine HMS Parthian
fired two torpedoes at San Giorgio, but these did not hit. San Giorgios main use was to supplement the anti aircraft defences of Tobruk, her guns claiming hits on 47 British aircraft. San Giorgio was also involved in the shooting down of the Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
aircraft carrying Italo Balbo
, the Governor-General
of Libya and Commander-in-chief of Italian forces in North Africa. His plane flew low over Tobruk shortly after an attack by British aircraft on 28 June 1940. Fired on by anti-aircraft guns from both San Giorgio and the shore, Balbo's aircraft crashed, killing Balbo.
When British and Commonwealth land forces attacked Tobruk on 21 January 1941, San Giorgio turned its guns against the attacking troops, repelling an attack by tanks. As British forces were entering Tobruk, San Giorgio was scuttled at 4:15 AM on 22 January. San Giorgio was awarded the Gold Medal of Military Valor
for her actions in the defence of Tobruk.
San Giorgio was salvaged in 1952, but while being towed to Italy, her tow rope failed and she sank in heavy seas.
Design and construction
The Italian Navy placed an order for two improved versions of the Pisa class armored cruiserPisa class armored cruiser
The Pisa class was a series of three armored cruisers built in Italy from 1905 - 1910.- Description :The ships were designed and built in Italy but were armed with British Elswick Ordnance Company guns.- History :...
s, the San Giorgio class, on 3 August 1904. The new class featured the same main armament as the earlier ships but had a different armour scheme and were fitted with a higher forecastle
Forecastle
Forecastle refers to the upper deck of a sailing ship forward of the foremast, or the forward part of a ship with the sailors' living quarters...
to give better seaworthiness. Accommodation for the ship's crew was also improved.
The two sister ships differed in their power plants. The first ship of the class, San Giorgio used two vertical triple-expansion steam engines, fed from 14 coal-fired boilers to drive two propeller shafts, while San Marco used more modern and powerful steam turbine
Steam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
s. Both ships had four funnels. San Giorgios engines were designed to produce 19500 ihp and propel her to 22.5 knots but on trials, they generated 19595 ihp, allowing the ship to reach 23.2 knots.
San Giorgio had a main armament of four 254 mm (10 in) guns in two twin turrets situated fore and aft. These could fire a 230 kg (500 lb) shell to about 25000 metres (27,340.3 yd). Secondary armament was eight 190 mm (7.5 in) guns in four twin side turrets, which could fire a 91 kg (200 lb) shell to 22000 metres (24,059.5 yd). Tertiary anti-torpedo-boat armament consisted of 16 76 mm (3 in) guns mounted in casement
Casement
Casement may refer to:* Casement Aerodrome, an airfield to the south west of Dublin, Ireland* Casement Park, the principal Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland...
s on the ship's sides, while the ship was fitted with three submerged torpedo-tubes, one each on the port and starboard broadsides and one in the ship's stern.
San Giorgio was laid down on 4 July 1905 at the Castellammare Naval Dockyard, was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 27 July 1908 and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 1 July 1910.
Operational history
The San Giorgio ran aground on a reef in the Bay of Naples on 12 August 1910, and was badly damaged, with 4,300 t of water flooding the boiler room, magazines and lower compartments. In order to allow her to be floated off, the ship's guns and turrets, together with her conning towerConning tower
A conning tower is a raised platform on a ship or submarine, often armored, from which an officer can con the vessel; i.e., give directions to the helmsman. It is usually located as high on the ship as practical, to give the conning team good visibility....
and some of her armour had to be removed. The need to repair this damage meant that the San Giorgio was out of service at the outbreak of the Italo-Turkish War
Italo-Turkish War
The Italo-Turkish or Turco-Italian War was fought between the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Italy from September 29, 1911 to October 18, 1912.As a result of this conflict, Italy was awarded the Ottoman provinces of Tripolitania, Fezzan, and...
, although it served later on in the war, rejoining the fleet in June 1912. San Giorgio ran around again in November 1913 in the Strait of Messina
Strait of Messina
The Strait of Messina is the narrow passage between the eastern tip of Sicily and the southern tip of Calabria in the south of Italy. It connects the Tyrrhenian Sea with the Ionian Sea, within the central Mediterranean...
, but the damage this time was not severe, although it did result in the Captain of the ship being dismissed.
During the First World War, the San Giorgio operated in the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
, taking part in the defence of Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and, along with her sister ship San Marco and the armoured cruiser Pisa, in the bombardment of Durrazo
Durrës
Durrës is the second largest city of Albania located on the central Albanian coast, about west of the capital Tirana. It is one of the most ancient and economically important cities of Albania. Durres is situated at one of the narrower points of the Adriatic Sea, opposite the Italian ports of Bari...
, Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
in October 1918. Her light armament was revised during the war, with eight 75 mm guns being replaced by six anti-aircraft guns of similar calibre.
Following the end of the war San Giorgio made cruises to the Far East and China, and served as part of the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
naval division, supporting land operations in Italian East Africa. She was used as a training ship for naval cadets between 1930 and 1935, when it was deployed as part of the Italian forces blockading Spain in the early stages of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
.
San Giorgio was rebuilt at La Spezia
La Spezia
La Spezia , at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the Liguria region of northern Italy, is the capital city of the province of La Spezia. Located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea, it is one of the main Italian military and commercial harbours and hosts one of Italy's biggest military...
between 1937 and 38 as a training ship. It retained its primary and secondary armament of 254 mm and 190 mm turrets, but the tertiary armament of 76 mm guns (including the anti-aircraft guns added in the First World War) were removed, as were the ship's torpedo tubes. These were replaced by eight 100 mm (3.9 in) dual purpose gun
Dual purpose gun
A dual purpose gun is a naval artillery mounting designed to engage both surface and air targets.-Description:Second World War-era capital ships had four classes of artillery: the heavy main battery, intended to engage opposing battleships and cruisers ; a secondary battery for use against enemy...
s in four twin turrets, together with six 37 mm Breda M39 guns, twelve Breda M35
Breda Model 35
The Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/65 modello 35 , also known as Breda Model 35, was a 20 mm anti-aircraft gun produced by the Società Italiana Ernesto Breda of Brescia company in Italy and used during World War II. It was designed in 1932 and was adopted by the Italian armed forces in 1935...
20 mm cannon and four 13.2 mm machine guns. She was converted to burn oil fuel, with the number of boilers reduced to eight and two of her four funnels being removed.
In 1940, with war approaching, it was decided to use San Giorgio to supplement the defences of Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
from both naval and air attack. A fifth twin 100 mm turret was fitted on the ship's forecastle, ahead of the 254 mm turret, while extra machine guns were fitted. She sailed to Tobruk in May 1940, and was anchored in shallow water just outside the port, surrounded by torpedo nets.
Italy declared war against France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 10 June 1940, and on 12 June San Giorgio engaged in a gun duel with a British naval force attacking Tobruk, including the cruisers HMS Liverpool
HMS Liverpool (C11)
HMS Liverpool , named after the port city of Liverpool in north-west England, was a Town-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy in service from 1938 to 1952....
and HMS Gloucester. On 19 June, the British submarine HMS Parthian
HMS Parthian (N75)
HMS Parthian was the lead boat of the six Royal Navy s, all launched in 1929. The submarine was sunk in 1943 during the Second World War. The submarine was nicknamed Peanut, from the identity letters PN painted on the fin....
fired two torpedoes at San Giorgio, but these did not hit. San Giorgios main use was to supplement the anti aircraft defences of Tobruk, her guns claiming hits on 47 British aircraft. San Giorgio was also involved in the shooting down of the Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero was a three-engined Italian medium bomber with a wood and metal structure. Originally designed as a fast passenger aircraft, this low-wing monoplane, in the years 1937–39, set 26 world records that qualified it for some time as the fastest medium bomber in the...
aircraft carrying Italo Balbo
Italo Balbo
Italo Balbo was an Italian Blackshirt leader who served as Italy's Marshal of the Air Force , Governor-General of Libya, Commander-in-Chief of Italian North Africa , and the "heir apparent" to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.After serving in...
, the Governor-General
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
of Libya and Commander-in-chief of Italian forces in North Africa. His plane flew low over Tobruk shortly after an attack by British aircraft on 28 June 1940. Fired on by anti-aircraft guns from both San Giorgio and the shore, Balbo's aircraft crashed, killing Balbo.
When British and Commonwealth land forces attacked Tobruk on 21 January 1941, San Giorgio turned its guns against the attacking troops, repelling an attack by tanks. As British forces were entering Tobruk, San Giorgio was scuttled at 4:15 AM on 22 January. San Giorgio was awarded the Gold Medal of Military Valor
Gold Medal of Military Valor
The Gold Medal of Military Valor is an Italian medal established on 21 May 1793 by King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia "....per bassi ufficiali e soldati che avevano fatto azioni di segnalato valore in guerra" .The face of the medal displayed the profile of the king, and on its reverse was a flag...
for her actions in the defence of Tobruk.
San Giorgio was salvaged in 1952, but while being towed to Italy, her tow rope failed and she sank in heavy seas.