View source for Italian aviso Diana

{{short description|Ship of the Italian Regia Marina in World War II}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
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|Ship image= File:Diana Italian Sloop 1942.jpg
|Ship image size= 250px
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country= [[Kingdom of Italy]]
|Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|Kingdom of Italy|naval}}
|Ship name= ''Diana''
|Ship owner=
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder= [[Cantieri Navali del Quarnaro]], [[Fiume]]
|Ship laid down= 31 May 1939
|Ship launched= 20 May 1940
|Ship acquired=
|Ship completed= 12 November 1940
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=
|Ship fate= Sunk by {{HMS|Thrasher|N37|6}}, 29 June 1942
|Ship notes=
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Ship class=
|Ship type= Fast [[aviso]]
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|1764|t|LT|abbr=on|lk=on}} standard{{sfn|Fraccaroli|1968|p=95}}
* {{convert|2591|t|LT|abbr=on}} full load{{sfn|Fraccaroli|1968|p=95}}
|Ship length= *{{convert|113.9|m|ftin|abbr=on}} [[Length overall|o.a.]]{{sfn|Chesneau|1992|p=316}}
* {{convert|108.75|m|ftin|abbr=on}} [[Length between perpendiculars|p.p.]]{{sfn|Chesneau|1992|p=316}}
|Ship beam= {{convert|11.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}}{{sfn|Chesneau|1992|p=316}}
|Ship draught= {{convert|3.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}}{{sfn|Chesneau|1992|p=316}}
|Ship power= *4 × [[three-drum boiler]]s, 2 × [[geared turbine]]s
* {{convert|30000|shp|lk=in}}{{sfn|Chesneau|1992|p=316}}
|Ship propulsion=2 shafts
|Ship speed= {{convert|32|kn|mph km/h|lk=in}}{{sfn|Fraccaroli|1968|p=95}}
|Ship range= <!-- {{convert|000|nmi|km|abbr=on}} -->
|Ship complement=
|Ship sensors=
|Ship armament=*2 × [[Cannon 102/35 Model 1914]] guns
* 6 × [[Breda Model 35|Breda 20/65 mod. 35]] [[Anti-aircraft warfare|AA]] guns
|Ship armour=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
{{Campaignbox Mediterranean Naval WW2}}

'''''Diana''''' was a [[Aviso|fast aviso]] ({{langx|it|avviso veloce}}) or [[Sloop-of-war|sloop]] of the Italian {{lang|it|[[Regia Marina]]}} which served during the [[Second World War]]. Originally designed as a [[yacht]] and [[despatch vessel]] for the Italian [[Prime Minister of Italy|Head of Government]], she was converted for military use.

== Construction ==
[[File:Avviso Veloce Nave Diana.jpg|thumb|left|Plans of the Italian sloop ''Diana'']]
Diana was laid down on 31 May 1939 at the [[Cantieri Navali del Quarnaro]] in [[Fiume]], launched on 20 May 1940 and completed on 12 November 1940. The planned main armament consisted of two [[Cannone da 90/53#Naval version|90/50]] guns, modern [[anti-aircraft]] weapons used on the latest Italian battleships but eventually a pair of old [[Cannon 102/35 Model 1914|102/35]] 4-inch guns was fitted in their place. Six 20&nbsp;mm [[Breda Model 35|Breda 20/65 mod. 35]] guns completed the anti-aircraft defence. During the war ''Diana'' was used as fast transport for valuable cargo.{{sfn|Fraccaroli|1968|p=95}}

== Second World War ==
The ship left Messina, Italy on 28 June 1942 to bring material and personnel to Tobruk, a city recently reconquered by the Axis forces.
In what he described as his "most satisfactory patrol" in the Mediterranean, in June 1942, Sir Hugh Mackenzie, Commander of the British submarine {{HMS|Thrasher|N37|6}}, reported that on their way back to Alexandria, north of Tobruk, they received a signal about an Axis ship which was due in the area at 12 O'clock on the following day and that it was vitally important to sink it (presumed to be ''Diana''). The ship wasn't sighted the following day, but during the night, they received another signal about the same ship going to be in a certain position at 12 O'clock on the following day, and; that it was vitally important to sink the ship. The ship was carrying petrol for an Axis offensive.

== 29 June 1942 ==
[[File:Gulf of Bomba.png|thumb|{{center|Gulf of Bomba}}]]
On 29 June 1942, about {{cvt|75|nmi}} north of the [[Gulf of Bomba]], {{cvt|100|nmi}} north-west of Tobruk, ''Diana'' detected the launch of four torpedoes.{{sfn|Fraccaroli|1968|p=95}} ''Thrasher'' had fired the torpedoes, two of which were avoided with a quick turn but the other two exploded aft causing ''Diana'' to sink in less than 15 minutes at 33° 30'N and 23° 30' E.{{sfn|Rohwer|2005|p=176}}{{sfn|Brown|1995|p=66}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lavocedelmarinaio.com/2018/06/29-6-1942-erasmo-franciosa-e-laffondamento-del-regio-avviso-veloce-diana/ |title=29.6.1942, Erasmo Franciosa e l'affondamento del regio avviso veloce Diana |website=La Voce del Marinaio on lavocedelmarinaio.com |date=29 June 2018 |publisher=Carlo Di Nitto |access-date=13 July 2018}}</ref>{{sfn|Cernuschi|Brescia|Bagnasco|2010|p=44}} Some of the escort boats, after having failed to sink ''Thrasher'', rescued survivors. Later, between 29 and 30 June, the hospital ship ''Arno'' arrived, which took care, albeit in rough seas, of the recovery of the 119 survivors; 336 members of the crew had been killed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://alternathistory.com/avizo-diana |title=Авизо "Диана" |website=Alternate History on alternathistory.com |date=17 April 2016 |publisher=byakin |access-date=13 July 2018}}</ref>
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==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|20em}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Brown |first=David |title=Warship Losses of World War Two |year=1995 |orig-year=1990 |publisher=Arms and Armour Press |location=London |edition=2nd rev. |isbn=978-1-85409-278-6}}
* {{cite book |first1=Enrico |last1=Cernuschi |first2=Maurizio |last2=Brescia |first3=Erminio |last3=Bagnasco |title=Le navi ospedale italiane 1935–1945 |trans-title=Italian Hospital Ships 1935–1945 |year=2010 |publisher=Albertelli |location=Parma |isbn=978-8-88-737286-1}}
* {{cite book |editor-last=Chesneau |editor-first=Roger |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946 |publisher=[[Conway Maritime Press]] |year=1992 |orig-year=1980 |edition=3rd |isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
* {{cite book |last=Fraccaroli |first=Aldo |title=Italian warships of World War 2 |publisher=[[Ian Allan Publishing|Ian Allan]] |location=London |year=1968 |oclc=464456943}}
* {{cite book |first1=Jürgen |last1=Rohwer |title=Chronology of the War at Sea, 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two |date=2005 |orig-date=1972 |publisher=Chatham Publishing |location=London |edition=3rd rev. |isbn=1-86176-257-7}}
{{refend}}

{{WWII Italian ships}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Diana}}
[[Category:1940 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built in Italy]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in June 1942]]
[[Category:World War II naval ships of Italy]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by British submarines]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Ships of the Regia Marina]]