Andromeda Wreck

Andromeda was part of the "Perseo" torpedo boat series, which belonged to the vast "Spica" class, built in the 1930s to modernize such component of the Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy). The design of these units was entrusted to the Naval Projects Inspection Committee. The result was a class of torpedo boats characterized by sober and harmonious lines, as well as functional and rational internal compartmentalization.
After being commissioned in December 1936, the Andromeda underwent a period of intensive training in the Ligurian Sea, then it was sent to the Aegean and in the summer of 1937, it was deployed on five missions to combat wartime smuggling to Spain for the benefit of the Republican government.

The Andromeda was later attached to the "Divisione Scuola Comando" (Command School Division) in Augusta and, after Italy's entry into World War II on 10th June 1940, under the command of Lieutenant Enea Picchio, it performed mainly escort missions for merchantmen transporting troops and supplies from Italy to Libya.
On 29th October, the torpedo boat arrived in Brindisi to be employed in the protection of national steamers used in the transfer of units of the Regio Esercito (Italian Royal Army) assigned to Albania to fight against the Greek troops after Italy had declared war on Greece on 28 October.

Therefore, the Andromeda carried out several escort missions In the following months, operating between the ports of Brindisi and Vlore and Bari and Durres, also carrying out two cannonade raids of the coastal road in the area of Porto Palermo in an attempt to interrupt the flow of troops and supplies to the Greek Army that had managed to penetrate into Albania. After carrying out other war missions in the southern Adriatic under the orders of Lieutenant Corrado Villani, on the evening of 11th March 1941 it docked in Vlore where it remained to increase the anti-aircraft defence of the Italian ships there due to the intensification of attacks by enemy aircraft.

While performing this task, anchored near Karaburun, at 2:00 a.m. on 17th March, the Andromeda was hit on the port side of the funnel by a torpedo launched from a Fairey "Swordfish" single-engine biplane of the 815 Naval Air Squadron of the British Fleet Air Arm which took off from the Greek airport of Paramythia.
The torpedo boat sank within a short space of time with the loss of 49 of the 107 crew members on board at the time, and the wreck still lies, broken in two, at a depth of about 50 metres.

Class: "Spica"
Series: "Persed"
Building site: Ansaldo Shipyard, Sestri West
Construction work start date: 2 October 1935
Launch date: 28 June 1936
Date of Commissioning: 6 December 1936
Sank on: 17 March 1941
Length: 81.95 metres
Width: 8.20 metres
Displacement: 642 tons (empty); 1000 tons (fully loaded)
Armament: 3 x 100 mm cannons in single-shielded plants, 8 x 13.2 mm double machine guns, 4 x 450 mm single torpedo tubes, 2 x grenade launchers, mine-laying chambers
Engine system: two "Arrow" boilers with superheaters; 2 x reduced "Tosi" turbines for overall 19,000 hp; two propellers
Max Speed: 34 knots
Range: 1,892 miles at 15 knots; 683 miles at 30 knots
Crew: 5 Officers; 94 NCOs, rank-and-file officers and commoners.