Re Umberto class battleship
Encyclopedia
The Umberto Re class were a group of pre-dreadnought battleships built for the Italian Navy
in the 1880s. All three ships of the class saw service during World War I
in secondary roles.
The guns were British made of the same type as fitted to the Royal Sovereign class battleship
s
. She was built by the Castellammare Naval Shipyard. She was laid down on 10 July 1884, launched on 17 October 1888, and completed on 16 February 1893. She was laid up in Genoa
in 1912 and became a depot ship. Towed to La Spezia
in June 1915, after having been stricken from the Navy List on 10 May 1914, she became a depot ship for the dreadnought Andrea Doria. She was reinstated on 9 December 1915 and became a floating battery at Brindisi
and, later, Valona
, Albania
. In 1918 Re Umberto was tasked to lead the planned assault on the primary Austro-Hungarian naval base at Pola
and modified for the role by the removal of her armament and the addition of eight 3-inch guns with gun shield
s as well as a number of trench mortars. A special saw and cutters were also installed to deal with the harbor boom and net defenses. The war ended before the Italians could carry out the attack and she was stricken on 4 July 1920.
. She was built by the Venice
Naval Shipyard. She was laid down on 3 November 1884, launched on 6 July 1891, and completed on 4 May 1895. She was stricken on 9 July 1914 and became a depot ship at Taranto
before becoming a repair ship during the war. She was stricken again in 1923.
. She was built by the La Spezia Naval Shipyard. She was laid down on 24 October 1885, launched on 20 September 1890, and completed on 16 February 1895. She was stricken on 4 January 1923.
Italian Navy
Italian Navy may refer to:* Pre-unitarian navies of the Italian states* Regia Marina, the Royal Navy of the Kingdom of Italy * Italian Navy , the navy of the Italian Republic...
in the 1880s. All three ships of the class saw service during 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...
in secondary roles.
Description
The first two ships of the class used vertical compound steam engines. They had three funnels, but, unusually, the two forward funnels were side-by-side. , the last ship of the class, slightly larger than her sisters and she was the first Italian ship to use vertical triple expansion steam engines.The guns were British made of the same type as fitted to the Royal Sovereign class battleship
Royal Sovereign class battleship
The Royal Sovereign class was a class of pre-dreadnought battleships of the British Royal Navy. The class comprised seven ships built to the same design: HMS Royal Sovereign, , HMS Ramilles, HMS Repulse, HMS Resolution, HMS Revenge, and HMS Royal Oak, and a half-sister built to a modified design: ....
s
Re Umberto
was named after King Umberto I of ItalyUmberto I of Italy
Umberto I or Humbert I , nicknamed the Good , was the King of Italy from 9 January 1878 until his death. He was deeply loathed in far-left circles, especially among anarchists, because of his conservatism and support of the Bava-Beccaris massacre in Milan...
. She was built by the Castellammare Naval Shipyard. She was laid down on 10 July 1884, launched on 17 October 1888, and completed on 16 February 1893. She was laid up in Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
in 1912 and became a depot ship. Towed to La Spezia
La Spezia
La Spezia , at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the Liguria region of northern Italy, is the capital city of the province of La Spezia. Located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea, it is one of the main Italian military and commercial harbours and hosts one of Italy's biggest military...
in June 1915, after having been stricken from the Navy List on 10 May 1914, she became a depot ship for the dreadnought Andrea Doria. She was reinstated on 9 December 1915 and became a floating battery at Brindisi
Brindisi
Brindisi is a city in the Apulia region of Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, off the coast of the Adriatic Sea.Historically, the city has played an important role in commerce and culture, due to its position on the Italian Peninsula and its natural port on the Adriatic Sea. The city...
and, later, Valona
Vlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
, Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. In 1918 Re Umberto was tasked to lead the planned assault on the primary Austro-Hungarian naval base at Pola
Pula
Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,...
and modified for the role by the removal of her armament and the addition of eight 3-inch guns with gun shield
Gun shield
thumb|A [[United States Marine Corps|U.S. Marine]] manning an [[M240 machine gun]] equipped with a gun shieldA gun shield is a flat piece or section of armor designed to be mounted on a crew-served weapon such as a machine gun or artillery piece, or, more rarely, to be used with an assault rifle...
s as well as a number of trench mortars. A special saw and cutters were also installed to deal with the harbor boom and net defenses. The war ended before the Italians could carry out the attack and she was stricken on 4 July 1920.
Sicilia
was named after the island of SicilySicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. She was built by the 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...
Naval Shipyard. She was laid down on 3 November 1884, launched on 6 July 1891, and completed on 4 May 1895. She was stricken on 9 July 1914 and became a depot ship at Taranto
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
before becoming a repair ship during the war. She was stricken again in 1923.
Sardegna
was named after the island of SardiniaSardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
. She was built by the La Spezia Naval Shipyard. She was laid down on 24 October 1885, launched on 20 September 1890, and completed on 16 February 1895. She was stricken on 4 January 1923.