July 1943
| 4 | July | Death of General Władysław Eugeniusz Sikorski, Polish Commander-in-Chief and Prime Minister, in an air crash near Gibraltar. |
| 5 | July | The Battle of Kursk began. |
| 10 | July | The Allies landed in Sicily (Operation HUSKY). |
| 19 | July | Rome was bombed for the first time by Allied Air Forces. |
| 25 | July | Mussolini was arrested, and a new government was formed under Marshal Badoglio. |
Italian submarine dispositions on 10 July 1943 (Invasion of Sicily)
La Spezia
Alagi (patrol)
Ambra (exercises)
Axum (exercises)
Bajamonti (refit)
Grongo (building)
H.1 (trials and exercises after refit)
H.2 (exercises)
H.4 (patrol and exercises)
H.8 (repairs after being sunk in an air raid on 5 June)
Murena (trials)
Rismondo (exercises)
Sparide (trials)
Genoa
Aradam (refit)
H.6 (trials after refit)
Colonna (disarmed)
Ajaccio
Diaspro (patrol)
Platino (patrol)
Bonifacio
Brin (patrol)
Flutto (patrol)
Turchese (patrol)
Porto Palma
Giada (patrol)
Portoferraio
Nichelio (patrol)
La Maddalena
Acciaio (patrol)
Argento (patrol)
Velella (patrol)
Palermo
Millelire (oil pontoon)
Fiume
Ametista (refit)
Jalea (exercises)
Manara (exercises)
Settimo (exercises)
Monfalcone
Mameli (long refit)
Vortice (trials)
Pola
Bandiera (refit)
C.B.7 (exercises)
C.B.8 (exercises)
C.B.9 (exercises)
C.B.10 (trials)
C.B.11 (trials)
C.B.12 (trials)
Des Geneys (disarmed)
Fieramosca (disarmed)
Nautilo (trials)
Otaria (exercises)
Pisani (exercises)
Serpente (exercises)
Settembrini (trials)
Squalo (exercises)
X.2 (disarmed)
X.3 (disarmed)
Naples/Pozzuoli
Argo (patrol)
Bronzo (available, sailed following news of Sicily landings)
Ascianghi (exercises)
Bronzo (available, sailed following news of Sicily landings)
Corridoni (short refit)
Dandolo (short refit) sailed on 14 July
FR.112 [ex-Saphir] (paid off due to lack of spare parts)
FR.113 [ex-Requin] (exercises)
FR.114 [ex-Espadon] (long refit)
FR.115 [ex-Dauphin] (long refit)
Topazio (refit)
Nereide (patrol)
Wolframio (exercises)
Taranto
Atropo (refit)
Bragadino (trials)
Da Procida (not operational since January 1942)
Marea (docked)
Micca (exercises)
Remo (exercises)
Romolo (exercises)
Speri (reserve)
Toti (disarmed)
Brindisi
Bausan? (oil depot)
Menotti (refit)
Leros
Beilul (patrol)
Galatea (refit)
Onice (exercises)
Sirena (exercises)
Piraeus
Balilla (oil depot)
Bordeaux
Bagnolini (refit)
C.A.2 (disarmed)
Cagni (patrol)
Finzi (trials after refit)
Torelli (patrol)
Danzig
S.1 [ex-U-428] (trials)
S.2 [ex-U-746] (trials)
Costanza
C.B.1 (exercises)
C.B.2 (exercises)
C.B.3 (exercises)
C.B.4 (exercises)
C.B.6 (exercises)
Sabang
Cappellini (readied for a return trip with stores)
Italian submarine patrols in the Mediterranean during July 1943
| Argento (…2 July) | Bronzo (…5 July) | Turchese (…16 July) |
| Beilul (…17 July) | Giada (…21 July) | Nereide (7-13 July*) |
| Alagi (7-20 July) | Nichelio (7-23 July) | H.4 (9-10 July) |
| Argento (10-12 July)x | Acciaio (10-12 July*) | Velella (10-13 July) |
| Argo (10-14 July)x | Brin (10-15 July) | Diaspro (10-16 July) |
| Platino (10-12 July)x | Flutto (10-11 July*) | Dandolo (14-18 July) |
| Ambra (14-18 July) | H.4 (14-15 July) | Remo (15 July*) |
| Romolo (15-16?July*) | Platino (16-21 July) | Ascianghi (16-23 July*) |
| H.2 (18-19 July) | Zoea (19-20 July) | Micca (19-20 July) |
| H.4 (19-20 July) | Velella (20 July…) | Zoea (21-23 July) |
| Micca (21 July) | H.2 (21-22 July) | Argento (21 July…) |
| Micca (22-23 July) | Argo (22-27 July) | Diaspro (23 July…) |
| Micca (24-29 July*) | H.6 (25-26 July) | H.6 (27-28 July) |
| Menotti (27 July…) |
On 10 July, Settembrini (C.C. Renato Frascolla) reported being missed by a torpedo while carrying trials off Pola. There was no evidence of submarines or MTBs operating in the area.
A One-Man Show
At Mersin (Turkey), Italian swimmer Luigi Ferraro conducted a one-man operation (Operation STELLA) and succeeded in planting explosives on the hull of four ships (11 July – 2 August). On 19 July, the New Zealand freighter Kaituna (4,907 GRT, built 1938) was slightly damaged by a mine while on passage from Mersin to Haifa, escorted by the French sloop La Moqueuse. In Haifa harbour, an unexploded limpet mine was found clamped to her hull. On 7 August, limpets were also discovered on the Norwegian steamer Fernplant (5,274 GRT, 1939) after she had reached Haifa, and they were safely removed. Since the only logical explanation was that she was sabotaged in Mersin, other vessels were warned. On the following day, explosives were found attached to the hull of Sicilian Prince (3,482 GRT, built 1921), which had not yet sailed from Mersin. Following the Italian armistice and information provided by the Italian consul in Mersin, two limpets were found affixed to the hull of the Greek steamer Orion (4,798 GRT, built 1909) during a stay in Port Said and removed on 4 November 1943. Italian limpet mines proved to be as unreliable as the British ones.
The Defence of Sicily
Allied deception had tried very hard to deflect attention from the impending invasion of Sicily. The best-known episode is that of the body of “Major Martin” released by the submarine HMS Seraph off Huelva (Spain). Attached to his wrist was an attaché case with documents indicating that a large-scale invasion of the Peloponnese was to occur, and Sicily was to be a diversion. “Major Martin” was a homeless man who had committed suicide, and the deception had been carefully planned by Flight Lieutenant Charles Cholondeley of MI5 and Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu of Naval Intelligence. The body of “Major Martin” washed ashore and was duly examined by Spanish authorities, who allowed the documents to be photographed and collected by German Intelligence before returning the body to the British consul. The ruse seems to have had limited success in German circles. Italian Intelligence was more preoccupied with learning if the invasion would occur in Sardinia or Sicily, although the latter appeared to be the most obvious choice. On 2 July, Maricosom amended the Zeta order of March 1943; it alerted the Submarine Force to prepare for enemy landings both in Sardinia and Sicily. As a result, Italian submarines were ordered to positions between Sardinia and Sicily; none were patrolling off the Allied landing areas.
Around midnight on 9 July, the news of the invasion of Sicily reached Italian headquarters. Within hours, the submarines Acciaio, Argento, and Velella sailed from La Maddalena, the first two west of Sardinia to occupy a patrol area between Sardinia and the western tip of Sicily. The orders for Velellla were quickly modified; she was to go through the Strait of Messina to the east coast of Sicily. Brin and Flutto, followed from Bonifacio; Platino and Diaspro, from Ajaccio. At about the same time, Argo sailed from Castellammare di Stabia, and Bronzo left Pozzuoli the same evening; both were directed to the Sicilian east coast.
The submarines from Sardinia and Corsica were to join Giada, Nereide, Turchese, and Nichelio already on a patrol line south of Sardinia.
Beilul on passage from Leros to Taranto, had been ordered on the previous day to proceed to Pola, instead she was diverted to the east coast of Sicily.
On the morning of 10 July, the situation was as follows:
Acciaio on passage to zone 108 (between 37°20′ N and 37°40′ N, 08°20′ E and 08°40′ E).
Alagi patrolling about 25 miles west of Cape Teulada. On 11 July, she was ordered to zone 171 (between 38°15′ N and 38°25′ N, 12°00′ E and 12°20′ E).
Argento on passage to zone 102 (between 37°40′ N and 38°00′ N, 08°20′ E and 08°40′ E). Due to defective accumulators, she had to turn back before reaching her patrol area.
Argo on passage to zone 172 (between 38°25′ N and 38°35′ N, 12°40′ E and 13°00′ E).
Beilul on passage to Brindisi and Pola from Leros, ordered on 10 July to proceed to 37°00’ N, 16°00’ E.
Brin on passage to zone 103 (between 37°40′ N and 38°00′ N, 08°40′ E and 09°00′ E).
Bronzo sailed in the evening from Pozzuoli for the Syracuse area.
Diaspro on passage to zone 99 (between 38°00′ N and 38°20′ N, 09°00′ E).
Flutto on passage to zone 171 (38°15′ N and 38°25′ N, 12°00′ E and 12°20′ E).
Giada patrolling in zone 107 (between 37°20′ N and 37°40′ N, 08°00′ E and 08°20′ E) and zone 114 (between 37°40′ N and 38°00′ N, 08°00′ E and 08°20′ E).
Nereide, patrolling south of Sardinia, was ordered to patrol forty miles east of Augusta.
Nichelio, patrolling south of Sardinia, was ordered to patrol off Trapani.
Platino on passage to zone 98 (between 38°00′ N and 38°20′ N, 08°40′ E and 09°00′ E).
Turchese patrolling southwest of Sardinia on parallel 38°40′ N, between 07°00′ E and 07°40′.
Velella on passage to zone 172 (between 38°25′ N and 38°35′ N, 12°20′ E and 12°40′ E).
At 1215 hours on 10 July, Admiral Legnani sent a signal to his submariners exhorting them to the supreme effort:
IL NEMICO VUOLE LA NOSTRA TERRA. SOMMERGIBILI A TUTTI COSTI INCHIODATALO DISTRUGGETELO ANNIENTATALO.
(The enemy covets our land. Submarines: at all cost nail him, destroy him, annihilate him).
At the same time, twenty Allied submarines were deployed for the invasion of Sicily.
The following were to act as beacons for the invasion forces:
Safari off Licata.
Shakespeare off Gela.
Seraph off Scoliti Light.
Unison off Correnti.
Unrivalled off Cape Correnti.
Unruffled off Cape Murro di Porco.
Unseen off Marzamini.
In addition, in a barrage line off Taranto:
Tactician, Unbroken, United, Uproar, and the Polish Dzik.
Another barrage line was formed north of the Straits of Messina:
Unruly, Ultor, and the Polish Sokol.
Finally, Saracen and Sibyl were operating diversions on the east coast of Sardinia and off Bastia (Corsica) respectively, and Simoom and the Dutch Dolfijn were roaming the Tyrrhenian Sea while Trooper was on its way to the Adriatic.
On 11 July. Maricosom issued its Gamma order addressed to units of IV (Taranto), V (Leros), and IX (Pola) Grupsom. The submarines were to attack enemy ships arriving from the west. The order of importance was the same as that of the Zeta order.
German U-boats were also directed to the east coast of Sicily. U-407 (KL Ernst-Ulrich Brüller) was already at sea and was approaching the Strait of Messina escorted by an Italian torpedo-boat; when she was sighted by HMS Ultor. Luckily for the Germans, the British submarine carried out only a dummy attack at 1,000 yards. Ultor had strict orders to keep her torpedoes for targets the size of cruisers and above, as it was expected that the Italian Battle Fleet would intervene.
In addition, U-375 (KL Jürgen Könenkamp) and U-561 (KL Fritz Henning) sailed from Toulon in the early morning of 10 July, and were directed to operate east of Sicily. U-453 (KL Freiherr Egon Reiner von Schlippenbach), on patrol in the Ionian Sea, was ordered to join them.
Also at sea in the western Mediterranean, U-617 (KL Albrecht Brandi) and U-409 (OLHans-Ferdinand Massmann) were both off Algiers. Two other U-boats, U-371 (KL Waldemar Mehl) and U-593 (KL Gerd Kelbling), were returning from patrol. U-371 had just torpedoed two American vessels, the Liberty ship Matthew Maury (7,176 GRT, built 1942) and the tanker GulfPrince (6,561 GRT, built 1921) in convoy ET.224A; both were damaged but managed to reach port.
During the afternoon of 10 July, Velella (T.V. Mario Patanè) was attacked by a Blenheim bomber, but she managed to fend it off with her machine guns without incurring damage. She was attacked again the next evening while proceeding submerged. She later surfaced and appeared to be losing fuel, so Patanè decided to return to harbour. In the afternoon of 12 July, the submarine picked up five Italian airmen after their torpedo-bomber had ditched in the sea (this was a SM.79 from 41 Gruppo, based at Puglia). A torpedo-bomber from the same Gruppo managed to hit the aircraft-carrier HMS Indomitable during the night of 15/16 July, and she was withdrawn from the operation.
Loss of Flutto
On 11 July, HMS Ultor (Lt G.E. Hunt, DSC, RN) sighted a second U-boat of the Santarosa class and again carried a dummy attack; this was most likely Velella, which had also observed a periscope. A couple of hours later, HMS Unruly discovered a southbound U-boat, but it was too far to attack. A signal by SS/T (underwater communication by Asdic) was made to Ultor and the latter carried a third dummy attack on a submarine of the Gemma -class. This was most likely Flutto (T.V. Francesco Caprile), but this was only a reprieve for the Italian submarine. That same evening, off Catania, she had an encounter with three British MTBs (MTB-640, MTB-651 and MTB–670). She defended herself vigorously, killing or wounding seventeen British seamen, but was eventually torpedoed and sunk with all hands (six officers and forty-three ratings killed).
Argo (T.V. Arcangelo Giliberti) sailed from Castellamare di Stabia before dawn on the 10th and proceeded on the surface for her patrol area off the southeast coast of Sicily. She only submerged for about an hour off Syracuse as she witnessed intense air activity. Before noon on 11 July, she found four German survivors from a torpedo bomber shot down the previous evening. They were rescued despite the proximity to Syracuse. At 1402 hours, the submarine attacked a cruiser of the Southampton class, about eight miles east of Syracuse at 4,000 metres; she claimed a hit though her four torpedoes had missed. This was probably the light cruiser HMS Uganda, who was in the vicinity with the anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Carlisle, but the attack was unobserved. Immediately informed of this ‘success’, Admiral Legnani sent a personal signal of congratulations to Giliberti. Good news were badly needed, and few were forthcoming as the situation in Sicily quickly deteriorated.
Four hours later, HMS Oakley attacked a U-boat signalled by aircraft about thirty miles west of Lampedusa and claimed it was probably sunk; the attack was apparently on a non-sub contact. No Axis submarines operated in this area.
Loss of Acciaio
Acciaio (L.V. Vittorio Pescatore) had sailed from La Maddalena on 10 July, for a patrol off the western coast of Sicily in zone 108 [between 37°20′ N and 37°40′ N, 08°20′ E and 08°40′ E]. On 16 July, she was ordered to proceed to the east coast of Sicily but disappeared without a trace. At 0020 hours on 12 July, in position 37°25’ N, 08°15’ E, Hudson ‘Q’ of 608 Squadron detected by radar a submarine proceeding on a course of 110° at about 6 to 8 knots at a range of nine miles. The aircraft swooped down and fired nine rockets. The first five appeared to have missed ahead by 20 to 40 feet, and the remainder were not observed; a large patch of oil was observed. Giada was in the adjacent area and did not report any attack. This was very likely Acciaio, five officers and forty-one ratings were lost. The claim that HMS Unruly sank her can be refuted, as the submarine attacked was Benedetto Brin (see later on) and Acciaio was not operating in that area at that time.
The capture of Bronzo
On 12 July, Bronzo (T.V. Antonio Gherardi who had just succeeded to T.V. Buldrini) approached Syracuse on the surface, unaware the town had fallen. At 1050 hours, the minesweeper HMS Seaham sighted her at 2,000 yards and attempted ramming, but the submarine had crash-dived. About ten minutes later, the submarine surfaced again before depth charges were dropped; the minesweeper immediately opened fire with her 3-inch (76mm) gun and lighter armament. She was at once joined by the minesweepers Poole and Boston, who also opened fire. Her commanding officer and eight others were killed. At 1112 hours, the submarine surrendered and was boarded; she was towed by Seaham to Syracuse. Bronzo was ceded to the French Navy and renamed Narval. She never carried out an operational patrol under her new flag and was strictly used for anti-submarine exercises.
At 1135 hours, the minesweeper Cromarty (senior officer) reinforced the three British warships, and a periscope was seen. The four minesweepers delivered a total of thirty depth charges, but the result was unknown. At 1250 hours, Poole’s turn was to attack a submarine with twelve depth charges, but without visible result. Was it a sign of the nervousness of the time? The identities of these submarines have not been determined.
After midnight on 12 July, off Cape Passero, U-407 (KL Ernst-Ulrich Brüller) attacked a cruiser of the Birmingham class escorted by a Jervis class destroyer; all four torpedoes missed. This may have been the light cruiser Newfoundland on her way to Augusta.
A few hours later, off Cape Bengut (Algeria), U-409 attempted an attack on the Empress of Russia in convoy MKF.19A but she was detected by the escort and sunk by HMS Inconstant.
Loss of Nereide
Off Catania, at 1746 hours on 12 July, Nereide (T.V. Renato Scandola) fired three torpedoes from her forward tubes at 4,500 metres, aimed at two destroyers in a group of ten. Scandola reported two hits heard, but this was not confirmed. The next day at dawn, she was about forty miles east of Augusta when she was detected at 10,200 yards by the radar of the light cruiser HMS Euryalus in company with Cleopatra. The destroyers HMS Echo and HMS Ilex were detached to attack and sank the submarine; Echo picked up the commanding officer, three officers, and nineteen ratings, and Ilex another seven ratings. Some succumbed to their wounds. In all, there were twenty-six survivors and twenty-two killed or missing.
U-561 and U-375 were intercepted by three British MTBs as they crossed the Strait of Messina off Scaleta Zanclea. U-561 was torpedoed and sunk by MTB–81, leaving five survivors (including KL Fritz Henning), but U-375 escaped.
On the evening of 12 July, east of Syracuse, Beilul (T.V. Pasquale Beltrame) attacked three destroyers of the Jervis class with three torpedoes, but again the results were negative.
After midnight on 13 July, off Cap de Fer, Diaspro (T.V. Alberto Donato) emptied all her six torpedo tubes at a steamer escorted by two destroyers but without any result.
At 2050 hours on 13 July, near Cape Vaticano, Brin (T.V. Luigi Andreotti) sighted three torpedo tracks and took avoiding action. Actually, four torpedoes had been fired by HMS Unruly (Lt J.P. Fyfe, RN), who did not sink Acciaio as previously claimed. However, shortly after, defects to the starboard engine forced Brin to abandon her patrol. The Italian submarine sighted a submarine on her return passage, but it had dived before an attack could occur. This was probably HMS Unruly again.
On the evening of the 14th, in the Straits of Messina, Nichelio (T.V. Claudio Celli) engaged three British gunboats with gunfire and may have sunk MGB–641. On the British side, the loss was attributed to coastal batteries. The submarine was unscathed.
Axis submarines were warned to stay east of 15°50’ E when recharging their batteries at night.
Loss of Remo
The brand-new large transport submarines Romolo and Remo had been undergoing trials and exercises in the Taranto area. The German Naval Staff, spurred by Captain Enzo Grossi, had suggested that these two large submarines be lent to them to be employed in the rubber trade with Japan. Admiral Riccardi had refused; he undoubtedly foresaw the difficulties of supplying Italian islands given Allied dominance of the skies and seas. Supermarina decided to transfer them to Naples and both sailed on 15 July. At dusk, Remo (T.V. Salvatore Vassalo) was attacked by HMS United (Lt J.C.Y. Roxburgh, DSC, RN) and sunk with two torpedo hits. Five officers, forty-nine ratings, and a civilian perished. There were four survivors: the commanding officer, two ratings on the bridge, and a petty officer who was climbing out of the control room. They were all picked up by United. Vassalo had seen the torpedoes coming and tried in vain to comb the tracks. The British submarine was part of a submarine barrage blocking the Gulf of Taranto with Uproar, Unbroken, Unshaken, and the Polish Dzik. United was a late arrival on this patrol line, having just relieved HMS Tactician, who was ordered to patrol off Brindisi.
For HMS United, this was not the only encounter with an Italian submarine on this patrol. At 2247 hours on 16 July, a submarine was sighted making a lot of smoke. As the British submarine was near the limit of her patrol area, it was feared this could be HMS Tactician or HMS Trooper in the adjacent area. In fact, it was Beilul (T.V. Pasquale Beltrame) proceeding from Leros to Taranto. Beltrame had also sighted United but was unsure if she was friend or foe and prudently switched to his electric motors as his diesel engines were producing excessive smoke. Both submarines refrained from attack, and Beilul reached Taranto without further incident.
Loss of Romolo
Romolo (C.C. Alberto Crepas), which was delayed by engine defects, finally sailed at the end of the afternoon of 15 July and disappeared without a trace. Seven officers, fifty-three ratings, and two civilians were lost. She has been claimed sunk by an RAF bomber (Wellington ‘B’ of 221 Squadron, Pilot Officer E. Austin) at 0320 hours on 18 July 1943, about fifteen miles southeast of Cape Spartivento. The bomber had attacked a submarine with five bombs but then sighted it half an hour later attempting to reach the coast, proceeding slowly on course 010° and trailing oil. The submarine was reported to have sunk at 0550 hours. However, closer examination shows that the submarine attacked was Ambra, who was near-missed but seriously damaged, forcing her to abort a special mission. Unable to dive, she turned northward but managed to escape and reach Naples. What happened to Romolo? Her sailing orders were to pass through a point fifteen miles from Punta Stilo, and the submarine HMS Rorqual (Lt Cdr L.W. Napier, RN) had laid a minefield about two miles from Punta Stilo on 15 May 1943. Some of the mines were located a week later and cleared. Did the submarine close the coast and run afoul of this field? Until her wreck is found, we shall never know for sure.
In the early hours of 16 July, near Syracuse, Dandolo (T.V. Aldo Turcio) fired four torpedoes, at what she believed to be two battleships of the King George V class. They missed.
The torpedoing of HMS Cleopatra
Three hours later, in the same area, Alagi (T.V. Sergio Puccini) fired a salvo of three torpedoes (a fourth misfired) and achieved a notable success when she managed to hit the light cruiser HMS Cleopatra, who was proceeding with the cruiser HMS Euryalus and escorted by the destroyers HMS Quilliam and HMS Quail. Twenty-one men were killed, and the ship’s speed dropped to 4.5 knots. After a while, she managed 10 knots. Assisted by the tug Oraina and escorted by the destroyer HMS Eggesford and the minesweepers HMS Seaham and HMS Poole she managed to reach Malta.
At about the same time, near Syracuse, Nichelio fired two torpedoes at three escorted merchant vessels but missed.
The German boats also failed to achieve many successes. In the early hours of 16 July, U-453 attacked an armoured vessel near Linosa Island (west of Malta) without success, while U-407 missed a freighter east of Malta the same evening.
During the afternoon of 16 July, Settembrini (C.C. Renato Frascolla), on passage from Pola to Brindisi was attacked by the submarine HMS Tactician (Lt Cdr A.F. Collett, DSC, RN) as she was near her destination. Six torpedoes were fired from 4,000 yards. The Italian submarine sighted two of them which crossed her wake; she turned sharply to starboard and the nearest missed her only by fifteen metres.
On 14 July, Ambra (C.C. Renato Ferrini) had been sailed from La Spezia on a special mission carrying three maiali to attack Syracuse. As she crossed the Strait of Messina on 17 July, she was ordered to keep clear as the light cruiser Scipione Africano was making a dash to Taranto. She did witness a sharp engagement between the unescorted cruiser and British MTBs. The cruiser claimed to have sunk a boat and damaged another. MTB-316 was indeed sunk, but the British attributed her loss to coastal batteries. Incredibly, the cruiser managed to run the gauntlet of Allied forces and reached Taranto.
At 2230 hours on 17 July, near Cape Spartivento, Dandolo was caught on the surface by a bomber, probably Wellington ‘K’ (Flying Officer W. Lewis) of 221 Squadron. She was damaged by near misses and hit by two bombs in the conning tower. Fortunately, the two bombs failed to explode and were disarmed later, but she was forced to abandon her patrol.
On the afternoon of 18 July, Platino (T.V. Vittorio Patrelli Campagnano) fired four G7e torpedoes at a large two-funnelled transport leaving Augusta, but the range was long, and the hit claimed was unconfirmed. This was HMS Ulster Monarch, who had just left harbour at 1400 hours with the commando troopships Princess Beatrix and Prins Albert.
On the afternoon of 19 July, Nichelio (T.V. Claudio Celli), operating east of Cape Passero, fired two torpedoes at a merchant vessel escorted by two corvettes. Both missed.
German submarines had still failed to register any success. On the morning of 18 July, U-453 missed a destroyer north of Linosa Island. Two hours later, U-81 (OL Johann-Otto Krieg), who had sailed from Salamis to operate near Syracuse, encountered HMS Unshaken (Lt J. Whitton, RN) returning from a patrol off Cape Colonne. Krieg believed the British to be an Italian submarine, and Whitton equally feared the U-boat might be the Polish Dzik (Lt Cdr B.S. Romanowski), with the result that both submarines took avoiding action. Dzik fired four torpedoes at a U-boat about to attack the British submarine; they all missed. Just before midnight, U-375 fired a full salvo at an eastbound convoy north of Malta, claiming two hits, but this was not substantiated.
The next morning, U-81 approaching the Syracuse area, attacked five destroyers, including one believed to be French; all four torpedoes missed.
At noon on 21 July, U-81 attacked shipping in Syracuse, firing four torpedoes and claiming two hits, none were confirmed. The next day, she was luckier when she managed to hit the British Liberty ship Empire Moon (7,472 GRT, built 1941), who was escorted by the trawler HMS Stroma . The vessel was damaged and towed to Syracuse. This was the first success of German submarines in Sicilian waters since the beginning of the invasion.
The same afternoon, Axum (T.V. Vittorio Barra), while being transferred from La Spezia to La Maddalena, was attacked by HMS Templar (Lt D.J. Beckley, DSO, RN). The British submarine fired seven torpedoes in three attacks. The Italian submarine spotted six torpedo tracks and took evasive action. A periscope was briefly seen, but the range was too close for her stern torpedoes to be fired, and Barra prudently decided to decamp at full speed.
Loss of Ascianghi
In the afternoon of 23 July, Ascianghi (T.V. Mario Fiorini) was lurking near Augusta and attacked HMS Laforey, escorting the cruiser HMS Newfoundland, with two torpedoes. She missed. She fired two more at the cruiser but was then depth-charged by the destroyer, who was also joined by HMS Eclipse and finally sunk. Twenty-seven of her crew were picked up (including her captain); twenty-three were lost. Newfoundland was later torpedoed by U-407 and knocked out of the operations.
In the same afternoon, Argento (T.V. Leo Masina) was north of the Straits of Messina, when she avoided torpedoes fired by the submarine HMS Unrivalled (Lt H.B. Turner, DSC, RN); it was only a reprieve for the Italian submarine as she was sunk eleven days later.
Sinking of Aradam
On 23 July, Aradam (T.V. Carlo Forli) was accidentally sunk in the Genoa harbour as she was testing her forward tubes. Although Forli was not directly involved, he received a severe reprimand from an investigating commission presided by Admiral Legnani. Aradam was later raised. She was still under repairs at the time of the Armistice and was scuttled.
Loss of Pietro Micca
On 24 July, the large submarine Pietro Micca (T.V. Paolo Scrobogna) departed from Taranto for Naples. She was to sail around Sicily as the Straits of Messina had been deemed too dangerous. Defects forced her to turn back, and at dawn on 29 July, she was spotted by the submarine HMS Trooper (Lt G.S.C. Clarabut, RN) lurking off the Cape of Santa Maria di Leuca. A salvo of six torpedoes was fired from 4,600 yards; two hit the Italian submarine and sent her to the bottom. Her escort Dormio (F.81), had not yet joined and could only pick up eighteen survivors, including Scrobogna.
This concluded a very bad month for Italian submarines. On 25 July, Mussolini was arrested, and a new government was formed by Marshal Badoglio. Although still proclaiming to be fascist and faithful to the alliance with Germany, things were about to change dramatically.
U-375 made a last signal on 25 July, reporting to be in German Grid Square CN 3188 (36°39’ N, 14°12’ E approximately). She was heard no more; her loss was erroneously attributed to the American sub-chaser PC-624 (Lt R.D. Lowther). The American warship was escorting a westbound convoy of six small vessels with another warship when at 0230B/30 July, in position 36°40’ N, 12°28’ E, radar contact was obtained at 8,000 yards, bearing 210° and closing rapidly. Visibility was bad; there was no moon and a slight haze. At 3,000 yards, she fired a star shell but the submarine, which was now plainly seen, was not answering the challenge. This was the Italian Velella (T.V. Mario Patané) returning to La Maddalena from a patrol off the east coast of Sicily. PC–624 was now on an attack course and fired two star shells, but lost contact as a torpedo track was sighted (though Velella did not report to have fired torpedoes). She now dropped five depth charges, set between 100 and 150 feet. However, the submarine managed to escape without sustaining damage. As for U-375, she may have been lost on the American defensive minefield recently laid off Gela.
The Regia Aeronautica and the Luftwaffe had delivered the most serious blows to the invasion force but still failed to change the campaign’s outcome.
Eight Italian and three German U-boats had been lost in the Mediterranean during this terrible month, and their performance had been disappointing despite the sacrifices incurred. Submarines had proven to be an ineffective defence against an invading force and they would not do any better during the invasion of Normandy the following year.
Italian submarine patrols in the Black Sea during July 1943
| C.B.1 (3-5 July) | C.B.4 (3-5 July) | C.B.1 (10-12 July) |
Midget submarines carried out uneventful patrols.
Atlantic and Indian Ocean
Italian submarine patrols in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean during July 1943
| Cappellini (…9 July) | Giuliani (…28 July) | Torelli (…) |
| Cagni (…) |
Torelli (T.V. Enrico Gropallo) proceeded on her trip to the Far East. Her patrol report does not appear to have survived; Gropallo wrote a report, from memory, five years after the fact. She may have been attacked by USAAF bombers on 9 and 10 July, but this was not in his recollections.
The large submarine Ammiraglio Cagni (C.C. Giuseppe Roselli Lorenzini), carrying no less than thirty-six torpedoes (450mm), sailed on 29 June for a raiding cruise off South Africa. She was later ordered to Singapore where she was to pick up a cargo of rubber. On 12 July, she attacked, a freighter of 5-6,000 tons without success, and on 22 July, she missed with two torpedoes an armed merchant cruiser near Freetown. Finally, on 25 July, Cagni hit the large armed merchant cruiser Asturias (22,048 GRT, built 1926), which was so badly damaged that she did not see further service during the war.
On 21 July, Giuliani (C.C. Mario Tei), still proceeding to Singapore, finally made radio contact with the sloop Eritrea after thirty-five days of attempts. In fact, Betasom had been without news from the submarine since her signal of 17 June and, as of 10 July, had given her up as lost.