Italian Regia Marina Captain Pietro de Cristofaro, aboard the destroyer Tarigo, stood high as his ship spearheaded the Axis convoy bound for North Africa. His mission was critical: protect the convoy carrying over 3,000 German troops and vital supplies needed for the war effort in Tunisia.

It was April 1941, and Italians and British were fighting for the hegemony of the Mediterranean, the sea concealing the maneuvers of each navy.

Unbeknownst to Captain de Cristofaro, danger lurked in the darkness: the British Royal Navy slowly surrounded his convoy from all sides. Guided by the latest intelligence and driven by a fierce resolve to disrupt Axis supply lines, the British destroyers took positions to strike, their presence yet concealed by the night’s heavy rain.

As the Tarigo forged ahead, the tension aboard escalated, every sailor acutely aware of the mission's weight. De Cristofaro, a seasoned captain, peered into the abyss, his instincts honed to the unseen threats. In a heartbeat, the silence was shattered, engulfed by the thunderous roar of British naval guns, intensifying the suspense of the battle.

As cannon fire lighted up the night and torpedoes sliced through the cold waters, Captain de Cristofaro led the crew into battle without regrets. With a warrior’s heart, his Roman spirit did not falter.
While the young captain barked orders, an impact decimated the bridge. When Cristofaro woke up, he was on the ground: one of his legs was gone. The pain was immense, but the captain refused to be evacuated.
The Britons were attacking his convoy, and Captain Cristofaro had to fend them off at any cost.