Italian destroyer Garibaldino

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Garibaldino was a Soldato-class destroyer of the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Navy). Named after the “Redshirts,” volunteers who followed Giuseppe Garibaldi, she was built by Gio. Ansaldo & C. in Genoa. Laid down on 23 October 1905, she was launched on 12 February 1910, completed on 1 June 1910, and commissioned that June.

She measured about 395–424 tons, with a length of ~64–65 meters, a beam of 6.1 meters, and a draft of 2.1 meters. Garibaldino used two steam engines with three Thornycroft boilers, producing around 6,000 ihp for a top speed of 28.5 knots. She started with coal fuel (95 tonnes) and later burned fuel oil (65 tonnes). Her range was about 1,500 nautical miles at 12 knots or 400 nautical miles at 23.5 knots. The crew numbered about 55. Armament included four 76 mm guns, three 450 mm torpedo tubes, and 10 mines.

Italo-Turkish War (1911–1912)
Garibaldino served in the 2nd Squadron’s 4th Destroyer Division with Bersagliere, Granatiere, and Lanciere. She was the first ship to enter the port of Tripoli, demanding its surrender. She patrolled and blockaded Tripoli as part of the fleet. In January 1912, Garibaldino, Artigliere, and Piemonte went to the Red Sea to hunt Ottoman ships. On 7–8 January 1912, at the Battle of Kunfuda Bay, the Italians sank three Ottoman gunboats and forced others to beach. Şipka was captured as a prize and towed to Massawa, later serving Italy as Cunfuda. Garibaldino returned to Italy in June 1912; the war ended with an Italian victory on 18 October 1912.

World War I
When World War I began, Italy joined the Allies in 1915. Garibaldino was part of the 3rd Destroyer Squadron based at Brindisi, alongside Artigliere, Bersagliere, Lanciere, and Corazziere. On 24–25 May 1915 she patrolled the upper Adriatic; on 29 May and 7 June 1915 she helped bombard the Adria Werke chemical plant at Monfalcone. On 23 February 1916 she escorted ships to Durazzo (Durazzo). In October 1916 she supported Albanian landings at Sarandë (Santi Quaranta), ferrying troops and aiding occupation.

Fate
Garibaldino sank on 16 July 1918 after a collision with the British trawler HMT Cygnet off Villefranche-sur-Mer, France. She was the only destroyer of her class to be lost in the war.