Nembo off Monaco in 1906 in her original configuration with two funnels.Nembo in 1914 or 1915. just before Italy's entry into World War I. in the three-funnel configuration that resulted from her 1909 modernization.
At various times between 1909 and 1912, each of the Nembo-class destroyers underwent a radical modernization; Nembo′s took place in 1909. Her coal-fired boilers were converted into oil-fired ones, and her original two short, squat funnels were replaced with three smaller, more streamlined ones, profoundly altering her appearance. Her armament also changed, with her original five QF 6 pounder Nordenfelt 57 mm/43 guns replaced by four Cannon 76/40 (3 in) Model 1916 guns, and her original four 356-millimetre (14 in) torpedo tubes replaced by four 450-millimetre (17.7 in) tubes.[2][unreliable source?][3][unreliable source?][4] In 1914–1916 Nembo underwent additional modifications, receiving equipment that allowed her to lay 10 to 16 mines.[2][unreliable source?][4][dead link]
At 04:00 on 14 July 1912, Nembo got underway from Stampalia in the Dodecanese with Borea and Vettor Pisani to provide support to the torpedo boats Astore, Centauro, Climene, Perseo, and Spica as they conducted a reconnaissance of the Dardanelles. The ships first steamed to the Italian-occupied island of Leros in the southern Aegean Sea, where the torpedo boats were prepared for the incursion. They then proceeded to Strati (also known as Bozaba), where they arrived on 17 July 1912 and the officer who would command the torpedo boats during the operation joined the force. Delayed by bad weather, the force left Strati on the afternoon of 18 July bound for the Dardanelles. While Nembo, Vettor Pisani, and Borea remained off the coast out of sight of land, the torpedo boats penetrated the Dardanelles, noting the location of Ottoman ships and the defenses of the strait. Suffering only slight damage and no casualties, the torpedo boats returned to Vettor Pisani during the predawn hours of 19 July 1912.[6][8] The war ended on 18 October 1912 in an Italian victory.
In October 1916 Nembo, Borea, the destroyers Ascaro and Garibaldino, and four torpedo boats provided protection and support to a landing force consisting of Francesco Ferruccio and the steamersAusonia, Bulgaria, Choising, and Polcevera sent to occupy Sarandë (known to the Italians as Santi Quaranta), in the Principality of Albania. At 05:15 on 2 October 1916, four platoons of sailors, a unit of miners, and a unit of personnel from Francesco Ferruccio landed on the beach and quickly occupied the area, the 32 members of the Greek garrison at Sarandë having no option other than to retreat after protesting the Italian operation. After disembarking an infantrybattalion and a cavalrysquadron, the steamers departed at 16:00 on 2 October for Vlorë (known to the Italians as Valona), Albania, where they embarked more troops. On 3 October, Ausonia and Polcevera landed a pack artillerybattery and a second cavalry squadron, and on 4 October the operation was completed when Bulgaria and Choising put another infantry battalion and a third cavalry squadron ashore.[11]
Loss
On 16 October 1916 Nembo, under the command of Capitano di corvetta (Corvette Captain) Russo, left Vlorë to escort the steamer Bormida, which was bound for Sarandë with troops on board.[11] On 17 October, between Vlorë and Sazan (known to the Italians as Saseno) the Austro-Hungarian submarine U-16 attacked the convoy, hitting Nembo with two torpedoes. Nembo broke in two and sank quickly at 40°08′N019°30′E / 40.133°N 19.500°E / 40.133; 19.500 (Nembo).[11][12]U-16 also sank during the clash, although how and why she sank is unclear: According to some sources Nembo rammed U-16 before sinking,[11][13] while other sources claim that Nembo′s depth charges sank U-16 when they exploded after falling overboard while Nembo sank.[14] Still other sources claim that U-16 sank after colliding with Bormida.
Of Nembo′s 55-man crew, 32 died in the sinking, including Russo, the executive officer, the chief engineer, and another engineering officer.[11] Twenty-three men survived,[11] either rescued by Italian ships or swimming to the Albanian coast. Among U-16′s crew, two men died and 14 survived.[12] Of the Italians who survived by swimming to shore, four refused rescue by a lifeboat manned by U-16′s survivors so as to avoid being taken prisoner. After reaching the coast, they contributed to the capture of the Austro-Hungarians in the lifeboat, who were taken prisoner by Italian ships.[15][16][17]
Favre, Franco. La Marina nella Grande Guerra. Le operazioni navali, aeree, subacquee e terrestri in Adriatico (in Italian).{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
