''Piero Foscari'' was an Italian merchant ship and then auxiliary cruiser of the '' Regia Marina''. Built in 1928 for the ''Società Anonima di Navigazione Adriatica'', it was originally a motor ship of 3,423 tons. ''Foscari'' served as a transport ship for the ''Regia Marina'' from 18 to 25 August 1940, and in 1941 was converted into an auxiliary cruiser to act as convoy escort. On 18 December 1942, while travelling from Naples to Civitavecchia, she was damaged by the torpedoes of the British minelaying submarine . After the

Armistice with Italy The Armistice of Cassibile was an armistice signed on 3 September 1943 and made public on 8 September between the Kingdom of Italy and the Allies during World War II. It was signed by Major General Walter Bedell Smith for the Allies and Brigad ...

of 9 September 1943, while en route from Genoa to escort the merchant ship ''Valverde'', she was shelled by coastal artillery and attacked by three German patrol boats and the minelayers ''Pommern'' and ''Brandenburg''. ''Foscari'' took refuge at

Castiglioncello Castiglioncello (formerly ''Castiglione Mondiglio'') is a ''frazione'' of 3800 inhabitants of the ''comune'' of Rosignano Marittimo, in the province of Livorno, Tuscany, Italy. Located in a privileged position from the panoramic point of view, aw ...

, where she was sunk at 17:30 the following day in another attack by German units.

References

;Notes ;Bibliography * {{DEFAULTSORT:Piero Foscari Auxiliary cruisers Cruisers of the Regia Marina Ships built in Trieste 1928 ships Maritime incidents in September 1943 World War II shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea