Giovanni delle Bande Nere was an Italian Condottieri class light cruiser, named after the homonymous Italian military leader , that served in the Regia Marina during World War II. Her keel was laid down 1928 at Cantieri Navali di Castellammare di Stabia, Castellammare di Stabia; she was launched on 27 April 1930, and her construction was completed in 1931. It sank on 1 April 1942.

Actions

Bande Nere took part to the battle of Cape Spada (19 July 1940); in this occasion, the light protection of the Condottieri class was clearly exposed, since in the fight between the two Italian light cruisers (Bande Nere and Bartolomeo Colleoni ) and the Australian cruiser (HMAS Sydney) with five British destroyers, the Allies sank Colleoni and damaged Bande Nere, while the Italian ships lightly damaged Sydney and a destroyer.

During the Second Battle of Sirte, 22 March 1942, Bande Nere was part of the Littorio squad, which intercepted and blocket a British convoy headed to Malta.

During the war, Bande Nere participated to 15 missions: 4 interceptions, 8 convoy escorts, 3 mine layings, for an overall of 35,000 miles.

1940

• 7 July: battle of Calabria
• 19 July: battle of Cape Spada

1941

• 8 May: attack against Tiger convoy

1942

• 21 February: operation K 7
• 22 March: Second Battle of Sirte, damaged
• 1 April: sunken. On the morning of 1 April 1942, Bande Nere left Messina to reach La Spezia, with the escort of destroyer Aviere and patrol Libra. At a distance of 11 miles from Stromboli, at 9am, the group was intercepted by British submarine Urge : a torpedo broke in two pieces the Bande Nere, which sank quickly.