Cacciatorpediniere Classe Sauro

Sauro class destroyers

The Nazario Sauro class was one of the first Italian destroyers built after the WWI, a design based on the previous Sella class but with a greater displacement, with 6 meters more in length and almost a meter beamer. In this greater hull, the Sauro class incorporated a new more complex bridge, two twin turrets for the 120mm guns, and two triple 533mm torpedo launchers; they were equipped with mine rails to launch 52 mines. The vessels of the Sauro class also included a lightly armoured redoubt, an unusual feature in destroyers.

The Sauro class armament was at a level with the destroyers then building in the main Navies of the world. They were an important point in the develop chain that concluded in the building of the successful Turbine class. It was a four unit class, ordered in 1924 when the Sella class was still in the dockyards and the units of the class were finished in 1926 and 1927.

Though the larger dimensions they maintain the structural flimsiness and the deficiencies in sea keeping of the Sellas. In the year of 1935 they were refitted and then they received equipment for tropical acclimatization and with other minor adjustments.

After the refit they were selected, together with the Leone class of scouts and other minor units to colonial service at the Red Sea, in the East African colony of Eritrea. They were there until the beginning of the hostilities in 1940.
When the war started on the units of the third Squadriglia were isolated in the Red Sea Theatre without any type of maritime communication with Italy; but they begun patrols to interdict the British trade in the Red Sea without success. At the time Masawa surrendered to British troops during the East African Campaign in 1941 the Italian vessels were isolated and without a base and then they performed a non return attack to the British colony of Port Sudan. Numerous ships were lost against aerial attacks and the rest were scuttled by their crews.

Units name and hull identification

The Sauro class in the service of the Regia Marina

Nazario Sauro: laid down in 1924 by Odero-Sestri Ponente, launched in 1926 and commissioned in 1927. She was lost in the Red Sea in 1941, sunk by British aircraft after the fall of Eritrea.

Cesare Battisti: laid down in 1924 by Odero, launched in 1926 and commissioned in same year. She was lost in the Red Sea in 1941, sunk by their crew after the fall of Eritrea by British troops in the East African Campaign.

Daniele Manin: laid down in 1924 by C.N.Q. of Fiume, launched in 1927 and commissioned in same year. She was lost in the Red Sea in 1941, sunk by air attack after the fall of Eritrea by British troops in the East African Campaign.

Francesco Nullo: the cacciatorpediniere Nullo was laid down in 1924 by C.N.Q. of Fiume, launched in 1925 and commissioned in 1927. Francesco Nullo was lost in the East African coast of Red Sea in 1940, sunk by gun fire by British destroyer HMS Kimberley.

CLASSE NAZARIO SAURO