Italian destroyer Vincenzo Gioberti


Vincenzo Gioberti was one of four s built for the Regia Marina in the mid-1930s and early 1940s. Completed in 1937, she served in World War II. She was sunk on 9 August 1943 by the Royal Navy submarine HMS Simoon, and was the last Regia Marina destroyer to be lost in the war against the Allies.

Design and description

The Oriani-class destroyers were slightly improved versions of the preceding. They had a length between perpendiculars of and an overall length of. The ships had a beam of and a mean draft of and at deep load. They displaced at normal load, and at deep load. Their complement during wartime was 206 officers and enlisted men.
The Orianis were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam supplied by three Thornycroft boilers. Designed for a maximum output of and a speed of in service, the ships reached speeds of during their sea trials while lightly loaded. They carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of at a speed of and at a speed of.
Their main battery consisted of four 50-caliber [120 mm Italian naval gun|] guns in two twin-gun turrets, one each fore and aft of the superstructure. Amidships were a pair of 15-caliber 120-millimeter star shell guns. Anti-aircraft (AA) defense for the Oriani-class ships was provided by four machine guns. The ships were equipped with six torpedo tubes in two triple mounts amidships. Although they were not provided with a sonar system for anti-submarine work, they were fitted with a pair of depth charge throwers. The ships could carry 56 mines.

Fate

Vincenzo Gioberti had conducted 216 war patrols, and had travelled some 74,071 nautical miles.
On 9 August 1943, Vincenzo Gioberti was with the cruiser along with several light cruisers and destroyers passing just west of Punta Mesco near the port of La Spezia. The Royal Navy submarine HMS Simoon spotted the Giuseppe Garibaldi and fired three torpedoes at her, but missed and instead two hit Vincenzo Gioberti. The stern magazine detonated and exploded, and the destroyer broke into two pieces. 105 officers and men died, while 171 were rescued. She was the last Regia Marina destroyer to be lost in the war against the Allies.
The bow section went on and sank about one mile away from the impact, the wreck of which is located at a depth of about 600 metres.