Italian Adriatic Fleet 1915–18: The Fierce Naval War with Austria-Hungary

80 pages

Rear Admiral Guy Liardet

Cernuschi is a naval historian based in Pavia who has written many books and over 500 articles in Italian, English and French. This is his second book for Osprey, the back cover of which advertises several Italian and Austro-Hungarian titles. This is a slender product of 80 pages and has a number of curious photographs and illustrations.

This readership will be familiar with the history of the outbreak of the First World War but perhaps not so much about this off-centre side-show. Both the Central Powers and the Entente tried to bribe Italy with promises of post-war territorial awards. When on 1 August 1914, Germany declared war on Russia, Rome informed Europe’s capitals and the United States of the country’s neutrality. Additionally, the British, because of historical friendship and banking interests with Vienna, tried to wean Austria-Hungary away from German intentions, but Britain and France half-heartedly declared war on the Hapsburgs on 14 August. However, as the war progressed it badly affected Italy’s economy with huge falls in coal, raw materials and wheat imports, causing social disturbances.

Heavy Hapsburg artillery on the Western Front, and the mobilisation with German help of 10 new divisions, prompted the Entente to conclude the Treaty of London with Italy on 26 April 1915, with further promises of post-war dividends at Vienna’s expense. The objective being the absorption by Italy of a proportion of German military power. And so followed the bloody campaign in the mountains, the catastrophe of Caporetto and the battles along the Isonzo (the young Erwin Rommel establishing a reputation.)

What of the war at sea?  This book describes how Austria-Hungary woke up to naval necessities in 1907, starting to build dreadnoughts and to exercise control over the Adriatic. It deals with the totality of Italian shipbuilding and maritime strategy, but of course its main discourse is about the scrappy and rather chaotic series of Adriatic operations.  Much courage and ingenuity is displayed by the small torpedo craft (‘MAS’) and valiant efforts to support the army were often effective. There’s an interesting chapter about intelligence gathering and embedded spy networks on both sides with double agents reminiscent of tales by Somerset Maugham.

The Conclusion says that the Adriatic Sea is similar in size and shape to the Dover Strait and the Channel, and, between 1915 and 1918, 24 actions were fought there (three French) while the Italians fought 48, not including shore bombardments. During these surface actions, the Kriegsmarine lost two dreadnoughts, one coastal pre-dreadnought, 10 scouts, 24 destroyers, eight torpedo boats and a guardship. The Allies had 22 warships damaged (two British light cruisers) 13 scouts and destroyers and several MAS and torpedo boats.  The adjective ‘fierce’, as applied to the subtitle here, is probably justified.

In the Aftermath, “Italy’s indispensable naval tool was worn out and obsolete in comparison to the return en pleine forceof the Royal Navy at Malta with its new class of superdreadnoughts.”

Recommendation? I found it rather hard going. It’s possibly easier in Italian. It will be of interest to some as a reference, perhaps.