Ivo Matkovic

[LColombo]

Hello everyone,
I am looking for information about a Yugoslav steamer, Ivo Matkovic, that was lost in World War II.
This was a 2,527 GRT steam freighter, built in 1920 by Ateliers et Chantiers de Bretagne, Nantes, as La Rochefoucauld. I presume for French owners, but I can't find who. In 1934 she was bought by Eugen Matkovic, Bakar, and renamed Ivo Matkovic. In 1941, following the invasion of Jugoslavia, she was seized by Italy (though I have found "at Italy's disposal since July 1941", which seems strange) and was renamed Diocleziano. In September 1943, while evacuating Italian troops from Kotor following the Armistice of Cassibile, she was badly damaged by German air attacks (at least 300 killed) and run aground on Bisevo. No information about her subsequent fate.

Does anyone know more? Who were her owners before Eugen Matkovic, what happened to her after 1943 (scrapped, or maybe repaired?), and are there any pictures of this ship?

[korisnik9089]

Where did you find this information? Because i can't find any record of that ship anywhere.

[LColombo]

Where did you find this information? Because i can't find any record of that ship anywhere.

Hello, the information on the bombing comes from the books "Navi mercantili perdute" and "La Marina dall'8 settembre 1943 alla fine del conflitto" of the Historical Office of the Italian Navy, as well as from the now defunct website "Giornale Nautico Parte Prima".

It is indeed true that there is very little information on this ship, but she is mentioned in the following Lloyd's Registers:

https://wrecksite.eu/docBrowser.aspx?XTwyjCfp6EmcpgUE9Ie2WA==

https://books.google.it/books?id=d1CZEAAAQBAJ&pg=RA3-PA100&lpg=RA3-PA100&dq=%22rochefoucauld%22+%22ivo+matkovic%22&source=bl&ots=zGTW6REiOd&sig=ACfU3U3xJLwEx6p0wnr0pvw6tDf7SZvrLg&hl=it&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiGib-U65eFAxXfhP0HHVloA6QQ6AF6BAgaEAM#v=onepage&q=%22rochefoucauld%22%20%22ivo%20matkovic%22&f=false

https://books.google.it/books?id=zGBjEAAAQBAJ&pg=RA93-PA18&lpg=RA93-PA18&dq=%22rochefoucauld%22+%22ivo+matkovic%22&source=bl&ots=SQBLkXdtrI&sig=ACfU3U1xIKcLwDxsM7fLzIGZu34FTwzKwQ&hl=it&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiGib-U65eFAxXfhP0HHVloA6QQ6AF6BAgZEAM#v=onepage&q=%22rochefoucauld%22%20%22ivo%20matkovic%22&f=false