History
Units of this class were heavily operated in escort duties between Italy and Northern Africa, or in antisubmarine patrols. Some units were still incomplete when Italy signed armistice of Cassibile, and were damaged by Italians, or captured from Germans, completed and reclassified as "Torpedoboote Ausland" (Foreign Torpedo-boat).
Aliseo, with Carlo Fecia di Cossato in command, was protagonist of a famous action when, in 9 september 1943, destroyed seven german ships near the port of Bastia, Corsica. Aliseo had cleared the port en route to Malta in order to follow Allied orders in Cassibile armistice about cease fire and ending of the hostilities between Allied Forces and Italy, followeb by her sister ship Ardito, but noticing her under German fire from coastal batteries, ships in port and some units under sail, she inverted her course and started to pepper the eleven German o German-controlled units. As a result, the two submarine chasers UJ 2203 (ex french Minerva) and UJ 2219 (ex french Insuma), escorting armed barges F 366, F 387, F 459, F 612 and F 623, together with Luftwaffe sloop FL B. 412, were disabled and foundered, while Humanitas and Sassari, two italian steamships fallen in German hands, were disabled. During action, Aliseo was supported by sloop Cormorano and some other coastal battery that have been recaptured by Italians and, under orders of Italian military commander of Bastia port, started to fire with her three 100 mm cannons at German ships at 07:06; in doing so, she was immobilized at 07:30 by an 88mm shot that temporarily disabled her motors but, having quickly repaired the damage, at 08:20, destroyed UJ 2203; afterwards, after ten minutes of heavy fire, destroyed UJ 2219, and further three armed barges, while other two where shored after having sustained heavy damage; the Luftwaffe ship was scuttled with the help of Cormorano. For this action, her captain was given the highest italian military decoration, Gold Medal of Military Valor
Five units survived the war, to be transferred to USSR, Greece and Yugoslavia as reparation for war damages. None was left in service with Marina Militare italiana.
Read more about this topic: Ciclone Class Torpedo Boat
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