HOME

fighting ships of the world

ITALY

CONVERTED MERCHANT VESSELS

armed merchant cruisers of WWI

more than 1000 t

Name

Launched // Comm.

Builder

Tonnage, BRT

Dimensions, m

(length pp)

Speed, kts

Engine, Power hp

Armament

Fate

Caprera 1910 // 1915 Italy 1825 93.0x11.0 14 2VTE, 3800 2-120/40, 4-76/40 sunk 5.2.1918
Città di Bengasi 1917 // 1917 Ancona 3052 96.5x12.7 14 2VTE, 3697 4-120/40 returned 12.1918
Città di Cagliari 1910 // 1915 Italy 2161 86.8x11.2 14 2VTE, 3850 2-120/40, 2-76/40 returned 2.1919
Città di Catania 1910 // 1915 Ansaldo, Genova 3261 110.8x12.8 20 3turbines, 13620 4-120/40, 2-76/40 returned 12.1918
Città di Messina 1910 // 1915 Odero, Sestri Ponente 3495 110.8x12.8 20 3VTE, 12500 4-120/40, 2-76/40 sunk 23.6.1916
Città di Palermo 1910 // 1915 Odero, Sestri Ponente 3414 110.8x12.8 20 3VTE, 12000 4-120/40, 2-76/40 sunk 8.1.1916
Città di Sassari 1910 // 1915 Italy 2167 86.5x11.3 14 2VTE, 4500 2-120/40, 2-76/40 sunk 1.12.1917
Città di Siracusa 1910 // 1915 Odero, Sestri Ponente 3650 110.8x12.8 20 3VTE, 12000 2-120/40, 6-76/40 returned 12.1918
Misurata 1888 // 1915   2690       1-120/40, 2-76/40 sunk 3.5.1917
Porto di Suez 1883 // 1918 Greenock, UK 1320 76.1x9.7   1VTE, 1000 1-120/40, 2-76/40 returned 4.1919
Porto Torres 1901 // 1918   1163 67.1x9.2 13 1VTE, 1140 1-120/40, 2-76/40 returned 12.1918
Tocra 1901 // 1915 Leith, UK 2864 102.9x12.5   3500 2-120/40, 2-76/40 returned 9.1919
Tolemaide 1899 // 1915 Aberdeen, UK 2690 100.6x12.5   2500 2-120/40, 2-76/40 returned 12.1918
Umberto I 1878 // 1915 Macmillan, Dumbarton, UK 2822   12 3000 1-120/40, 2-76/40 sunk 14.8.1917

100 - 1000 t

F. D. Guerrazzi (1912, 637, 2-76/40, 1915-5/1919); Porto Maurizio (1885, 848, 1-120/40, 2-76/40, 1918-8/1919)

Project history: Merchant ships converted to armed merchant cruisers and boarding ships.

Modernizations: None.

Naval service: Caprera was sunk 5.2.1918 in Western Mediterranean (Spanish waters) by gunfire of German submarine U64. Città di Messina was torpedoed 23.6.1916 in the Straits of Otranto by Austrian submarine U15. Città di Palermo was sunk 8.1.1916 by a mine laid by German submarine UC14. Città di Sassari was torpedoed 1.12.1917 by German submarine U65 off Cape Mele. Misurata was torpedoed 3.5.1917 in central Mediterranean. Umberto I was sunk by torpedo 14.8.1917 near Gallinaria Is.

 

 

© Ivan Gogin, 2014