THE WARSHIP GIOVANNI DA VERRAZZANO

In 1930 the Italian Navy named a navigator class warship Giovanni da Verrazzano, the most notable characteristic of which was the very high cruising speed for that period (38 knots). The ship was on active duty in the whole of the Mediterranean. In 1936-37 it intervened in the Spanish Civil War and during the Second World War it covered the area of the Mediterranean south of Sicily and in the Aegean Sea, participating in the bombardment of the coast of Greece and Albania. The end of this fine ship came on October 19th 1942. The Giovanni da Verrazzano left the port of Naples with a convoy of 8 other ships sailing for the north coast of Africa taking supplies to the Italian troops fighting alongside the German troops under the leadership of General Rommel. The whole convoy was intercepted and attacked by the English P37 submarines and during this violent battle the Verrazzano was hit and consequently sank in the area south of the island of Lampedusa. The lack of supplies to the troops in Africa determined their defeat in the Battle of El Alamain on November 4th 1942.

Dimensions: Length: 107,7 m - Width: 10,2 m
Water line: 4,2 m
Speed: 38 knots
Equipment: 6 heavy guns 120/50 2 heavy guns 40/39 4 machine guns 13,2 mm. 6 rocket lanunchers: 533 mm.
Crew 173