Italian destroyer Bersagliere (1938)

	Bersagliere
History
Kingdom of Italy
Name	Bersagliere
Namesake	Bersaglieri
Builder	Cantieri Navali Riuniti, Palermo
Laid down	21 April 1937
Launched	3 July 1938
Completed	1 April 1939
Fate	Sunk by aircraft, 7 January 1943
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type	Soldati-class destroyer
Displacement	1,820–1,850 long tons (1,850–1,880 t) (standard); 2,450–2,550 long tons (2,490–2,590 t) (full load);
Length	106.7 m (350 ft 1 in) (o/a); 101.6 m (333 ft 4 in) (p/p);
Beam	10.15 m (33 ft 4 in)
Draught	3.15–4.3 m (10 ft 4 in – 14 ft 1 in)
Installed power	3 Yarrow boilers; 48,000 shp (36,000 kW);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 geared steam turbines
Speed	34–35 knots (63–65 km/h; 39–40 mph)
Range	2,340 nmi (4,330 km; 2,690 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement	206
Armament	2 × twin 120 mm (4.7 in) guns; 1 × 120 mm (4.7 in) star shell gun; 8 × 20 mm (0.8 in) AA guns; 2 × triple 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes; 2 × depth charge throwers; 48 mines;

Bersagliere was one of nineteen Soldati-class destroyers built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Completed in early 1939, she was one of the last of the first batch of a dozen ships to enter service.

Design and description

The Soldati-class destroyers were slightly improved versions of the preceding Oriani class.^[1] They had a length between perpendiculars of 101.6 meters (333 ft 4 in)^[2] and an overall length of 106.7 meters (350 ft 1 in). The ships had a beam of 10.15 meters (33 ft 4 in) and a mean draft of 3.15 meters (10 ft 4 in) and 4.3 meters (14 ft 1 in) at deep load.^[3] The Soldatis displaced 1,830–1,850 metric tons (1,800–1,820 long tons) at normal load, and 2,450–2,550 metric tons (2,410–2,510 long tons) at deep load.^[4] Their wartime complement during was 206 officers and enlisted men.^[2]

Bersagliere was powered by two Belluzzo geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam supplied by three Yarrow boilers.^[2] Designed for a maximum output of 48,000 shaft horsepower (36,000 kW) and a speed of 34–35 knots (63–65 km/h; 39–40 mph) in service, the Soldati-class ships reached speeds of 39–40 knots (72–74 km/h; 45–46 mph) during their sea trials while lightly loaded. They carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 2,340 nautical miles (4,330 km; 2,690 mi) at a speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) and 682 nmi (1,263 km; 785 mi) at a speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph).^[4]

Bersagliere's main battery consisted of four 50-caliber 120-millimeter (4.7 in) guns in two twin-gun turrets, one each fore and aft of the superstructure. On a platform amidships was a 15-caliber 120-millimeter star shell gun.^[5] Anti-aircraft (AA) defense for the Soldatis was provided by eight 20-millimeter (0.8 in) Breda Model 1935 guns.^[4] The ships were equipped with six 533-millimeter (21 in) 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 48 mines.^[2]

Service

In early 1943, Italian destroyers, including Bersagliere, took part in regular supply missions to Tunisia, taking replacement troops from Italy to Africa and carrying wounded and Prisoners of War back to Italy on the return trips.^[6] On 7 January, Bersagliere was bombed and sunk in Palermo harbour during an air raid by American B-24 bombers.^[6]^[7]

Citations

^ Brescia, p. 127
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Roberts, p. 300
^ Whitley, p. 169
^ ^a ^b ^c Brescia, p. 128
^ Fraccaroli, p. 55
^ ^a ^b Rohwer and Hümmelchen 1992, p. 188
^ Shores et al., p. 690.

Bibliography

Brescia, Maurizio (2012). Mussolini's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Regina Marina 1930–45. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-544-8.
Fraccaroli, Aldo (1968). Italian Warships of World War II. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0002-6.
Roberts, John (1980). "Italy". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. New York: Mayflower Books. pp. 280–317. ISBN 0-8317-0303-2.
Rohwer, Jürgen; Hümmelchen, Gerhard (1992). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945. London: Greenhill Books. ISBN 1-85367-117-7.
Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
Shores, Christopher; Massimello, Giovanni; Guest, Russell; Olynyk, Frank & Bock, Winfried (2012). A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940–1945. Vol. Two: North African Desert February 1942 – March 1943. London: Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-909166-12-7.
Smigielski, Adam (1995). "Italy". In Chumbley, Stephen (ed.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 195–218. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2: An International Encyclopedia. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-85409-521-8.