Otaria was one of five Glauco-class submarines built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) during the early 1900s. The boat served in World War I and ceased service in 1918.

Construction and career

Otaria was laid down on 10 May 1905 at the Regio Arsenale at Venice, launched on 25 March 1908 and completed on 1 July 1908.[1] She was employed as a training ship in the Tyrrhenian Sea.[2]

After an intensive training,[2] in August 1914 the submarine was assigned to the 4th submarines squadron based in Venice[3] and put under the command of Lieutenant Emanuele Ponzio.[4] At the start of the First World War for Italy the ship was re-assigned to the 1st submarines squadron based in the Adriatic Sea and was employed as a defensive unit in the Gulf of Venice.[2]

In June 1916 Otaria was deployed in Taranto, forming a separate unit combined with the twin submarine Glauco[5] and later in January 1917 he was transferred again in Venice and assigned to the 2nd submarines squadron.[6]

In December of the same year the submarine was transferred in Porto Corsini and later in 1918 disarmed and demolished.[5]

Throughout the war, the Otaria had carried out a total of 46 defensive missions.[2][5]

References

  1. ^ "Otaria (6103605)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "Regio Sommergibile OTARIA" (in Italian). Retrieved 2021-02-21.
  3. ^ Favre, pp. 64-98.
  4. ^ Favre, pp. 103-164
  5. ^ a b c "Classe Glauco (1903)" (in Italian). 5 February 2008. Retrieved 2021-02-21.
  6. ^ Favre, p. 206.

Bibliography

  • Favre, Franco (2008). La Marina nella Grande Guerra. Le operazioni aeree, navali, subacquee e terrestri in Adriatico (in Italian). Gaspari Editore. ISBN 978-88-7541-135-0.
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