Carlo Margottini:
Carlo Margottini (Rome, January 19, 1899 - Strait of Sicily,
October 12, 1940) was an Italian Captain.
He served with the Italian Royal Navy (Regia Marina) during
WWI and WWII.
He was among the victims of the sinking of the Destroyer
Artigliere. |
Awards:
Medaglia d'oro al Valore Militare alla Memoria -
Gold Medal of Military Valour in Memory (Cape Passero, 1940)
Medaglia di bronzo al Valore Militare - Bronze Medal of
Military Valour (Ionian Sea, 1940)
Cavaliere dell'Ordine Militare di Savoia - Knight of the
Military Order of Savoy
Destroyer ‚Artigliere’ -
lost on October 13, 1940
sunk by HMS York after being
damaged at the Battle of Cape Passero the previous day
122 survivors, 132 casualties
included the CO, Captain Carlo Margottini
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The Battle of Cape Passero
(Sicily) - October 1940
The Italian commander - Admiral Inigo Campioni - ordered a
force of destroyers to Cape Bon, in case the British
warships were going to Gibraltar. In Campioni's view, it was
too late for the Italian battleships and cruisers to operate
against the convoy. A flotilla of four destroyers and three
torpedo boats were, at the same time, patrolling between 35°
45’ N and 35° 25′N, at about 3 nmi (3.5 mi; 5.6 km) apart,
in full moonlight. The Italian destroyers - all
Soldati-class - were the Artigliere, Camicia Nera, Aviere,
and Geniere. The torpedo boats were the Spica-class Ariel,
Alcione, and Airone.
Torpedo boat action
At 01:37, HMS Ajax was sighted by Alcione, steaming
eastward, 19,600 yd (17,900 m) away on the port side. At
01:48, the three torpedo boats were closing the British
cruiser at full speed. The cruiser was completely unaware of
the enemy approach. At 01:57, Alcione fired two torpedoes
from a range of 1,900 yd (1,700 m). Captain Banfi, commander
of the Italian formation, ordered the flagship Airone to
open fire on the enemy with her 3.9 in (99 mm) guns,
followed by her sister ships. Three rounds hit home, two on
the bridge and the third 6 ft (1.8 m) below the waterline.
Ajax had realized she was under attack, and opened fire on
the nearest torpedo boat - Ariel - while at full speed.
Ariel was shattered by the salvos and sank 20 minutes later,
although she may have been able to fire a torpedo. Captain
Mario Ruta, his second in command, and most of the crew were
killed. Airone was the next Italian ship to be hit. She
managed to launch two torpedoes before being disabled,
catching fire almost immediately, her bridge and upper deck
machine-gunned by Ajax at short range. She sank a few hours
later. Banfi was among the survivors. Then Alcione - the
only Italian warship undamaged - broke contact at 02:03.
Destroyer action
Meanwhile, after manoeuvering during the fighting, Ajax
resumed her course to the eastward. At 02:15, her
fire-control radar detected two Italian destroyers, whose
commander - Captain Carlo Margottini - had sighted the
firing from the south. A radio malfunction had prevented
Margottini from attacking in full strength, when three of
his destroyers had headed north-west, instead of north as
ordered. Aviere was battered by a sudden broadside from the
British cruiser, forestalling a torpedo attack, and was
forced to withdraw southwards, heavily damaged. Artigliere
managed to fire a torpedo and four full 4.7 in (120 mm) gun
salvos at 2,800 yd (2,600 m) before being hit and crippled.
The torpedo missed, but four rounds struck two of Ajax’s
secondary gun turrets and disabled her radar. After
unsuccessfully firing at Camicia Nera, Ajax broke off the
action. She had fired 490 rounds of different calibres and
four torpedoes. Thirteen of her ship's company had been
killed and more than 20 wounded, while the cruiser required
a month of repairs before she returned to active service.
The disabled Artigliere - with her commander and most staff
officers killed - was taken in tow by Camicia Nera. They
were surprised at first light by the cruiser HMS York, which
drove off Camicia Nera before sinking Artigliere. The
survivors were rescued the next day by the Italian Navy.
source: wikipedia |
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