Arturo Riccardi

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Arturo Riccardi (October 30, 1878-December 20, 1966) was an Italian admiral during World War II, serving as the Ministry of Marine director general of personnel from 1935 to 1940 and Under Secretary of State of the Navy from 1941 until 1943. A specialist of aerial warfare, Riccardi frequently worked with senior German naval officers on the defense of the Italian peninsula.

1 Early career
2 Interwar years
3 World War II
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Early career

Born to Adolph Riccardi and Ifigenia Rasini Di Mortigliengo in Pavia, Italy (although other sources claim Saluzzo), Riccardi entered the Italian military academy becoming a successful career soldier. Seeing action with the Italian marines in the Boxer Rebellion in 1900-1901, the Far East campaign of 1905 and during World War I, Riccardi was awarded several medals for valor including the Medal of Bronze for Valor, China Campaign Medal (1900-1901), Gold Cross for seniority, Merit of War Cross, Medal of War (1915-1918), Unit of Italy memorial medal, inter-allied Medal of the Victoria, among others.

[edit] Interwar years

Heading the Cabinet to the Ministry of Navy from February 6 until May 13, 1925, Riccardi was finally made an admiral on September 8, 1932 and, following his admission into the La Spezia (PNF) political party in 1934, won promotion to vice admiral on December 27, 1935.

Riccardi would go on to hold a series of positions including Chief executive officer official of the Case of Navy and Member of the permanent Commission for the lighting system and signaling of the coasts on August 12, as well as General manager of the staff and the military services to the Ministry of Navy on August 22, 1935, before becoming Ministry of Marine director general of personnel.

[edit] World War II

Riccardi's first major engagement took place at the Battle of Taranto on November 11-12, 1941.

Succeeding Admiral Domenico Cavagnari as chief of staff of the Italian Navy (in addition to his position as the Department of the Navy's Undersecretary of State) on December 11, 1940, Riccardi became de facto commander of the existing Ministries for wartime aviation and naval forces.

Meeting with representatives of the Kriegsmarine, Riccardi led the Regia Marina delegation, along with Raffaele de Courten, Emilio Brenta and Carlo Giartosio during the Conference of Merano on February 13-14, 1941.

Riccardi was forced to surrender both positions on July 25, following the downfall of Mussolini's fascist regime in the summer 1943. Under the Badoglio administration, Raffaele de Courten officially succeeded Riccardi as Naval Minister and, after 1945, the position came up in the new Ministry of Defense.