Italian cargo ship Ramb II 1936-1941 (Calitea 1941-1943), Ikutagawa Maru 1943-1945)

Ramb II. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

HMNZS Leander. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

Call sign ICHN. Homeport Genoa, Italy. Laid downt by Cantieri Riuniti Dell’Adriatrico, Monfalcone, Italy with yard number 1181 on 14 December 1936, launched on 7 June 1937, commissioned on 6 September 1937, requisitioned by Italian navy on 9 April 1940, converted into an auxiliary cruiser at Masawa, Italian Eritrea [since 1936 Italian East Africa], Japan did not permitted that she operated as a commerce raider against British ships in the Indian Ocean out of Japanese harbours, chartered by the Japanese navy as store ship in September 1942, scuttled by own crew in Kobe, Japan on 8 September 1943, refloated by Japanese in 1943 and as Ikutagawa Maru taken into service on 3 October 1943,commissionedas auxiliary transport on 30 November 1943, sunk in an air attack on Indochina on 12 January 1945 and stricken on 5 February 1945. Armament as auxiliary cruiser 4-12cm/14.7” guns and 2-13.2mm.0.62” anti aircraft guns. Owner Ministere dell’Africana Italiana Regio Azienda Monopolio Banane and with her sister ships active in the banana trade between Italy and Italian Somaliland [since 1936 Italian East Africa]. Just like the Ramb I converted into an auxiliary cruiser seeking refugee in Japan was the Ramb I sunk by the New Zealand light cruiser HMNZS Leander on 27 February 1941. 

Dutch ss passenger annex cargo ship Gelria 1913-

Call sign NSWM. Launched by Alexander Stephen&Sons Ltd., Glasgow, Scotland with yard number 454 on 20 May 1913, delivered on 8 October 1913, sold to the Lloyd Triestino S.A. di Navigazione, Trieste, Italy and renamed Gradisca on 29 August 1935, used as troop transport towards Ethiopia in 1935-1936, hospital ship since 1940, seized by the German forces on 11 September 1943, brought to Préveza, Greece where she served as hospital ship, stopped and taken in the Aegean Sea by the British destroyer HMS Kimberley on 28 October 1944, released while she was a hospital ship on 20 January 1945, decommissioned in German service at Venice on 20 March 1945, after the German capitulation handed over to Italy and returned to her owner in 1945. Fitted out with 2-4 cylinder quadruple expansion steam engines with 11.000 ihp allowing a speed of 16 knots. Gross tonnage 13.868 tons, net tonnage 8.121 tons, deadweight 8.260 tons, grain capacity 338.000 cubic feet, bale capacity 357.000 cubic feet and as dimensions 541.1 x 65.8 x 35.3 (depth) feet. Accommodation for 1.444 passengers. Of the N.V. Koninklijke Hollandsche Lloyds, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 

Italy strengthening defence of Italian Eritrea according to the Dutch magazine Marineblad dated 1936 no. 3

An item referred to the Proceedings dated February 1936 reporting that just north of Massaoea, Italian Eritrea batteries of 38cm/15” guns were founded and on the islands outside were 10cm/3.93” and 15,2cm/6” guns placed.

The Italian naval force at Massaoea, Italian Eritrea according to the Dutch magazine Marineblad dated 1936 no. 3

Bari mid 1920s

Taranto around 1930

Quarto

An item referred to the magazine Marine Rundschau dated February 1936 reported that at Massaoea, Italian Eritrea were stationed the old cruisers Bari (1), Taranto (2) and Quarto (3), 5 destroyers, 4 submarines, 4 gunboats, 2 submarine mother ships and other auxiliary ships. There was also a floating dock transported to Massaoea.

Notes
1. Ordered by Russia in 1913 to be built at the shipyard Schichau-Werke, Danzig was she as the Maraviev Amurskyy launched on 11 April a year later. As a result of the outbreak of the First World War on 28 July was she in August seized by Germany and on 14 December commissioned in the German navy as the SMS Pillau. On 5 November 1919 stricken was she on 20 July ceded to Italy under the name ‘U’ and commissioned in Italian naval service as the Bari on 21 January 1924. During her Italian career was she several times modified until in 1943 was she to be converted into an anti aircraft defence ship but sunk on 30 the June as the result of an American air attack in Livorno on the 28th. A year later was she partially broken up by the German forces but after being salvaged on 13 January four years later was she broken up. Her sister ship was the Elbing.
2. Former German cruiser SMS Strassburg of the Magdeburg-class, laid down under the temporarily name Ersatz Condor at the Imperial navy yard, Kiel, Germany in 1910, launched on 24 August 1911, commissioned on 9 October 1912, stricken on 10 March 1920, handed over to Italy at Cherbourg, France under the provisional name “O” in 1920, rebuilt to be used in the Italian colonies in 1936-1937, scuttles at La Spezia, Italy on 9 September 1943, salvaged by German forces, sunk by Allied bombers on 23 October 1943, again salvaged by German forces and for the second time sunk in the outer roads of La Spezia by Allied bombers on 23 September 1944 and finally broken up in 1946-1947.
3. Designed by lieutenant commander Giulio Truccone to be used as a scout cruiser. Laid down at the Regia Marine dockyard at Venice, Italy on 14 November 1909, launched on 19 August 1911, completed in early 1913, commissioned on 31 March 1913, stricken on 5 January 1939, used for weapon tests and finally sunk during tests with a MT explosive motorboat executed in in November 1940.

Italian navy established navy base at Massaouah, main capital of Italian Eritrea according to the Dutch magazine Marineblad dated 1935 no. 5

An item referred to the magazine le Yacht reporting that Italy established a navy base at Massaouah,main capital of Italian Eritrea [nowadays Eritrea]  commanded by an admiral with the supreme command of all ships and services in the East African colonies already existing of future. 

Italian harbour of Assab expanded according to the Dutch magazine Marineblad dated 1937 No. 3

An item referred to the magazine Revista Marittime dated February 1937 reporting that Italy was expanding the harbour of Assab, Italian Eritrea [later Italian East Africa nowadays Eritrea] on large scale, including a jetty900 metres stretching into the sea and 700 metres parallel off the coastline. The berthing quays had a length of 2 kilometres along 6 ships at the same time could be berthed. It was reckoned that within 4 years the works were completed with as building costs 80 million lire.