Italian destroyer Luca Tarigo

Luca Tarigo

Company type	Destroyer
Industry	Naval military
Founded	1928
Headquarters	Genoa , Italy
Products	Warship (Navigatori-class destroyer)

Luca Tarigo belonged to a group of twelve s constructed for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) during the late 1920s. Entering service in 1929, she was active throughout World War II.

Design and description

The Navigatori-class destroyers were conceived as a response to the sizeable French destroyers of the and classes. These vessels measured an overall length of 107.3 metres (352 ft), with a beam spanning 10.2 metres (33 ft), and an average draft near 3.5 metres (11 ft). Their displacement was approximately 1,900 tons at standard load, increasing to around 2,580 tons when fully loaded. The wartime crew complement ranged between 222 and 225 personnel.

Propulsion was provided by a pair of Parsons geared steam turbines, each connected to a propeller shaft and powered by steam from four Odero-Terni-Orlando water-tube boilers. These turbines were engineered to deliver 55,000 shaft horsepower (41,000 kW), enabling an operational speed of about 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph); however, during trials under light load, speeds reached between 38 knots (70 km/h; 44 mph) and 41 knots (76 km/h; 47 mph). Fuel capacity allowed for a cruising range near 3,800 nautical miles (7,000 km; 4,400 mi) at a steady pace of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph).

Armament comprised six 120 mm Ansaldo Model 1926 guns arranged in three twin turrets: one positioned forward, one aft, and the third amidships. For anti-aircraft defense, the ships carried two single-mounted 40 mm AA guns located beside the forward funnel, complemented by two twin mounts housing Breda Model 1931 machine guns of 13.2 mm caliber. Offensive capability included two triple banks of 533 mm torpedo tubes situated amidships, while mine-laying capacity ranged from 86 to 104 mines.

World War II

Initially assigned to the XIV Destroyer Squadron, Tarigo operated from bases in Taranto, later relocating to Trapani and Palermo. Its primary roles involved escorting rapid troop transport convoys along the Naples-Palermo-Tripoli corridor and conducting mine-laying operations.

During the night of 7–8 October 1940, Tarigo, alongside the Vivaldi class destroyers and da Noli, deployed a minefield near Cape Bon. This minefield subsequently led to the sinking of the British destroyer Hyperion.

At approximately 8 a.m. on 12 October, Tarigo departed Messina with two section units and cruisers from the III Division (Trento, Trieste, Bolzano) aiming to assist vessels engaged in the Battle of Capo Passero. Upon determining that no rescue was necessary for the surviving ships, this group continued searching for British forces until after midday but failed to locate them.

Between the night of 7 and 8 January 1941, in company with the destroyers Vivaldi, Da Noli, Malocello, and torpedo boats Vega and Sagittario, she laid two minefields—designated "X 2" and "X 3"—each containing 180 mines off Cape Bon.

On 22 January, alongside Vivaldi, Da Noli, and Malocello, she relieved destroyers Freccia and Saetta in escorting troopships Marco Polo, Conte Rosso, Esperia, and Victoria along the Naples-Trapani route. Despite an attack by HMS submarine Unique targeting the transport Esperia, which went unnoticed, the convoy safely reached Tripoli on the 24th.

From 5 to 7 February, together with destroyers Freccia and Saetta—joined on the 6th by light cruiser Bande Nere—she escorted a convoy comprising troop transports Marco Polo, Conte Rosso, Esperia, and Calitea from Naples to Tripoli. She also provided escort on the return journey between 9 and 11 February.

Between 3 and 6 March, she accompanied a supply convoy destined for the Deutsches Afrikakorps from Naples to Tripoli, alongside destroyer Freccia and torpedo boat Castore. The convoy included steamers Arta, Adana, Aegina, and Sabaudia.

On 1 April, departing Naples for Tripoli, she formed part of an escort group with destroyers Euro and Baleno and torpedo boats Polluce and Partenope. The convoy consisted of troop transports: Esperia, Conte Rosso, Marco Polo, and Victoria. The convoy arrived at its destination on the following day.

On the evening of 13 April, under the command of frigate captain Pietro De Cristofaro (born in Naples on 1 September 1900), she led as head escort for convoy "Targio," which included steamers loaded with ammunition, fuel, vehicles, tanks, troops, and equipment for the Afrika Korps: steamers ‘‘Arta’’, ‘‘Adana’’, ‘‘Aegina’’, ‘‘Iserlohn’’, and ‘‘Sabaudia’’. Accompanying her were smaller destroyers ‘‘Lampo’’ and ‘‘Baleno’’. The convoy was scattered by adverse weather during the night of 14–15 April but was subsequently regrouped. It was then detected by British reconnaissance aircraft.

At approximately 2:20 a.m. on 16 April near the Kerkennah shoals off Tunisia’s coast, four British destroyers—HMS ‘‘Jervis’’, HMS ‘‘Janus’’, HMS ‘‘Nubian’’, and HMS ‘‘Mohawk’’—launched a surprise attack against the convoy. In the ensuing fierce engagement, vessels including ‘‘Sabaudia’’, ‘‘Aegina’’, ‘‘Iserlohn’’, ‘‘Arta’’, ‘‘Adana’’, as well as destroyers ‘‘Lampo’’ and ‘‘Baleno’’ were heavily damaged or stranded on shoals. As British forces targeted from behind, ‘‘Tarigo’’ led the defense as the final ship assaulted; she reversed course to counterattack alone against four enemy destroyers.

During maneuvers to mount this counteroffensive, she suffered a direct hit beneath her bridge that destroyed command systems; Commander De Cristofaro sustained fatal injuries resulting in leg amputation, while numerous crew members were killed or wounded. Despite this, stern steering controls were engaged, bringing her within several hundred meters of British ships. The intense battle inflicted multiple hits setting her ablaze, disabling weaponry, devastating machinery (with chief engineer Luca Balsofiore blinded by an explosion yet remaining at De Cristofaro’s side until death), decimating her crew. A survivor group led by sub-lieutenant Ettore Besagno managed to operate one remaining torpedo launcher complex. The torpedoes launched struck HMS ‘‘Mohawk’’ twice, sinking it with a loss of 41 sailors.

The confrontation resulted in Commander De Cristofaro’s death along with seven other officers lost or missing; only three out of eleven officers survived aboard ‘‘Tarigo,’’ leaving just 36 crew members alive overall. Both De Cristofaro and Chief Engineer Balsofiore were posthumously awarded the Gold Medal for Military Valor.

Throughout its wartime service, ‘‘Tarigo’’ completed approximately thirty missions covering nearly eighteen thousand miles at sea.

In 1950–1951, divers from MICOPERI (Minio Contivecchi Recuperi) located the wreck at shallow depth and partially dismantled it to salvage valuable metals.

Commanding Officers

Frigate Captain Pietro De Cristofaro (born in Naples on 1 September 1900) (+) (1 November 1939 – 16 April 1941)

Further Reading

• Ando, Elio (1978). "The Italian Navigatori Class, 1928". In Preston, Antony (ed.). Super Destroyers. Warship Special. Vol. 2. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-131-9.
• 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 (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.
• Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War 2: An International Encyclopedia. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-85409-521-8.

External Resources

• Luca Tarigo official page at Marina Militare website