Laid down on January 30, 1937 by O.T.O. in Muggiano Shipyard, La Spezia, and launched on January 6, 1938, the “Adua Class” submarine Scirè was commissioned at the end of April 1938.

The Submarine Scirè had a displacement of 856 tons submerged and 683 tons surfaced and a 60 m overall length. On surface, the boat was propelled by two 800 HP diesel engines and by two 800 HP electric motors when submerged. She could reach a maximum speed of 14.7 knots on surface and 7.5 knots submerged.

In the years 1940-43, the boat carried out mainly ambush missions in the enemy waters and along heavily trafficked routes.

In August 1940, she was refitted with three cylindrical containers capable of carrying the manned torpedoes, nicknamed “maiali” (pigs). From late 1940 to September 1941, under the command of Lt. Cdr. Junio Valerio Borghese, the Italian submarine carried out four raids against the naval base of Gibraltar, where the “maiali” managed to sink four heavy merchant vessels.

On December 19, 1941, the boat Scirè carried out her most important exploit in the naval base of Alexandria (Egypt). Three human torpedo teams were lowered from the submarine near the base and, after penetrating the anti-submarine protections, entered the harbor where they managed to place their explosive charges under the Battleships HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Valiant. The explosions sank two British Battleships, damaged the tanker Sagona and the destroyer HMS Jarvis that was refueling from the tanker. The protagonists of this exploit were Luigi Durand de la Penne, A. Marceglia, V. Martellotta, E. Bianchi, S. Schergat, M. Murind, all awarded the Gold Medal for Military Valor.

Tasked to carry a gamma diver team for a raid against the port of Haifa (Israel), on August 10, 1942 the submarine was intercepted by the British torpedo-boats and sunk, damaged by depth charges, off the coast of Haifa with all men aboard.

In 1984 the Italian Navy Operational Diver Teams embarked on Rescue Ship Anteo, acting as Diving Support Platform, retrieved the human remains of the sailors trapped inside the wreck and brought them to Italy for burial.

At present, elements of the hull, removed during a recovery, are housed at the “Sacrario delle Bandiere” of the Italian Armed Forces, in Rome, and in the Naval Museums of La Spezia and Venice.

The Italian Submarine Sciré received the Gold Medal for Military Valor for her long and glorious activity.

In 2007, a brand new Submarine bearing the glorious name Scirè was commissioned by the Italian Navy. This new-generation “U212 class” submarine has been designed according to cutting-edge technologies.