Priamo Leonardi (2 October 1888 – 16 March 1984) was an Italian admiral during World War II.
Early life and career
Priamo Leonardi was born in Borgotaro, near Parma, in 1888, and entered the Italian Naval Academy at Livorno in 1907. He was commissioned as an ensign in 1911, and in the same year he participated in the Italo-Turkish War on board the armoured cruiser Amalfi.
After promotion to lieutenant, Leonardi participated in World War I, first serving on board the armoured cruiser Francesco Ferruccio, then on the battleship Duilio and later in the Albania Naval High Command. In 1920 he obtained his first command, a torpedo boat. Between 1926 and 1928, having been promoted to lieutenant commander, Leonardi commanded the destroyers Monfalcone and Francesco Crispi; in 1928 he was promoted to commander and assigned to the Intelligence Office of the Regia Marina Headquarters. Between 1933 and 1934 he commanded the Leone-class destroyer Tigre in the Red Sea, and between 1934 and 1935 he was the commanding officer of the minelayer Lepanto, stationed in Shanghai.
In 1936 Leonardi was promoted to captain and given command of the light cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni. He remained in command of Colleoni till 1938, taking part in the Spanish Civil War; in 1938, he became commander of the colonial ship Eritrea, stationed in the Red Sea.
World War II and aftermath
When World War II broke out, Leonardi was the deputy commander of the La Spezia Arsenal. Later on, he became chief of staff of the Northern Adriatic Naval Department, and was promoted to rear admiral in 1942. In January 1943, following the Axis occupation of Vichy France, he became commander of the newly established Italian Naval Command in Toulon, as well as chief of staff of the Provence Naval Department.