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Gorizia

1931 WORLD WAR 2

History of Gorizia

The Italian Navy "Regia Marina" designed the Zara class as a light cruiser under the Washington Naval Treaty, a 1922 treaty signed by the five great powers after World War I to encourage a new naval arms race to hinder . Limit the number of capital ships that can be built per ship and limit the displacement of other types. The treaty was signed by Britain, France, Italy, Japan and the United States.

Two signatories, Italy and Japan, quickly withdrew from the treaty to build ships, regardless of the 10,000-ton displacement clause.

Regia Marina wanted the heavy cruiser class, so the light cruiser class "Zara" was rebuilt and upgraded on the drawing board as a protected cruiser design, then expanded back to the desired heavy cruiser class. Gorizia, which means "little hill" in Italian, was commissioned on December 31, 1931 as the last ship of the Zara class, the heaviest cruiser seen during the upcoming World War II.

Neighboring France, of course, took notice of their arrival - in fact, many naval experts considered the class to be one of the best designs of its time due to its combination of weapons and armor protection, even with reduced speed.

Gorizia has the latest 8 x 8.0 in (203 mm)/53 caliber main guns, secured by 4 x 25 ton turrets, each with two guns, two in the front and two in the rear. The 8-inch gun can fire 275-pound armor-piercing rounds at 34,400 yards (31,500 m) at 45 degrees for "dash fire". Secondary armament consists of 16 x 3.9" (100 mm) 47 caliber AA (anti-aircraft guns) and eight twin turrets - four to port and four to starboard, arranged in typical battleship fashion.

Gorizia's Limited Fire Control System (FCS) ) and limited altitude, so tracking approaching attack aircraft did not meet expectations according to the final design. The transition from biplanes to more agile monoplanes gave the aircraft an advantage during this historical period.

The armor of the entire Zara class was the heaviest of any cruiser at the time, as the double armor belt was 5.9 inches (150 mm) thick - a configuration typically used for large capital ship fleets. To protect against direct fire, Gorizia's deck was protected with 2.75 in (70 mm) armor and an additional 20 mm armor plate to protect the upper deck.

The turret consists of a 5.5 inch (140 mm) armored main turret and 4, 7 inch (120 mm) plates on the auxiliary turrets. The turret has 5.5 to 5.9 in (140 to 150 mm) armor plates.

Gorizia did not take part in the decisive naval battle of Cape Matapan, 27-29 March 1941. However, the battle cast a shadow over the Zara class. The Italian battle fleet went to sea to attack the British fleet. Paula was torpedoed by a British aircraft and stopped in the water.

She then radioed for help, and the rest of the 1st Division, including cruisers Zara and Fiume and her destroyer screen, aided Pola at flanking speed. As night fell, damaged Italian ships were being repaired. The British fleet in the area, consisting of three battleships, some cruisers and destroyers, was equipped with radar, but Zara did not. On a moonless night, British ships of the Italian fleet managed to go undetected within 3,000 yards and opened fire - sinking 2 destroyers and 3 Zara cruisers, and killing most of their crews.

Gorizia was being held at the Taranto Naval Base at the time when news broke that the disaster affected her sister ship.

Gorizia was involved in a number of other naval battles of the war, including the Battle of Taranto (11-12 November 1940), when torpedo bombers from British aircraft carriers first attacked the moored Italian combat fleet at Taran To port. Italy lost 1 battleship and 2 damaged, while Britain lost 2 aircraft. The Imperial Japanese Navy used this attack model to plan the December attack on the Americans at Pearl Harbor. The First Battle of Sirte (17 December 1941) was inconclusive, while the Second Battle of Sirte (22 March 1942) resulted in the loss of 9 British battleships and 1 Italian battleship in need of repairs end.

The Battle of Cape Teulada (November 27, 1940) was not actually a real naval battle, as the fleet had no contact with the British, and the Italian fleet lost several aircraft, and the battle ended in a draw.

Gorizia was recalled to La Maddalena Naval Base for repairs. On April 10, 1943, a British aircraft carrier attacked the base, bombarding numerous installations, further damaging Gorizia. After the air raid, she was transferred to La Spezia for an overhaul. On September 8, 1943, Italy signed an armistice with the Allies, and the German Navy wanted Italy to turn their backs on them while they took over Gorizia. The British became aware of the German plan and began the task of sinking the cruiser.

The operation was named QWZ to attack the Italian cruisers Bolzano and Gorizia.

The group selected for the attack was a new British Manned Torpedo Detachment, joined by members of the disbanded Italian 10th Light Manned Fleet "Maiale" Torpedo Squadron. On June 26, 1944, British and Italian teams sailed into the port of La Spezia in a British submarine. Four combat vehicles, which the British called manned torpedo "chariots," were fired and entered the port, placing their ammunition under Gorizia's hull. The charges vanished and she sank at her mooring, preventing the Germans from using her.

She only grew up after the war in 1946, and her hull was scrapped in the following years.