She was commissioned in June 1942 but wasn’t deplyed due to the severe fuel shortage in Italy at the time. Instead she served to bolster the anti-aircraft guns around various coastal cities, where she was severely damaged in June 1943.
After repairs, she sailed in August of 1943 to attack the allied ships during the invasion of Italy, but the armistice with the allies was signed before she could arrive at the scene, and the whole effort was futile. While sailing towards Malta to surrender to the allies, she was attacked by german bombers in three different strikes, and the final blow caused an explosion and she sank. She went down with all 1393 men, including admiral Carlo Bergamini, the Italian fleet commander.
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She was commissioned in June 1942 but wasn’t deplyed due to the severe fuel shortage in Italy at the time. Instead she served to bolster the anti-aircraft guns around various coastal cities, where she was severely damaged in June 1943.
After repairs, she sailed in August of 1943 to attack the allied ships during the invasion of Italy, but the armistice with the allies was signed before she could arrive at the scene, and the whole effort was futile. While sailing towards Malta to surrender to the allies, she was attacked by german bombers in three different strikes, and the final blow caused an explosion and she sank. She went down with all 1393 men, including admiral Carlo Bergamini, the Italian fleet commander.