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Remembered Today:

Royal Navy operating Italian railway guns in the Adriatic area


nicktamarensis

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Hi,

I'm carrying out some research for a project and have come across a piece of contemporary artwork which is supposedly showing RN men under Italian command operating rail mounted guns on the Adriatic coast against attacks from the KuK navy.

I can't find any evidence to back this up. Is there any?

Cheers,

Nick.

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"No American, French, Italian or Russian coat artillery action is known" Hogg - Allied Artillery of WW One (although the Russians did fire on RN ships in 1919/20)

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Artwork here and was sourced from the Getty Images.

There's also an Italian flag flying and what might be an Italian officer i/c.

184249622.jpg?v=1&g=fs2%7C0%7Ceditorial1

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Looks as if the artist has borrowed from the photo of an Anglo Belgian armoured train of 1914

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Have you any idea what the original picture would have been? Presumably RND at Antwerp?

Nick.

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Well, if not the RND then another BEF unit working with the Belgians.

I'm just intrigued as to what the original picture was that allegedly inspired the Italian piece of art.

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I can remember seeing accounts of the Italians operating some armoured trains for the defence of the Adriatic coast - mainly as fast response to potential raids rather than as coastal artillery but IIRC there was nothing about the RN being involved and I could find no photos

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Thanks very much for the images and digging for facts. It looks as if some generous interpretation has been employed in the subject matter of the painting!

Nick.

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Yes if you look at the first and last of the photos I provide links to you can see how the same track side pylon is used in Belgium and Italy What a coincidence :whistle:

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Nice one Sherlock! Splendid deerstalking!

Many thanks - every picture tells a (tall) story !!!.

I think I'll drop Getty Images a line!

Nick.

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  • 1 month later...

Looking through a 20 plus year old copy of Cross and Cockade this morning I came across some details on the armoured trains operated by the Italian Navy on the Adriatic coast. (see post 10) They were not unlike the RN/Belgian trains in general layout but with fold down sides to provide a firing platform when halted. They also carried light AA guns. One is credited with the capture of a KuK flying boat

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