History
Kingdom of Italy
Name	Lanciere
Namesake	Lancer
Builder	Cantiere navale di Riva Trigoso
Laid down	1 February 1937
Launched	18 December 1938
Completed	25 March 1939
Fate	Sank in a storm, 23 March 1942
General characteristics (as built)
Class & type	Soldati-classdestroyer
Displacement	1,820–1,850long tons (1,850–1,880 t) (standard) 2,450–2,550 long tons (2,490–2,590 t) (full load)
Length	106.7 m (350 ft 1 in) (o/a) 101.6 m (333 ft 4 in) (p/p)
Beam	10.15 m (33 ft 4 in)
Draught	3.15–4.3 m (10 ft 4 in – 14 ft 1 in)
Installed power	3Yarrow boilers 48,000 shp (36,000 kW)
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 gearedsteam turbines
Speed	34–35knots (63–65 km/h; 39–40 mph)
Range	2,340 nmi (4,330 km; 2,690 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)
Complement	206
Armament	2 × twin120 mm (4.7 in) guns 1 ×120 mm (4.7 in)star shell gun 8 ×20 mm (0.8 in)AA guns 2 × triple 533 mm (21 in)torpedo tubes 2 ×depth charge throwers 48mines

Lanciere was one of nineteenSoldati-classdestroyers built for theRegia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Completed in early 1939, she was one of the last of the first batch of a dozen ships to enter service.

The Soldati-class destroyers were slightly improved versions of the precedingOriani class.^[1] They had alength between perpendiculars of 101.6 meters (333 ft 4 in)^[2] and anoverall length of 106.7 meters (350 ft 1 in). The ships had abeam of 10.15 meters (33 ft 4 in) and a meandraft of 3.15 meters (10 ft 4 in) and 4.3 meters (14 ft 1 in) atdeep load.^[3] The Soldatis displaced 1,830–1,850metric tons (1,800–1,820long tons) at normal load, and 2,450–2,550 metric tons (2,410–2,510 long tons) at deep load.^[4] Their wartime complement during was 206 officers and enlisted men.^[2]

Lanciere was powered by two Belluzzo gearedsteam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam supplied by threeYarrow boilers.^[2] Designed for a maximum output of 48,000shaft horsepower (36,000 kW) and a speed of 34–35knots (63–65 km/h; 39–40 mph) in service, the Soldati-class ships reached speeds of 39–40 knots (72–74 km/h; 45–46 mph) during theirsea trials while lightly loaded. They carried enoughfuel oil to give them a range of 2,340nautical miles (4,330 km; 2,690 mi) at a speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) and 682 nmi (1,263 km; 785 mi) at a speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph).^[4]

Lanciere'smain battery consisted of four 50-caliber120-millimeter (4.7 in) guns in two twin-gun turrets, one each fore and aft of thesuperstructure. On a platformamidships was a 15-caliber120-millimeterstar shell gun.^[5]Anti-aircraft (AA) defense for the Soldatis was provided by eight20-millimeter (0.8 in) Breda Model 1935 guns.^[4] The ships were equipped with six 533-millimeter (21 in)torpedo tubes in two triple mounts amidships. Although they were not provided with asonar system foranti-submarine work, they were fitted with a pair ofdepth charge throwers. The ships could carry 48mines.^[2]

• Brescia, Maurizio (2012).Mussolini's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Regina Marina 1930–45. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN 978-1-59114-544-8.
• Fraccaroli, Aldo (1968).Italian Warships of World War II. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan.ISBN 0-7110-0002-6.
• Roberts, John (1980). "Italy". In Chesneau, Roger (ed.).Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. New York: Mayflower Books. pp. 280–317.ISBN 0-8317-0303-2.
• Rohwer, Jürgen (2005).Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
• Whitley, M. J. (1988).Destroyers of World War 2: An International Encyclopedia. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN 1-85409-521-8.

• Lanciere (1938) Marina Militare website

• Soldati-class destroyers
• 1938 ships
• World War II destroyers of Italy
• Maritime incidents in March 1942
• Ships built in Riva Trigoso

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• Short description is different from Wikidata
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• Articles containing Italian-language text