Mussolini's Navy

A Reference Guide to the Regia Marina, 1930–1945

Maurizio Brescia

• Publisher: Seaforth Publishing
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781848321151
• eBook ISBN: 9781473816503
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Italian History
• Index: History

"A simply magnificent book describing the Italian Navy of the Second World War, profiling all classes of vessels, from battleships . . . [to] submarines." — Pegasus Archive
This book is a complete guide to the Regia Marina, the navy with which Italy fought the Second World War. Starting with the historical background, it describes how the navy developed, how it was organized, the facilities that supported it, and the operations it conducted both before and after the armistice in 1943. It also details all its ships, with full technical particulars, plans and photos. Furthermore, there are chapters on special topics like camouflage; uniforms, decorations and insignia; and a "who's who" of important naval personalities; and the reference value of the book is enhanced by a comprehensive bibliography and guide to sources. The illustration is a noteworthy feature of the book as the author's collection of naval photographs is one of the best in Italy. He is also a fine draughtsman, and his ship plans and color illustrations are both detailed and accurate, adding a particular appeal for modelmakers. Of all the main combatant navies of this era, the Italian is probably the most poorly represented in English publications, so this comprehensive handbook will be especially welcomed by the naval community.
"An overview of the wartime Italian Navy, including its bases and organization, ships and aircraft . . . an enjoyable book." — Warships International Fleet Review
"A major achievement and a milestone in the renaissance of Italian Naval history . . . [the] book is a gem and is thoroughly recommended." — The Navy Vol 75

Contents

Foreword

Introduction and Acknowledgements

CHAPTER 1
The Regia Marina from 1861 to 1939

The Early Years

Among the European Powers

The Regia Marina in the First World War and Naval Operations in the Adriatic

The Regia Marina 1919–1939

CHAPTER 2
Dockyards, Naval Bases, Ports, Shipyards and Coast Defences

Naval Bases

Shipyards

Coast Defences

CHAPTER 3
Fleet Organisation and Operations

The Regia Marina at war 1940–5 – a brief chronology

Convoy Operations

Submarines in the Atlantic

The Black Sea and the Red Sea

CHAPTER 4
Ships in Service 1940–5

Battleships

Aircraft Carriers

Heavy Cruisers

Light Cruisers

Old, Miscellaneous and War Prize Cruisers

Destroyers

Torpedo Boats

Escort Vessels

MAS, MTBs and VAS

Submarines

Miscellaneous Warships

CHAPTER 5
Surface and Underwater Assault Craft

Surface Assault Craft

Underwater Assault Craft

CHAPTER 6
Naval Aviation

CHAPTER 7
Italian Naval Camouflage in the Second World War

Identification Letters and Hull Numbers

Colour Section

CHAPTER 8
Flags

CHAPTER 9
Uniforms, Ranks, Insignia and Decorations

Uniforms

Ranks and Insignia

Decorations

CHAPTER 10
‘Who’s Who’ of the Italian Navy in the Second World War

Flag Officers

Other Personnel

Selected Bibliography

Notes on the Photographic Sources

Index

Foreword

DESPITE THE TITLE OF this volume, the Italian Navy was never particularly fascist. This does not mean that the Regia Marina’s officers and men were opponents of the Mussolini regime, just that they were no more Fascist than the rest of the Italian population, especially in the 1930s – although the traditionally monarchist officer corps was somewhat more critical of the regime. This is perhaps indicated by the fact that only two battleships (Littorio and Impero), two destroyers (Camicia Neva and Squadrista) and a few other minor vessels bore Fascist names.

Between the two world wars, the Italian navy undertook an expansion programme which, despite the strain it imposed on the state finances, brought it almost to the same level as the French navy, its traditional rival, which is to say to fourth or fifth place in the navies of the world. However, when Italy declared war on France and Great Britain on 10 June 1940, this programme was still two years from completion. Nevertheless, on that date, the Regia Marina had two modernised battleships in commission (two similar ships and two modern ‘35,000-ton’ battleships of the Littorio class were fitting out), seven heavy cruisers, twelve light cruisers, almost sixty destroyers and thirty-five modern torpedo boats, as well as a large underwater arm with 115 operational submarines. This was a balanced group of well-built ships, robust and of recent design but the Italian Navy lacked aircraft carriers which, despite studies in the 1920s and 1930s, were never built because of the mistaken estimation (in particular within the navy itself) of their operational effectiveness in the restricted waters of the Mediterranean.

The lack of aircraft carriers – and of an adequate naval aviation arm – was not the Italian Navy’s only shortcoming in this period. Development of radar and sonar equipment had been neglected, the problems this caused being exacerbated by the limited effectiveness of antiaircraft and other guns designed before the mid-1930s. Hull designs and machinery were, however, generally excellent, granting high speeds but at the cost of endurance owing to high rates of fuel consumption. These deficiencies were not solely due to bad planning by the Regia Marina but largely because of problems in Italian industry, not least the almost ‘cottage industry’ state of the electronics sector.

At the same time, the Regia Marina was also expanding and upgrading its dockyards and naval bases both in Italy and the colonies, but shortage of money prevented this expansion from meeting actual requirements. Likewise, coastal defences could not be upgraded to the extent required. On the other hand, the naval training establishments were expanded, providing excellent training for officers and ratings: at the beginning of 1940 the personnel of the Regia Marina reached the considerable number of 140,000 men (officers, petty officers and ratings), similar to the levels at the end of the First World War.

All this – and much more – is addressed in this volume, representing a wide-ranging descriptive analysis of the Italian Navy, its ships and its organisation in the Second World War. All the ships, from battleships to the small yet effective human torpedoes and assault craft, as well as naval bases and major support infrastructure, are described in this book, enhanced with an impressive number of high-quality photographs and specially-commissioned drawings.

This is certainly the first ‘companion’ of this kind presented to English-language readers who have in recent years demonstrated a growing interest in the Italian Navy whose ships and men, despite frequent bad luck and facing superior numbers, fought gallantly between June 1940 and September 1943.

Erminio Bagnasco
Editor of the Italian monthly magazine
STORIA militare

Aboard the battleship Cesare, on the afternoon of 7 July 1940, the ship’s CO, Capt. Angelo Varoli Piazza, and two ensigns carry the battleship’s battle flag and ensign from the officer’s quarters (where they were usually stowed) up to the signal bridge and to the conning tower shortly before the ship’s departure on the mission that would conclude with the Battle of Punta Stilo on 9 July 1940. (E Bagnasco collection)

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Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents