Year 1929
In 1929, despite the fact that over the years the number of visits had been reduced, at the beginning of June, for the Feast of the Statute (and for this reason the Gran Pavese is displayed), the Destroyers of the Regia Marina Nembo and Euro arrived in port, returning from a cruise in Spain and accompanied by the Navy Musical Band.
In the same year also the submarine of the Regia Marina Giovanni da Procida visited Sanremo.
It too "exhibits" the Gran Pavese and may have been part of the Naval Team that visited at the beginning of June, for the Feast of the Statute, with the Caccia Nembo and Euro and the Cruisers Pesanti Trento and Trieste.
The Trento Heavy Cruiser had been built in the Orlando Shipyards in Livorno to be launched in 1927 and entered into service in 1929 (so when he came to visit Sanremo he was "fresh" from Service!!!).
It was the first Unit built in Italy respecting the limitations of the Treaty of Washington.
It turned out to be a fast Unit but not very protected and not easy to handle.
In 1937 it underwent important modifications in the armament.
In 1940 it took part in the "Battle of Punta Stilo" and the "Battle of Capo Spartivento".
On 11th November 1940 it suffered an air attack in the port of Taranto, the tragic "Night of Taranto", by the British Air Force who studied Japanese tactics at Peral Harbour.
In 1941 he took part in the "Battle of Cape Matapan" and the destruction of an enemy naval convoy of 7 ships.
It was sunk, in 1942, by a torpedo launched by a British submarine.
(Characteristics : Displacement p.c. 13,548 tons. Speed 35 knots. 50 mm protection. (bridge) to 100 mm. (Tower and Artillery). Armament: 8 Pieces of 203/50 mm.; 16 Pieces of 100/47 mm.; 4 Machine guns of 40/39 mm.; 4 Machine guns of 12,7 mm.; 8 Torpedo tubes of 533 mm.; 3 PIAGGGIO aeroplanes P 6)
The Trieste Heavy Cruiser (Twin Unit of Trento) was built at the Trieste Technical Plant, set up in 1925, launched in 1926 and also entered service in 1929.
In May 1929 it completed a cruise from La Spezia to Barcelona together with the Trento. In 1935 she was temporarily the flagship of the 3rd Division (a role usually assigned to the Trento).
During the Second World War, from the first months of 1940 until 10 April 1943, when she was sunk, she carried out several missions, taking part in some of the main operations and battles in the Mediterranean Sea and carrying out indirect convoy escort missions, with no significant success.
On the contrary, on 21st November 1941, while she was at sea (together with Trento, Gorizia and the VIII Division), escorting a convoy to Libya, she was hit by a torpedo launched by the submarine HMS Utmost. It suffered serious damage that immobilized it and only after an hour and a half it was possible to leave again to return to Messina with difficulty.
After the repairs it received a camouflage livery.
On 10th April 1943, while it was at anchor on La Maddalena, the base was attacked by 84 U.S. bombers targeting Trieste and Gorizia as well as submarines.
The Trieste was hit by more than 120 bombs which caused its sinking with the loss of 77 men.
Its wreck was recovered in 1950 and sold to Spain who wanted to use it, rebuilding it as an aircraft carrier, but the project was not followed and the hull was later demolished.
(Technical characteristics: Displacement p.c. 13.885 tons; Speed and Armament as for the Trento.)
(photo Dino Taulaigo and additional information taken from external sources)