In the sinking of the Roma, at least 1,393 men lost their lives out of a crew of 2021 units (including the staff of the CC.FF.NN.BB.).
In October 2009, our Honorary President, Com. Pier Paolo Bergamini, concluded the research on the actual list of Roma casualties.
The limited edition publication was dedicated to the "Acorazado Roma Memorial Hall" located in the former hospital of the island of Rey in Mahon.
The behavior of the Roma personnel, as evidenced by the testimonies given by the ship's veterans to the Special Commission of Inquiry (CIS), which is appointed whenever the sinking of one of our war units occurs for war reasons, was exemplary from the very beginning. departure of the ship from La Spezia.
There were many episodes of self-denial to save the wounded or seriously burned comrades, as well as the work of the officers and non-commissioned officers who, with their safety and tranquility, managed to maintain calm and order in the areas affected by the bombs and fires that have developed.
Many lost their lives to help their comrades who were trapped in areas of the ship hit and from which they could not find escape. When it became clear that the battleship was about to sink, the officers and non-commissioned officers directed the personnel towards the stern, helping the most seriously wounded.
Lieutenant Agostino Incisa della Rocchetta (Director of Firing of the 90 mm anti-aircraft guns, on the left side), despite being horribly burned in the face and hands, at the risk of his own life reached the Admiral Bridge to try to bring his help . When he arrived in Plancia he found that there was no one on Plancia's wings and that the watertight doors of access to the tower were closed from the inside. (In fact, at the order "combat post" all the watertight doors were closed from inside the premises). Lacking the strength he was unable to open them from the outside. He then moved towards the stern and, having arrived here, he ordered, as an officer of the highest ranking Staff Corps, the abandonment of the ship, shouting "Long live Italy, long live the King", as soon as he realized that there was no chance of salvation.
Admiral Biancheri reports on the abandonment of Rome in his “Report”: “I approach in order to pass close to the large wounded ship and which the smoke partially hides. I call the Machine Gun Squadron and order them to come and help. On Rome, the order must have been given to abandon ship, because I see people heading towards the stern: without running, in perfect order. Abruzzi and Garibaldi defile on either side of the dying Admiral, greeting her with extreme emotion ”.
Command in Chief of the FF.NN.BB.
Battleship Rome
Summary
26 survivors recovered and perished from severe burns were buried in the cemetery of Mahon. I'm:
Marò Onofrio Amato
Marò Achille Barbaglia
TV Guido Caputi
SC. Cesare Colombari
Marò Tobia Colombo
Mec. Giorgio Fabbris
Marò Angelo Ferrante
SC Giovanni Giannuzzi
Marò Michele Grima
gunsmith gunsmith Domenico Lucchiari
TV Danilo Medanich Delimiro
2nd CC Giuseppe Nenz
SC. Gino Pastina
CF Manlio Petroni
STD Giuseppe Porciatti
FS Giovanni Ravera
Marò Giovanni Santamaria
Ser. C. Pietro Di Sarcina
Cann. Alfredo Schiavio
Marò Nicola Tobacco
Marò Carmelo Vergari
FA Ezio Zocchi
Note - In the cemetery of Mahón the tombstones show 4 and not 5 unknown persons (three have their own tombstone, while a fourth unknown figure in the same tombstone with Angelo Ferrante) ._ cc781905-5cde-3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ A. Catalano Gonzaga writes that he does not having been able to identify 5 casualties, but it can be seen that one of the 5 has been identified by others, because also Com. Marini in his Final Report, annex 3, lists 4 unknown persons .