BARLETTA (Italy)

[yorkieman]

BARLETTA with the destroyers FOLGORE and TURBINE in 1942

BARLETTA
1931, 1975grt
Cant. Riuniti dell'Adriatico, Monfalcone (248) for 'Puglia' S.A. de Nav., Bari
1932 to 'Adriatica'
5/1940 requisitioned into Royal Italian Navy as the AMC / convoy escort D.16
Bombed and caught fire in the German air raid on Bari on 2/12/1943,
refloated 1947 and towed to Monfalcone for repairs in 1948
Broken up at Trieste 1/1965

FOLGORE
Destroyer from Partenopei shipyard in 1932, 1220 disp., 38 knots, 4 x 4.7 inch guns

TURBINE
Destroyer from Odero shipyard in 1927, 1092 disp., 36 knots, 4 x 4.7 inch guns

and fuller details from Nereo in Trieste ...
BARLETTA

During 1937, with the alias RIO and under the Spanish Nationalist flag, employed as AMC during the blockade against the Republican Spain.
On 31.9.1937 she captured the British tanker BURLINGTON and handed her over to the Spanish.

In 1942 she is dazzle painted (this gives an idea of the date of your photo).

9.9.1962 laid up at Trieste
1963 scrapped at Trieste

FOLGORE
2.12.1942 sank by HMS SIRIUS south of Sicily, whilst escorting a convoy Palermo-Bizerte.

TURBINE
28.10.43 TA14 (German)
18.6.44 damaged by British assault crafts (?) and towed to Salamina.
15.9.44 sank under air attack at Salamina.

[E28]

The cruisers Sirius, Argonaut and Aurora with the new Q class destroyers Quentin and Quiberon formed force Q.
They left Bone at 1700 on 1st Dec with the express intention to intercept the Italian - German convoy H, transitting from Palermo to Bizerte.
It was to turn into a disaster for the axis ships, amongst whose escort was the destroyer Folgore, mentioned above.