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Side-Wheeled Paddle Steamers
Italia (Diesel-hydraulic, ex-steam) Operating
Area : Lake Garda, Italy
Above : At Assenza
di Brenzone in May 2006. Photograph by courtesy of Mike F Griffiths
Builders : N Odero, Genoa
Engines : Compound Diagonal by builders replaced by Diesel-hydraulic
drive in 1980
Length : 52.5 metres
Entered service : 1909 for the Innocenti Mangilli Navigation Co.
After
war service (the upper part of the lake was then part of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire) the ship was returned to new owners, the
Italian State Railways, as part of the Ministry of War
Ownership transferred to the Ministry of Public Works in 1923
Grounded near Campione in June 1923.
Ownership transferred to the Societa Anonima per la Navigazione sul Lago di Garda in 1924
Towed
fleetmate Giuseppe Zanardelli from Limone to Riva after the latter was
attacked and damaged during an air raid on 6th Novemebr 1944
In 10th
January 1945 the ship, which had been requisitioned by the German Army
as a hospital ship, was severely damaged in an air attack at Sirmione
A further attack on 18th January resulted in the ship sinking
The
sunken wreck was raised in stages between July and September 1949
and was towed to Peschiera dockyard by G Zanardelli for reconstruction
Returned into service on 21st June 1952
After refurbishment in 1969-70 appeared with her bridge moved forward
and the whole upper deck enclosed
Out of service in 1975 with her compound engines being replaced by
diesels.
Returned to service on 17th July 1977
Sees limited service
Above : Detail of Italia, seen at Peschiera in 1990
in a photo kindly supplied by Chris Miles Lighthouse
Creative Inc
Above : Italia approaching Limone on July 2nd 2008
in a photo kindly supplied by Jim McCreery.
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