Bakar mockery
Encyclopedia
The Bakar mockery was an escapade of the Italian Navy (Regia Marina
) in the last year of World War I
. Whilst it had little material effect on the war at sea, it was a particularly bold venture which had a welcome effect on Italian morale, which was at a low ebb following the defeat at Caporetto
a few months previously.
and Britain
against the Central powers, Austria-Hungary
and Germany. Italy’s campaign on land against the Austrian army had been stalemated for two and a half years, with little movement, though at the cost of huge casualties.
At sea an equality with the Austro-Hungarian Navy
in capital ships had led to a deadlock, with neither side wishing to risk their loss; thus the war at sea in the Adriatic was a contest of small ships, of raids and patrols, of sudden actions by night, and of losses to mines and submarines. In this arena the Italian Navy had developed a commando
force of fast torpedo boats
, the MAS, which attracted men with a buccaneering spirit.
In November 1917 the deadlock was upset by an Austrian offensive, supported by German forces made available by the collapse of the Russian front. In the battle of Caporetto the Italian army was defeated, and in a period of three weeks the front was pushed back 50 miles, to within striking distance of Venice
.
, in Croatia
) a port in an enclosed bay (the Bay of Bakar
) near Fiume, at the head of the Kvarner Gulf
.
As it lay 80 km into a sheltered waterway, it was thought to be beyond attack, so the raid was intended as a psychological, as well as a physical, assault.
The operation was led by Capitano di Fregata
Costanzo Ciano
, and comprised three MAS boats, with a total crew of 30 men. One of the boats, MAS 96, was commanded by Lt Luigi Rizzo
, who later led the assault on the battleship SMS Szent Istvan
off Premuda. Also on board was Gabriele D’Annunzio, the poet.
On 10 February 1918 the three MAS boats, under tow by torpedo boat
s to conserve fuel, and escorted by two destroyers and a scout, set out from their base and at 10 pm, after 14 hours sailing, entered the Farasina channel, the waterway between Istria
and the island of Cherso (now Cres
).
Several hours later, having evaded Austrian patrols and the shore batteries at Porto Re (now Kraljevica
), the flotilla arrived outside the Bay. The MAS boats slipped their tows, and entered, as their escort withdrew. Closing with their targets the three fired their torpedoes, a total of six. However their boldness was not rewarded, and the torpedoes scored no hits; five became entangled in nets, or otherwise failed to explode, while the sixth exploded harmlessly, raising the alarm.
Despite the alert, however the MAS boats were able to escape, and, making a dash down the channel, regained the open sea where they were re-united with their escort.
In this it resembled the Doolittle raid
on Tokyo in the Second World War, and prefigured the Flight over Vienna
, D’Annunzio’s air raid on the Austrian capital.
The Bakar Mockery was celebrated in several booklets at the time, and was heavily publicized by D’Annunzio, who realised its propaganda value.
Regia Marina
The Regia Marina dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification...
) in the last year of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Whilst it had little material effect on the war at sea, it was a particularly bold venture which had a welcome effect on Italian morale, which was at a low ebb following the defeat at Caporetto
Battle of Caporetto
The Battle of Caporetto , took place from 24 October to 19 November 1917, near the town of Kobarid , on the Austro-Italian front of World War I...
a few months previously.
Background
In World War I Italy was allied to FranceFrance
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 Britain
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
against the Central powers, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
and Germany. Italy’s campaign on land against the Austrian army had been stalemated for two and a half years, with little movement, though at the cost of huge casualties.
At sea an equality with the Austro-Hungarian Navy
Austro-Hungarian Navy
The Austro-Hungarian Navy was the naval force of Austria-Hungary. Its official name in German was Kaiserliche und Königliche Kriegsmarine , abbreviated as k.u.k. Kriegsmarine....
in capital ships had led to a deadlock, with neither side wishing to risk their loss; thus the war at sea in the Adriatic was a contest of small ships, of raids and patrols, of sudden actions by night, and of losses to mines and submarines. In this arena the Italian Navy had developed a commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
force of fast torpedo boats
MAS (boat)
Motoscafo Armato Silurante , commonly abbreviated as MAS was a class of fast torpedo armed vessel used by the Regia Marina during World War I and World War II...
, the MAS, which attracted men with a buccaneering spirit.
In November 1917 the deadlock was upset by an Austrian offensive, supported by German forces made available by the collapse of the Russian front. In the battle of Caporetto the Italian army was defeated, and in a period of three weeks the front was pushed back 50 miles, to within striking distance 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...
.
Action
The Bakar raid was conceived by the Italians as an attack on Austrian shipping in the harbour at Buccari (now BakarBakar
Bakar ) is a town in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County in western Croatia. The population of the town is 1,566 , while the population of the municipality is 7,773. 90% declare themselves Croats . The old part of Bakar is situated on a hill overlooking the Bay of Bakar...
, in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
) a port in an enclosed bay (the Bay of Bakar
Bay of Bakar
Bay of Bakar is located on the Croatian Adriatic coast, within the Gulf of Kvarner. There are two towns centered on bay of Bakar: Bakar and Kraljevica. While Bakar and Kraljevica are port towns, in outback of bay of Bakar there are the industry zones and free zones of Kukuljanovo. The bay itself...
) near Fiume, at the head of the Kvarner Gulf
Kvarner Gulf
The Kvarner Gulf ); sometimes also Kvarner Bay, in Italian Quarnaro or Carnaro) is a bay in the northern Adriatic Sea, located between the Istrian peninsula and the northern Croatian seacoast....
.
As it lay 80 km into a sheltered waterway, it was thought to be beyond attack, so the raid was intended as a psychological, as well as a physical, assault.
The operation was led by Capitano di Fregata
Frigate Captain
Frigate captain is a naval rank in the naval forces of several countries.It is, usually, equivalent to the Commonwealth/US Navy rank of commander.Countries using this rank include Argentina and Spain , France , Belgium , Italy ,...
Costanzo Ciano
Costanzo Ciano
Costanzo Ciano, 1st Count of Cortellazzo and Buccari was an Italian naval commander and politician. He was the father of Galeazzo Ciano....
, and comprised three MAS boats, with a total crew of 30 men. One of the boats, MAS 96, was commanded by Lt Luigi Rizzo
Luigi Rizzo
Luigi Rizzo, Conte di Grado e di Premuda was an Italian naval officer. He is famous for sinking the Austro-Hungarian battleship SMS Szent István in June 1918.-Biography:...
, who later led the assault on the battleship SMS Szent Istvan
SMS Szent István
SMS Szent István was a dreadnought , the only one built in the Hungarian part of Austria-Hungary. The Ganz & Company's Danubius yard in Hungarian-owned Fiume was awarded the contract to build the battleship in return for the Hungarian government agreeing to the 1910 and 1911 naval budgets...
off Premuda. Also on board was Gabriele D’Annunzio, the poet.
On 10 February 1918 the three MAS boats, under tow by torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
s to conserve fuel, and escorted by two destroyers and a scout, set out from their base and at 10 pm, after 14 hours sailing, entered the Farasina channel, the waterway between Istria
Istria
Istria , formerly Histria , is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner...
and the island of Cherso (now Cres
Cres
Cres is an Adriatic island in Croatia. It is one of the northern island in the Kvarner Gulf and can be reached via ferry from the island Krk or from the Istrian peninsula ....
).
Several hours later, having evaded Austrian patrols and the shore batteries at Porto Re (now Kraljevica
Kraljevica
Kraljevica is a town in the Kvarner region of the country of Croatia, located between Rijeka and Crikvenica, approximately thirty kilometers from Opatija and near the entrance to the bridge to the island of Krk...
), the flotilla arrived outside the Bay. The MAS boats slipped their tows, and entered, as their escort withdrew. Closing with their targets the three fired their torpedoes, a total of six. However their boldness was not rewarded, and the torpedoes scored no hits; five became entangled in nets, or otherwise failed to explode, while the sixth exploded harmlessly, raising the alarm.
Despite the alert, however the MAS boats were able to escape, and, making a dash down the channel, regained the open sea where they were re-united with their escort.
Aftermath
Despite the lack of material success, the raid was a considerable fillip to Italian morale, as well as a psychological blow to the Austrians.In this it resembled the Doolittle raid
Doolittle Raid
The Doolittle Raid, on 18 April 1942, was the first air raid by the United States to strike the Japanese Home Islands during World War II. By demonstrating that Japan itself was vulnerable to American air attack, it provided a vital morale boost and opportunity for U.S. retaliation after the...
on Tokyo in the Second World War, and prefigured the Flight over Vienna
Flight over Vienna
The Flight over Vienna was an epic action performed by Italian poet and nationalist patriot Gabriele D'Annunzio on 9 August 1918. With 11 Ansaldo S.V.A...
, D’Annunzio’s air raid on the Austrian capital.
The Bakar Mockery was celebrated in several booklets at the time, and was heavily publicized by D’Annunzio, who realised its propaganda value.