World War II Naval Forces: The Regia Marina Italia


Figure 1.--This AP pressphoto was taken January 23, 1941 at a time when the United States was still neutral. The caption read, "A lesson about the sea: A non-commissioned officer of the Italian Royal Navy conducts a class for Fascoist youngsters bent on being sailors. The boys are 'sons of the wolf," or Balillas in the Fascist youth organization. They get gtheir name, 'Balilla' from a Genoese youth, Gian Battista Perasso, nucknamed Balilla, who on Sec. 5, 1746, during the War oif Succession, started a revolt that forced Austrian troops to leave Genoa.".

The Mediterranean became an active theater of war when Italy entered the war (June 1940). Italy had a modern fleet and with France out of the War, out-gunned the beleagered Royal Navy for control of the Mediterranean. The Italian fleet supported by air bases in Libya, Sicily, and Italy posed a formidable challenge. The Regia Marina was the most powerful element of the Italian armed forces. Mussolini had devoted considerable resources on the Regia Marina. The fleet was modern and well built, but untested. Vessels were not as well armored as British vessels, but were fast. There were two basic weakeneses. The Itlalians had no aircraft carrierts and their ships were not equipped with radar. Italian airbases in part reduced the British advantage in carriers. Radar by 1941 was being introduced on German ships, but there has appears to have no rush to provide this technology to the Italians as part of the Axis alliance despite the fact tht the Germans were encouraging the Italians to close with the Royal Navy. And the British Enigma program provided critical intelligence on the movement of the fleet. The Italians were not anxious to challenge the Royal Navy at the onset of the campaign. Much of the fleet, especially its battleships were kept in port, primarily at the Toranto naval base. The personnel of the Regia Marina wa better prepsared than Army personnel, but without the traditions of the Royal Navy.

Foundation

The Italian Royal Navy (Regia Marina Italia) was founded after the creation of the Kingdom of Italy (1861). The Regia Marina was formed from the navies of the various states that united to form the new Italian kingdom. The Kingdoms of Sardinia and Naples had the largest navies. There were difficulties uniting the different navies and their traditins.

Italian Fleet

Italy had a modern fleet albeit with serious weknesses. With France out of the War, out-gunned the beleagered Royal Navy for control of the Mediterranean. The Italian fleet supported by air bases in Libya, Sicily, and Italy posed a formidable challenge. The Regia Marina was the most powerful element of the Italian armed forces. Mussolini had devoted considerable resources on the Regia Marina. The fleet was modern and well built, but untested. Italy's ships were not as well armored as British vessels, but were fast. Italian crusiers in particular were lighty amored. and particularly importnt, they did no have radar. Italian vessel contruction before the War focused on fast ships with long-range artillery. Italian naval guns tended to have smaller calibers and as a result longer ranges than comparable Royal Navy ships. Higher speeds were achieved through lighter armor. Ships had fire-control systems based on rangefinders. When Mussolini declred war, the Refia Marina was not prepared for battle (June 10, 1940). Only two battleships were combat ready (the Conte di Cavour and Giulio Cesare). Crew training was still underway on Littorio and Vittorio Veneto. The other battleships (Caio Duilio and Andrea Doria would take several months toready for combat. The Italian cruiser fleet was especially important. There were 7 heavy cruisersand 12 light cruisers. The other combat ships included 120 destroyers and torpedo boats and over 100 submarines.

Weaknesses

There were two basic weakeneses. The Itlalians had no aircraft carrierts and their ships were not equipped with radar. Italian airbases in part reduced the British advantage in carriers. Radar by 1941 was being introduced on German ships, but there has appears to have no rush to provide this technology to the Italians as part of the Axis alliance despite the fact tht the Germans were encouraging the Italians to close with the Royal Navy.

Air Support

The Regia Marn's air support was provided by the Italian Air Force Auxiliary to the Navy (Aviazione Ausiliara per la Marina). They were responsible for land-based aircraft, shore-based hydroplanes, and hydroplanes of Italian Navy.

Intelligence

And the British Enigma program provided critical intelligence on the movement of the fleet. The Royal Navy was as a result able to read Italian encryipted messages throught during the critical period in which the key Mediterranen battles were fought.

Spanish Civil War (1936-39)

The Regia Marina was deployed during the Spanish Civil War to support the Italian Corps of Volunteer Troops (Corpo Truppe Volontarie). The Regia Marina deployed 58 submarines against Republican naval forces. The Regia Marina's submarines were grouped into the Submarine Legion (Sottomarini Legionari) and worked with German U-boats as part of Operation Ursula. The Germans at this time was just activating a submarine force as until negotiating a Naval Treaty with Britain (1935), they were prohibited from having submarines by the Versailles Treaty.

World War II

The Mediterranean became an active theater of war when Italy entered the war (June 1940). The ininial British concern after the fall of France was a possible German invasion. The British did not, however, withdraw from the Meditteranean. This was a difficult choice for Primeminister Churchill. His sollution was Force H. It was stationed at Gibraltar and thus could play a role in both the western Mediterannean and eastern Atlantic s well was in siling range for the Channel if the Grmns invaded. The Supermarina (Naval Head Quarter) for its part was not anxious to challenge the Royal Navy at the onset of the campaign. Much of the fleet, especially its battleships were kept in port, primarily at the Toranto naval base. The Regia Marina primary strategy was to maintain a a Fleet in being. This forced the British to deploy in the Mediterranean that were badly needed in the vital struggle against the U-boats in the North Atlantic. Forfunately for Britain, before the Royl Navy destroyed th RM, the Germans still had a reltively limited U-boat force.

Personnel

The personnel of the Regia Marina was better prepared than Army personnel, but without the traditions of the Royal Navy. Historians tend to criticize the Supermarina. The Regia Marina's crews and individual captains in many cases demonstrated both courage and skill, but were restrained by the Supermarina's basically hesitant strategy and reluctance to challenge the Royal Navy.

Sources

Sadkovich, James J. The Italian Navy in World War II (Contributions in Military Studies).






CIH -- WW II







Navigate the CIH World ar II Section:
[Return to Main World War II Mediterranean naval campaign page]
[Return to Main World War II navies pasge]
[Return to Main Italian World War II page]
[Return to Main World War II page]
[About Us]
[Aftermath] [Biographies] [Campaigns] [Children] [Countries] [Deciding factors] [Diplomacy] [Geo-political crisis] [Economics] [Home front] [Intelligence]
[POWs] [Resistance] [Race] [Refugees] [Technology] [Totalitarian powers]
[Bibliographies] [Contributions] [FAQs] [Images] [Links] [Registration] [Tools]
[Return to Main World War II page]
[Return to Main war essay page]
[Return to CIH Home page]




Created: 5:04 AM 4/3/2008
Last updated: 7:57 AM 5/20/2016