I just want to share an experience I just had on my vacation to the Lake Garda in Italy. On a rainy day I went to see the Vittoriale (http://www.vittoriale.it) in Gardone. The Vittoriale is the estate of italian soldier/poet/daredevil Gabriele d'Annunzio. I had never heard of him before the visit, so expected nothing but a nice old house and a park. But it turns out, that the estate also contains a war museum which among other things includes a perfectly restored MAS 96 - a torpedo boat from WWI.
MAS (Motorbarca Armata SVAN) where SVAN is Società Veneziana Automobili Navali is a common name for the Italian torpedoboats. As a torpedoboat-fanatic, I have long been waiting for the rumoured Italeri MAS500 1/72 model known from WWII, to include in my torpedoboat-model-collection - but I had never heard of earlier MAS. The MAS96 is from WWI and was used by Gabriele d'Annunzio in the (in Italy) well-known Beffa di Buccari (Buffari-prank). Italy was inferior to the Austro-Hungarian empire, but d'Annunzio wanted to show that they were still capable of attacking them. So he gathered 3 MAS and a volunteer crew to sail to the then Austro-Hungarian controlled bay of Buccari (now Croatia). They easily passed the coastal defences who never expected the Italian to sail so far, and fired a total of 6 torpedos (2 from each boat) against some merchant ships in the harbour. 5 of the torpedo were caught in nets but the 6th exploded although not doing much damage. Before calmly and provokingly leaving at slow speed although now under fire from the coastal batterys, d'Annunzio left 3 tricolore-covered bottles in the water with messages to the Austro-Hungarians not to feel safe! The boats all returned safely and although the prank had no military significance, it boosted morale greatly in Italy end reinforced d'Annunzios reputation as a much admired hero.
After the war, the boat was handed over to d'Annunzio who first used it to sail the Lake Garda, but later built a house on his estate where it was displayed - and this is where it still can be seen. The two Isotta-Fraschini engines have been removed and are displayed next to the boat along with a series of pictures and descriptions (in Italian).
From the Buffari prak d'Annunzio got the idea to his motto "Memento Audere Semper" (remember always to dare) as another meaning to the abbreviation MAS - and from then on used as the motto for the italian torpedo corps and submarine chasers. The motto covers the outside of the building.
Below some pictures of the boat. If you have a torpedoboat interest and is near the Lake Garda, I can only recommend a visit! :)
Here is a link to give you a little background on these craft in WW1
http://worldatwar.net/chandelle/v1/v1n2/adriatic.html
Dave G
The PT Dockyard
http://www.ptdockyard.com
Hello everybody,
Here are some more details; since I'm interested in everything re the Black Sea theater of operations, with emphasis on the Romanian / German / Italian Navies, ships / subs, this is one topic which interests me also:
1. MAS 1 - the beginning (in Italian) (http://www.naviecapitani.it/gallerie%20navi/navi%20militari%20storiche/schede%20navi/M/mas%20I.htm)
2. Here is a very good site (http://navyworld.narod.ru/MAS.htm) re all the MAS / VAS / MC / Torpedo Boats / Cannon Boats / Patrol Ships /etc. It is in Russian - if somebody needs a translation, I could provide one.
3. Some MASs have been used in the Romanian Navy / WW I, Black Sea:
- M1 (ex-MAS268), later VAS1;
- M2 (ex-MAS273), later VAS2;
Please tell me if you need more (specific) infos.
Enjoy!
dan
The former Regia Marina MAS sold to the Rumanian navy post-war were:
MAS 268, Rumanian M1/VAS1;
MAS 273, Rumanian M2/VAS2 (both of the US-built ELCO 44-ton type);
MAS 348, Rumanian M3/VAS3;
MAS 349, Rumanian M6/VAS6;
MAS 350, Rumanian M4/VAS4;
MAS 351, Rumanian M7/VAS7;
MAS 373, Rumanian M5/VAS5 (these 5 were 44-ton ELCOs built under licence in several Italian yards).
All the Rumanian boats were discarded in 1931-32.
@de domenico,
Thank you for your comments / Grazie tanto per i suoi commenti!
Una bella giornata,
dan