Italian submarines in World War Two


Enrico Tazzoli (TZ, I.3)
Tazzoli

TypeOcean going 
ClassCalvi (10) 
Laid down 16 Sep 1932 Odero-Terni-Orlando, Muggiano
Launched14 Oct 1935
Commissioned18 Apr 1936
End service
Stricken
Loss date17 May 1943
Loss position
History Lost after 17th May 1943, cause unknown, while on a transport mission to the Far East.
Fate

Commands


CommanderDate fromDate toCommand notes
C.C. Vittore Raccanelli17 May 194018 Jan 1941
C.C. Carlo Fecia di Cossato18 Jan 194128 Feb 1943
C.C. Giuseppe Caito1 Mar 1943Jun 1943

Ships hit


DateCommanderShip hitTypeGRTNat.Loss type
1.12 Oct 1940C.C. Vittore RaccanelliOraoCargo ship5,135YugoslavianSunk
2.27 Dec 1940C.C. Vittore RaccanelliArdanbhanCargo ship4,980BritishSunk
3.15 Apr 1941C.C. Carlo Fecia di CossatoAurillacCargo ship4,733BritishSunk
4.7 May 1941C.C. Carlo Fecia di CossatoFernlaneCargo ship4,310NorwegianSunk
5.10 May 1941C.C. Carlo Fecia di CossatoAlfred OlsenTanker8,817NorwegianSunk
6.19 Aug 1941C.C. Carlo Fecia di CossatoSildraTanker7,313NorwegianSunk
7.6 Mar 1942C.C. Carlo Fecia di CossatoAstreaCargo ship1,406DutchSunk
8.7 Mar 1942C.C. Carlo Fecia di CossatoTønsbergfjordCargo ship3,156NorwegianSunk
9.9 Mar 1942C.C. Carlo Fecia di CossatoMontevideoCargo ship5,785UruguayanSunk
10.12 Mar 1942C.C. Carlo Fecia di CossatoCygnetCargo ship3,628PanamanianSunk
11.13 Mar 1942C.C. Carlo Fecia di CossatoDaytonianCargo ship6,434BritishSunk
12.15 Mar 1942C.C. Carlo Fecia di CossatoAthelqueenTanker8,780BritishSunk
13.2 Aug 1942C.C. Carlo Fecia di CossatoKastorCargo ship5,497GreekSunk
14.6 Aug 1942C.C. Carlo Fecia di CossatoHavstenCargo ship6,161NorwegianSunk
15.12 Dec 1942C.C. Carlo Fecia di CossatoEmpire HawkCargo ship5,032BritishSunk
16.12 Dec 1942C.C. Carlo Fecia di CossatoOmbilinCargo ship5,658DutchSunk
17.21 Dec 1942C.C. Carlo Fecia di CossatoQueen CityCargo ship4,814BritishSunk
18.25 Dec 1942C.C. Carlo Fecia di CossatoDona AuroraCargo ship5,011AmericanSunk

Patrols and events

 CommanderDateTimePortArr. dateArr. timeArr. portMilesDescription
Raccanelli, Vittore3 Jun 19402326La Spezia5 Jun 19400332Cagliari329Passage La Spezia-Calgari with the submarines Glauco, Finzi, Cappellini, escorted by the torpedo boat Curtatone).

1Raccanelli, Vittore21 Jun 19401941Cagliari28 Jun 19401300Cagliari947Patrolled off Cape Tenès in 36°40'N, 01°20'E.
  22 Jun 1940094538° 20'N, 3° 40'E
(0) Approximately.
Enrico Tazzoli was navigating with Glauco in view bearing 240°. An aircraft was observed and Glauco dived. These were Italian aircraft. RACCANELLI thought that they were under air attack and also took his submarine down. No attack developed.
  22 Jun 1940125538° 20'N, 3° 40'E
(0) Approximately.
A Cant Z.506 seaplane dropped, in error, a bomb estimated at 150kg (160kg?) on the submarine. It had not been advised of the presence of the submarine in the area and had made an error in navigation. Enrico Tazzoli was missed by five meters, but fortunately the bomb did not explode. The submarine escaped by diving to 35 meters.

Raccanelli, Vittore1 Jul 19400410Cagliari2 Jul 19401015La Spezia379Passage Cagliari-La Spezia.

Raccanelli, Vittore27 Jul 19400646La Spezia27 Jul 19401758La Spezia67Trials with the submarine H.4, 3.5 miles south of Moneglia.

Raccanelli, Vittore30 Jul 19400840La Spezia30 Jul 19401545La Spezia7Trials.

2Raccanelli, Vittore1 Aug 19400100La Spezia9 Aug 19400840La Spezia1664Attempted passage to Bordeaux, but turned back because of defects. Repairs at La Spezia from 9th August to 9th September 1940.

Raccanelli, Vittore23 Sep 19400816La Spezia23 Sep 19401820La Spezia48Trials.

Raccanelli, Vittore27 Sep 19400810La Spezia27 Sep 19401846La Spezia68Trials.

3Raccanelli, Vittore2 Oct 19400045La Spezia24 Oct 19401245Bordeaux3521Passed Gibraltar on 7th October 1940. Passage La Spezia-Bordeaux and patrolled first between (1) 36°00'N, 10°20'W (2) 36°00'N, 10°56'W (3) 35°30'N, 10°20'W (4) 35°30'N, 10°56 W and between 11°00'W and Portuguese coast between 40°00' and 42°00'N. With the submarine Calvi, escorted in by the German minesweepers M-6, M-9 and M-10.
  11 Oct 1940080035° 05'N, 10° 57'W
(0) 220° - Cape St. Vincent - 150 miles.
A convoy of forty ships with escort was sighted over the horizon. It was on a northerly course, 7.5 knots. This was convoy HG.45 from Gibraltar to the UK (forty-nine ships escorted by the destroyers HMS Hotspur, HMS Firedrake and HMS Wishart. The bad weather prevented the submarine from mounting an attack. RACCANELLI waited ten hours before making an enemy report, incurring the wrath of Admiral PARONA. The submarines Viniero, Leonardo da Vinci and Glauco had joined Tazzoli to form a patrol line, while Calvi was farther to the southwest and might have joined. Because of this delay, the convoy managed to slip by.
  12 Oct 19401631
1538 (e)
35° 39'N, 10° 19'W
(e) 35° 43'N, 10° 20'W
At 1252 hours, a smoke was sighted over the horizon. Enrico Tazzoli closed on the surface until 1345 hours when she dived to avoid being seen. At 1520 hours, the submarine surfaced again and eighteen minutes later, the vessel was heard to make an SOS to Gibraltar.

At 1631 hours, despite range still at 13,000 metres the submarine opened fire, claiming several hits.

This was the Yugoslav Orao (5,135 GRT, built 1919), she had been intercepted at 2300 hours on 11th October 1940, in 35°12' N, 12°40' W by HMS Hotspur and was proceeding to Gibraltar with an armed guard on board. Orao had sailed from Rio de Janeiro bound for Freetown and eventually the UK, but (due to trouble with the crew) had elected instead to go to Lisbon when it was seized. Subsequently, survivors reported that their ship sustained about ten hits.

Enrico Tazzoli closed and fired a stern shot (533mm, W type) and left her in sinking condition. The destroyers HMS Gallant, HMS Griffin, HMS Wishart and HMS Vidette arrived on the scene, the first two picked up the thirty-three members of her crew and HMS Hotspur's boarding party. Two men were missing. The four destroyers carried out a hunt for the submarine but without success. HMS Wishart finished her off with a single torpedo.
  22 Oct 1940075545° 49'N, 1° 43'WAt 0755 hours, Enrico Tazzoli came under attack from the submarine HMS Talisman (Lt. Cdr. P.S. Francis, RN). The British submarine had fired a salvo of six torpedoes from a distance of 3,000 yards and opened fire with her 4inch gun. Apparently, a torpedo hit but was a dud. RACCANELLI took his submarine deep and was later criticised by Admiral PARONA who believed the Italian submarine could have engaged the enemy submarine with her two 120mm guns.

Raccanelli, Vittore10 Dec 19401535Bordeaux10 Dec 19401900Pauillac28Passage Bordeaux-Pauillac.

4Raccanelli, Vittore13 Dec 19400900Pauillac14 Jan 19411125Le Verdon5202Sailed through 49°30'N, 18°00'W then northward for patrol west of Scotland, between 58°00'N and 59°30'N, and between 17°00'W and 20°00'W. First Officer C.C. Carlo Fecia di Cossato was highly critical of C.C. Raccanelli for his extreme caution during the actions.
  20 Dec 1940220658° 50'N, 22° 30'WAt 2200 hours, a tanker was sighted at distance of 1,000 metres. Six minutes later, the submarine fired a torpedo from no.2 tube (450mm) at a range of 400 metres but missed.
  21 Dec 19401607A smoke was sighted over the horizon, however the submarine could not close because of the heavy seas (Force 8).
  25 Dec 19401408-1559
1015 AT (e)
58° 50'N, 21° 20'W
(e) 58° 36'N, 21° 58'W
The submarine surfaced at 1345 hours and sighted a steamer at 10,000 metres. At 1408 hours, the submarine opened fire with 29 rounds claiming the vessel damaged. This was the British Everleigh (5,222 GRT, built 1930) bound from Halifax to Manchester with 9,000 tons of wheat and general cargo, steering 080°. She replied with her 4" gun firing at least 20 rounds and escaped undamaged.
  27 Dec 19401955
1902 (e)

(e) 59° 16'N, 20° 27'W
At 1445 hours, a steamer was sighted at 12,000 metres proceeding approximately on a 270° course. The submarine maneuvered to gain a favourable position and at 1600 hours submerged to close unseen. However, the vessel appeared to alter course away, so Enrico Tazzoli had to surface again to close the range. At 1625 hours, a new change of route forced her to submerge again. The submarine surfaced again at 1705 hours and took a parallel course, intending to close after dusk.

At 1955 hours, a torpedo (533mm) was fired from tube no.7. It missed. This was the British Ardanbhan (4,980 GRT, built 1929), a straggler of convoy OB.263.

At 2025 hours, a torpedo was fired from tube no.2 (450mm) and squarely hit Ardanbhan. She sank at 2030 hours. The destroyer HMS Antelope, escorting convoy O.B.264, was sent to her assistance but found no survivors, the entire crew of thirty-eight men had gone down with her.
  30 Dec 19401932Enrico Tazzoli had been directed to the area by a signal reporting two vessels damaged in a collision. A vessel was sighted at 1731 hours, but this proved to be a destroyer. The submarine escaped by submerging.
  31 Dec 19401415The submarine sighted a silhouette, which proved to be destroyer. It took avoiding action by submerging.

4bRaccanelli, Vittore14 Jan 19411440Le Verdon14 Jan 19411540PauillacPassage Le Verdon-Pauillac, escorted by the German minesweeper M-9 and the submarine chasers UJ-E and UJ-128.

4cRaccanelli, Vittore18 Jan 19410900Pauillac18 Jan 19411130BordeauxPassage Pauillac-Bordeaux.

5Fecia di Cossato, Carlo6 Apr 19411345Bordeaux6 Apr 19412030Le VerdonPassage Bordeaux-Le Verdon.

5bFecia di Cossato, Carlo7 Apr 19410930Le Verdon7 Apr 19411300Le VerdonTrials.

5cFecia di Cossato, Carlo7 Apr 19411955Le Verdon23 May 19412030Bordeaux8937Patrol between Freetown and the Azores, near Cape Verde Islands. Then refit in Bordeaux from 23rd May to 15th July.
  8 Apr 19411404+Two drifters were sighted. Initially believed they could have been German vessels and the submarine made a recognition signal but when this was not answered, Fecia di Cossato ordered to open fire. After five rounds, they were identified as Spanish fishing vessels and fire was checked.
  10 Apr 1941041845° 00'N, 12° 00'WThe submarine was informed of a convoy and Fecia di Cossato decided to intercept by continuing steering of 270° until the meridian 18°30' W was reached. It was reached at 2006 hours on 11th April and the submarine began to patrol the area.
  11 Apr 1941093544° 54'N, 18° 36'W
(0) Approximately.
An escort vessel was sighted. Enrico Tazzoli dived to gain an attack position, but could neither sight nor detect the target with her hydrophones and contact was lost.
  12 Apr 1941073644° 54'N, 18° 36'W
(0) Italian Grid 8403/46.
At 0732 hours, a small cruiser or large destroyer, steering 270° was sighted at 3,500 metres. Four minutes later, a torpedo (533mm) was fired at a range of 1,200 metres and a hit was heard after 80 seconds. The result has not been confirmed.
  15 Apr 1941201737° 09'N, 18° 43'W
(0) Approximately.
An unidentified submarine was sighted at a distance of 10,000 metres. Enrico Tazzoli made a recognition signal but when it was not answered, she turned away.
  15 Apr 1941231537° 09'N, 18° 43'WAt 2131 hours, a steamer was observed zigzagging at a distance of 15,000 metres. The submarine waited until dusk before closing.

At 2315 hours, a torpedo (450mm, A 110 type) was fired from a distance of 1,000 metres. It missed due to a mistake in angling the torpedo. The target was the British Aurillac (ex-French, 4,248 GRT, built 1921).

At 2316 hours, a second torpedo (533mm, W270 type) was fired, but missed again as Aurillac took evasive action.

Enrico Tazzoli now opened fire on Aurillac, which replied with her stern gun. Fecia di Cossato lamented that his submarine's gunfire was not very accurate but after three hits, the steamer's gun was silenced.

At 2355 hours, At 2355 hours, the submarine fired a single torpedo (533mm, W 270 type) which hit after 40 seconds and the freighter sank. There were forty-one survivors. Twenty-two reached Madeira in a lifeboat, the other nineteen were picked up by a Portuguese ship. One later died.
  16 Apr 1941195637° 38'N, 16° 17'WFollowing a signal received from BETASOM at 1305 hours reporting a convoy, the submarine altered course to intercept. At 1956 hours, a large vessel was sighted proceeding at 14 knots steering 330°. However, this ship was lost in a sudden rain squall and course was resumed to intercept the convoy. Position was reached at 1305 hours on the 17th and the submarine submerged to listen to her hydrophones. Tazzoli then moved north, but visibility was poor. At 1805 hours on the 18th, the chase was abandoned and the submarine returned to her patrol area.
  19 Apr 1941161038° 02'N, 16° 06'WA large ship was sighted amidst rain squalls. This turned out to be the American Exeter (9360 GRT, built 1931) and the submarine aborted the attack.
  22 Apr 1941235538° 55'N, 19° 50'WA vessel was sighted but was identified as Portuguese and let go.
  29 Apr 1941170729° 50'N, 17° 32'WA vessel was sighted at a distance of 15,000 metres. It was identified as Portuguese and let go.
  3 May 19411230-160022° 00'N, 19° 20'WA vessel was sighted at a distance of 15,000 metres. It turned out to be the Spanish Mosquitera (1,777 GRT, built 1896) and left unmolested.
  6 May 1941182611° 40'N, 20° 30'W
(0) Approximately.
A destroyer squadron, in line ahead on a 180° course, was observed from a distance of 10,000 metres. They were too far to be attacked.
  6 May 1941213511° 40'N, 20° 30'WA large passenger ship was sighted at a distance of 12,000 metres, proceeding on a 230° course at 16 knots. The submarine moved at flank speed to intercept, but could not close the range at less than 5,000 meters and the attack was abandoned.
  7 May 19411022
0825 GMT (e)
9° 55'N, 20° 15'W
(e) 10° 02'N, 20° 17'W
At 0900 hours, a steamer was observed zigzagging at a distance of 10,000 metres. The submarine dived and proceeded on an interception course.

At 1022 hours, a pair of torpedoes 450mm, W 200 type) were fired at a range of about 3,000 metres, one hit after 140 seconds and the target was brought to a stop. This was the Norwegian Fernlane (4,310 GRT, built 1927).

At 1050 hours, a single torpedo (450mm, A 115 type) was fired and caused further damage. The target was still afloat but now abandoned.

At 1115 hours, a fourth torpedo (450mm, type A 115) was fired which hit the Norwegian ship and she finally sank at 1125 hours. There were no casualties. The thirty-five survivors (thirty-two crew members and three passengers) reached Caravela Island in the Bissagos Archipelago by their own means.
  10 May 194101062° 50'N, 20° 55'WAt 2016 hours on 9th May 1941, a steamer was sighted at a distance of 14,000 metres. It was briefly lost in a rain squall before the submarine regained visual contact at a distance of 3,000 metres at 0051 hours on the 10th.

At 0106 hours, one torpedo was fired from 700 metres. FECIA DI COSSATO was persuaded that it had hit but saw no explosion.

This was the Norwegian tanker Alfred Olsen (8817 GRT, built 1934).

At 0110 hours, the submarine fired a stern shot (533mm, W 270 type) but it apparently missed under. The submarine opened fire but it was inaccurate because of the darkness. Firing was suspended after a few rounds.

At 0114 hours, the submarine turned for a bow shot (450mm, type W 200). Fecia Di Cossato believed it had hit but it did not explode. It was followed by another bow torpedo was fired but it missed. A stern shot (450mm, W 200 type) was now attempted but, although it squarely hit the Norwegian ship, it failed to sink her. Gunfire was resumed from a distance of only 200 metres and several hits were scored.

At 0152 hours, another torpedo was fired (450mm, W 200 type) from about 300-400 metres. Fecia Di Cossato believed it had hit but failed to explode. It is possible that the torpedo passed under the target, as the short range may not have allowed to reach its correct depth at the moment of impact.

At 0200 hours, a seventh torpedo (533mm, type W 270) was now fired from 300-400 metres and again Fecia Di Cossato believed that it had hit but failed to explode! Reserve torpedoes were now loaded.

At 0605 hours, an eighth torpedo (533mm, type W 270) was fired but missed, due to an irregular run as the torpedo turned to an angle of 90°.

At 0651 hours, a ninth torpedo (533mm, W 270 type) was fired at Alfred Olsen. This time it hit but the Norwegian ship still remained afloat!

At 1033 hours, a tenth torpedo (533mm, W 270 type) was fired. It hit but the Norwegian ship still refused to sink!

From 1100 to 1127 hours, the submarine finally finished off the Norwegian tanker by gunfire from a distance of 200 metres and she sank at 1152 hours. All thirty-four crew members were later rescued.
  17 May 1941073131° 30'N, 18° 20'WAt 0110 hours, Enrico Tazzoli sighted a vessel proceeding toward Gibraltar and closed to investigate. At 0731 hours, the submarine surfaced, dentified the vessel as the Vichy French tanker Frimaire (9,131 GRT, built 1930) and she was allowed to proceed.
  23 May 19411347
1335 (e)
45° 57'N, 1° 30'W
(e) 46° 08'N, 1° 15'W
Enrico Tazzoli waited at the rendezvous point to meet her escort to bring her in. She had not located her in the morning fog. The fog had began to dissipate when suddenly an aircraft appeared at 1347 hours. At first, it was believed to be a German aircraft and the submarine attempted to exchange recognition signals and fired two Very lights. However, it was British Beaufort 'K' of 217 Squadron which came swooping down at a height of 50-60 metres, releasing two bombs and machine-gunning the submarine who replied with its antiaircraft guns. The bombs fell only ten metres from Tazzoli and exploded ten seconds after impact. The bullets raked the deck, seriously wounding one of Breda machine gunners whose leg was later amputated. The aircraft came back on a second run, still raking the submarine with machine gun fire and dropping four bombs which straddled her. On a third run, the aircraft appeared to have been hit and drew away. It was believed that it was shot down but this was not confirmed.

6Fecia di Cossato, Carlo15 Jul 19411125Bordeaux15 Jul 19411530Le VerdonPassage Bordeaux-Le Verdon.

6bFecia di Cossato, Carlo15 Jul 19412200Le Verdon11 Sep 19411400Bordeaux10204Sailed for patrol in 44°00'N, 24°00'W (patrol between 23°30'W and 24°30'W on a north-south axis). On 22nd July, proceeded to 20°00'N, 24°00'W. Patrolled off Freetown. The submarine carried a total of nineteen torpedoes (three in canisters carried on deck).
  17 Jul 19410800An unidentified aircraft came out from the sun directly at the submarine. Tazzoli opened fire and made the recognition signal. The signal was answered by the aircraft which finally went away.
  20 Jul 19411920
1500Z (e)

(e) 43° 51'N, 21° 52'W
The American steamer Lehigh (5,103 GRT, built 1919) was sighted. She was on passage from Philadelphia to Vigo and although the submarine had both guns manned, she refrained from attack.
  30 Jul 19410225An illuminated Spanish ship was observed. The submarine closed to investigate and then turned away.
  10 Aug 194122033° 56'N, 4° 53'WAt 0705 hours on 9th August (the date could actually be the 10th, as the narrative in the report is not clear), three dark shadows were observed. The submarine made a submerged approach, identifying it as a convoy of three large ships escorted by two gunboats. Fecia di Cossato decided to trail it from a distance and attack after dark. For the whole day, the convoy was in sight. At 1750 hours on the 10th, a steamer was met on a westerly course, but it was decided not to divert from the task of dealing with the convoy.

At 2055 hours, an illuminated vessel was encountered and the submarine was forced to move around her so as not to divulge its presence.

At 2203 hours, Enrico Tazzoli had closed the convoy, which now was identified as three steamers escorted by two gunboats. Fecia Di Cossato intended to target a gunboat and a steamer. Two torpedoes, aimed at the gunboat, were fired from the bow tubes at a distance of 600 metres, angled to 20° to starboard. He had allowed for a speed of 10 knots but, shortly after, he realised that the warship was actually making 16-18 knots and the torpedoes missed astern.
  10 Aug 194122073° 56'N, 4° 53'WTwo torpedoes from tubes no.2 and 3 were aimed at the freighter and also missed. One torpedo appeared to veer on the right whereas the wake of the second could not be seen. Both attacks appeared to have been unobserved. The submarine then turned to 90°, with the intention to carry a stern attack at another freighter, but was forced to take evasive action when the gunboat on the starboard side of the convoy turned toward her. Fecia di Cossato decided to resume the attack submerged, but was thwarted by defects. Contact with the convoy was lost and Enrico Tazzoli took the direction of Las Palmas.
  11 Aug 194122003° 47'N, 6° 18'WAt 1440 hours, the submarine sighted smoke bearing 100° on the horizon and closed. It appear to be a convoy of three steamers, steering 270°, escorted by a single gunboat. Fecia di Cossato decided to trail it and attack it on the surface after dark. However, visibility had dropped and the convoy was lost from sight until 2102 hours, when a single steamer was observed. Visibility was still poor; the Captain's intention to start with a stern attack on this freighter was thwarted by the appearance of a gunboat and the other two freighters, followed by a second gunboat. Enrico Tazzoli slowed with the intention to work her way astern of the convoy and attack the last freighter. However, the submarine was apparently discovered by one of the freighters, which opened fire and forcing her to submerge. Between 2210 and 2222 hours, two patterns of depth charges were heard. The submarine could only surface at 0030 hours and tried to regain contact with the convoy.
  12 Aug 194122104° 18'N, 9° 25'WAt 1140 hours on 12th August, a smoke was seen on the horizon and the submarine closed to investigate. It proved to be a submarine chaser with two steamers in single file. Fecia di Cossato decided to attack it on the surface, at dusk. Having temporarily lost sight of the convoy, Enrico Tazzoli regained contact at 2206 hours at close range (1,000 metres) and fired a stern shot at 2210 hours and immediately submerged. Four minutes later, a detonation was heard. Later, information was trickling in that a ship named Zangara had been hit and beached on the African coast. There was no such ship. A British ship named Sangara (5,445 GRT, built 1939) existed, but she was not hit.
  19 Aug 19412318
1915 (e)
5° 20'N, 13° 07'W
(e) 5° 00'N, 12° 10'W
At 2259 hours, a large tanker was sighted on a 90° course at a distance of 4,000 metres.

At 2318 hours, Fecia Di Cossato ordered the firing of no.1 and no.4 tubes but due to a mistake in drill, tube no.3 was also fired. After 24 and 27 seconds two hits were observed to hit forward and aft but the target was still afloat. This was the Norwegian tanker Sildra (7,313 GRT, built 1927) in ballast on a trip from Freetown to Curaçao.

At 2337 hours, Enrico Tazzoli turned for a stern shot. Tube no.6 was fired and a hit was observed after 26 seconds, but the target failed to sink.

At 2354 hours, no.8 tube was fired but the wake was not observed and the torpedo missed.

At 2400 hours, Enrico Tazzoli fired no.7 tube. A hit was observed after 41 seconds and the tanker finally sank. Because of the heavy seas, the submarine had been unable to make use of her guns. There were no casualties. The forty survivors took to three lifeboats, two of which reached Manna Point (Sierra Leone) on 21st August and the third reached the coast south of Cape St. Ann the following afternoon.
  20 Aug 19411440An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived. The submarine surfaced at 1551 hours and loaded the three torpedoes which had been carried on deck.
  6 Sep 19411203-121539° 50'N, 16° 15'W
(0) Approximately.
A submarine was sighted at a distance of 10,000 metres and Enrico Tazzoli closed with the gun crew at their station. At 1215, a signal rocket was fired and the submarine was recognised as Baracca, who would be sunk by HMS Croome two days later.
  7 Sep 19411440An unidentified aircraft was sighted and the submarine dived.
  8 Sep 19411912An unidentified aircraft was sighted and the submarine dived.
  10 Sep 19410355At 0355 hours, a submarine was encountered and recognised to be Finzi.

7Fecia di Cossato, Carlo6 Dec 19410945Bordeaux6 Dec 19411315Le VerdonPassage Bordeaux-Le Verdon.

7bFecia di Cossato, Carlo6 Dec 19411805Le Verdon27 Dec 19411430St. Nazaire4600Sailed on a mission to rescue the survivors from the German raider Atlantis and her supply ship Python, northwest of Cape Verde (took 60 men from U-68). Four submarines participated in the operation: Finzi, Calvi, Torelli and Tazzoli. The four commanders were decorated by Admiral Doenitz.
  16 Dec 19411155-135519° 05'N, 26° 40'W
(0) Italian Grid 8491/15.
The German submarine U-68 (KK Karl-Friedrich Merten) was encountered, she was carrying survivors from the raider Atlantis and the supply ship Python. The Italian submarine took off sixty survivors and brought them to St. Nazaire.
  20 Dec 1941194735° 38'N, 17° 26'WAt 1947 hours, a smoke was sighted and the submarine closed to investigate. At 2210 hours, as the submarine had closed to just a few hundred metres from her stern, identifying it as Portuguese, the attack was broken off.

8Fecia di Cossato, Carlo5 Feb 19421000Bordeaux5 Feb 19421445Le VerdonPassage Bordeaux-Le Verdon.

8bFecia di Cossato, Carlo6 Feb 19421500Le Verdon6 Feb 19421730Le VerdonTrials.

8cFecia di Cossato, Carlo7 Feb 19421900Le Verdon9 Feb 19421625Le VerdonSailed for patrol but returned because of defects. Initially BETASOM had issued an order on 2nd February to bombard Berkeley (New Jersey) 35 miles north of Atlantic City, but three days later the order was countermanded by Admiral Legnani who warned them not to entertain similar ideas.

8dFecia di Cossato, Carlo10 Feb 19420850Le Verdon10 Feb 19421305BordeauxPassage Le Verdon-Bordeaux.

9Fecia di Cossato, Carlo11 Feb 19421530Bordeaux1 Apr 19421820Bordeaux9283Sailed for patrol after brief stop at Pauillac and Le Verdon (to embark and then disembark the pilot). Operated in Florida Strait between 26°30'N and 29°50'N and east coast of Florida and 77°50'W meridian, carried nineteen torpedoes. Refit from end of March to 1st June (mileage from 7 February).
  4 Mar 19420259
2210/3 (e)
28° 45'N, 59° 10'W
(e) 28° 44'N, 59° 15'W
At 1903 hours on 3rd March 1942, a smoke was sighted on the horizon and the submarine went on an intercepting course.

At 0259 hours on 4th March, two torpedoes were fired from the bow tubes at a distance of 2,000 metres, but they missed. This was the British tanker Rapana (8,017 GRT, built 1935).

The two remaining bow tubes were emptied from a distance of 1,500 metres, but they also missed. The tanker managed to escape.
  6 Mar 19420235
0025Z (e)
28° 55'N, 63° 30'W
(e) 29° 12'N, 64° 29'W
At 2131 hours on 5th March, a smoke was sighted on the horizon and the submarine closed.

At 0235 hours on 6th March, gunfire was opened with 25 100mm rounds and 45 machine gun rounds expended. Fecia di Cossato described his own shooting as very inaccurate due to the heavy seas, but the vessel did not appear to be armed and her crew quickly abandoned ship.

This was the Dutch Astrea (1,406 GRT, built 1921) bound from Rio de Janeiro to New York via Trinidad.

At 0323 hours, Enrico Tazzoli presented her stern to deliver the coup de grace and fired one torpedo. It hit after 18 seconds but the Dutch ship remained afloat.

At 0330 hours, a second stern shot was fired, hitting Astrea after 18 seconds and she sank. There were no casualties. The crew of twenty-seven was picked up on 16th March by the Dutch Hebe and fifteen were then transferred to the Argentine Rio Iguazu.
  6 Mar 19420323
0040Z (e)
28° 05'N, 63° 30'W
(e) 29° 12'N, 64° 29'W
Enrico Tazzoli presented her stern to deliver the coup de grace and fired one torpedo. It hit after 18 seconds but the Dutch ship remained afloat.
  7 Mar 19420502
2230Z/6 (e)
30° 15'N, 67° 45'WAt 1836 hours on 6th March, a vessel was sighted steering 330° at a distance of 18,000 metres. The submarine trailed her by keeping at a respectful distance to avoid being seen and close after dark.

At 0502 hours on 7th March, two torpedoes were fired from the bow tubes and hits were claimed after 45 and 48 seconds.

This was the Norwegian Tønsbergfjord (3,156 GRT, built 1930) on a voyage from Bombay to New York via Capetown and Trinidad. She had sailed from Trinidad on 1st March for the last leg of her trip when she was attacked. The survivors reported only one torpedo hit.

At 0512 hours, the Norwegian ship had been abandoned, but she was sinking slowly. The submarine fired 15 rounds to accelerate her destruction. There were no casualties and thirty-three survivors. One survivor was picked up by the Norwegian Arthur W. Sewall in 31°29' N, 67°49' W on 12th March and landed in Halifax on 19th March. Eighteen survivors linked up with thirty-one from Montevideo (sunk in the early hours of 9th March by Tazzoli) and were picked up by the Dutch Telamon on 13th March in 29°29' N, 70°00' W and landed at Jérémie (Haiti) on 16th March, the remainder were picked up the Norwegian Velma.
  9 Mar 1942020127° 40'N, 69° 10'W
(e) 29° 13'N, 69° 35'W
At 1330 hours on 8th March, a vessel was sighted at 17,000 metres in 27°40' N, 69°10' W. The submarine appeared to be in a favourable position and dived at 1515 hours to carry a submerged attack. However, the target altered course and the submarine had no other choice than to surface at 1740 hours to resume the chase and keep at a distance until darkness when she closed to the attack. At 0201 hours on 9th March, a torpedo was fired from a bow tube and hit after 45 seconds. The ship was damaged but did not sink. This was the Uruguayan Montevideo (5,785 GRT, built 1920, ex Italian Adamello seized in 1941) bound from Montevideo to New York via St. Thomas, carrying 6,000 tons of wool and meats.

Enrico Tazzoli opened fire to speed up her sinking and after ten rounds, most of which hit, a stern torpedo was fired at 0210 hours. It failed to explode due to the short range, which probably prevented the pistol from arming, but Montevideo finally slid to the bottom. Of her crew, fourteen were missing and thirty-five survived. Thirty-one, including two seriously wounded, linked with nineteen survivors from the Norwegian Tønsbergfjord and were later picked up by the Dutch Telamon and landed at Jérémie, Haiti. Four survivors reached Trinidad.
  11 Mar 19422345
1645 EST (e)
24° 10'N, 72° 55'W
(e) 24° 02'N, 74° 21'W
At 2145 hours, a vessel was sighted and the submarine closed, diving at 2250 hours to carry a submerged attack. At 2345 hours, tubes no.6 and no.7 were fired and both were claimed hits. The target was the Panamanian Cygnet (3,628 GRT, built 1917) with a Greek crew, bound from Georgetown (British Guyana) to Portland (Maine), but they reported only one torpedo hit at this time and the ship was still afloat.
  12 Mar 19420005
1645 EST (e)
24° 10'N, 72° 55'W
(e) 24° 05'N, 74° 21'W
At 0005 hours, Enrico Tazzoli finished off the Panamian Cygnet by gunfire. All thirty of her crew were rescued by the British Monarch of Nassau and landed at Nassau (Bahamas). The survivors described the submarine as painted in light blue.
  12 Mar 1942120026° 30'N, 74° 30'W
(e) 26° 34'N, 74° 22'W
A vessel was sighted at 20,000 metres and chase was given. At 1645 hours, it was given up as the vessel was too fast to catch up with.
  13 Mar 19421808
1120Z (e)
26° 30'N, 74° 30'W
(e) 26° 34'N, 74° 22'W
At 1621 hours, a vessel was sighted at a distance of 17,000 metres. The submarine was in a favourable position and dived at 1717 hours to carry a submerged attack.

At 1808 hours, a pair of torpedoes was fired from the stern tubes and both were claimed to have hit after 58 seconds. This was the British Daytonian (6,434 GRT, built 1922) bound for Halifax from Mobile (Alabama). Her survivors reported only one hit and she did not sink immediately.

At 1845 hours, Enrico Tazzoli fired 19 rounds at Daytonian, causing further damage.

At 1914 hours, the submarine turned away for a stern shot which hit the British ship after 23 seconds and she sank at 1922 hours. One was killed, her fifty-eight survivors landed at Nassau on 15th March.
  15 Mar 19422138
1500 2010Z (e)
26° 50'N, 75° 40'W
(e) 25° 50'N, 75° 40'W
At 1925 hours, the submarine sighted a tanker at about 18,000 metres. At 2045 hours, the submarine dived to carry a submerged attack.

At 2138 hours. Enrico Tazzoli fired two torpedoes from the bow tubes. Both were claimed to have hit after 78 seconds. In fact only one torpedo hit the engine room on the port side. British tanker Athelqueen (8780 GRT, built 1928) bound for Port Everglades from Oban with convoy O.S.20. The tanker crew observed the submarine to surface at about 2,000 yards and fired three 4,7" rounds and the submarine submerged. The crew began to abandon ship.

The submarines had readied tubes no.3 and 4. As she attempted to move ahead of the tanker to avoid the fire from her stern gun, she accidentally collided with her and the bow was distorted. The torpedo attack had to be canceled and the two torpedoes had to be removed from the tubes.

At 2241 hours, the submarine surfaced and, using both her 100mm guns to fire 128 rounds, sank the Athelqueen. Apparently, the submarine's fire hit her reserve's ammunition causing explosions. Three of her crew were killed. Fecia Di Cossato brought his submarine next to one of the lifeboats to interrogate the survivors and told them that land was 60 miles away. The forty-six survivors reached Abaco.
  16 Mar 19422001
1715 (e)
29° 50'N, 74° 10'W
(e) 29° 56'N, 74° 05'E
The collision with Athelqueen had certainly upset Carlo Fecia Di Cossato and forced him to abort his mission. As the submarine was returning home, at 2001 hours, she sighted a tanker at a distance of 20,000 metres. The submarine was in no condition to attack. This was the tanker British Resolution (8408 GRT, built 1937) steering 240° who reported the submarine.
  17 Mar 1942040030° 55'N, 73° 20'WAn unknown tanker was sighted at a distance of 2,500 metres on a 070° course. The submarine could not take any action as she was short on fuel. At 0600 hours, an illuminated ship was also sighted but it must have been neutral.
  20 Mar 19421614-1621
1048 (e)
38° 10'N, 60° 30'W
(e) 37° 03'N, 60° 39'W
At 1614 hours, a tanker was sighted at 3,500 metres on a 230° course. Enrico Tazzoli was forced to submerge as the vessel opened accurate fire. Di Cossato did not want to use his two remaining torpedoes as he feared his bow tubes were distorted by the collision with Athelqueen. This was believed to be the British tanker Davila (8,053 GRT, built 1938).
  25 Mar 1942172952° 18'N, 35° 20'WAt 1725 hours, a steamer was sighted at 20,000 metres but disappeared six minutes later.
  25 Mar 1942201542° 20'N, 34° 40'WAt 2015 hours, a steamer was sighted at a distance of 20,000 metres. The submarine was short on fuel and turned away to avoid being seen.

Fecia di Cossato, Carlo4 Jun 19420900Bordeaux4 Jun 19421550Le VerdonPassage Bordeaux-Le Verdon.

Fecia di Cossato, Carlo5 Jun 19421500Le Verdon5 Jun 19421710Le VerdonTrials.

10Fecia di Cossato, Carlo5 Jun 19421950Le Verdon7 Jun 19420800Le Verdon?Sailed for patrol, but early return because of defects.

Fecia di Cossato, Carlo8 Jun 19420820Le Verdon8 Jun 19421420BordeauxPassage Le Verdon-Bordeaux.

Fecia di Cossato, Carlo18 Jun 19420820Bordeaux18 Jun 19421230Le VerdonPassage Bordeaux-Le Verdon.

11Fecia di Cossato, Carlo18 Jun 19421950Le Verdon5 Sep 19421410Bordeaux12817Caribbean patrol between Cape Rojo (Puerto Rico), Punta Pedrera (north Caracas, Venezuela), Punta Besta (Santo Domingo) and Cape Vela (Guajira peninsula, Colombia). Carried 314 rounds of 12 cm and nineteen torpedoes (eight forward, eight aft and three in outside containers).
  20 Jun 19420156
0153 (e)
45° 30'N, 4° 30'W
(0) Approximately.
At 0156 hours, the submarine was illuminated by an aircraft. The officer of the watch rightfully judged that there was no time to dive and ordered the machine guns to fire. This was Wellington 'B' of 172 Squadron, piloted by Pilot Officer F.C. Blackmore, who had sighted the submarine 1 mile away and switched its Leigh Light at a distance of 3/4 mile. Approach had been made at a poor angle and no depth charges were released, but the rear machine gunner fired off two bursts as the aircraft flew on a parallel course 100 yards from the submarine. Enrico Tazzoli managed to submerge before a second aircraft run could be made.
  21 Jun 19420530An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived.
  22 Jun 19421300An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived.
  22 Jun 19421646A German submarine was sighted.
  22 Jun 19421737An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived.
  23 Jun 19420410An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived.
  26 Jun 1942130535° 18'N, 20° 37'WThe submarine sighted a ship and trailed it until dusk when a submerged approach was made to attack. At 2119 hours, the vessel was recognised to be the Portuguese Carvhalo Aurja (4,468 GRT, built 1930) and the attack aborted.
  1 Jul 1942193032° 30'N, 37° 30'WAt 1930 hours, a steamer was sighted and was chased until 2310 hours when her nationality was recognised as Swiss and the attack aborted.
  6 Jul 1942182529° 40'N, 52° 30'WAt 1825 hours, a motor ship was sighted and chased until 2000 hours, when she managed to draw away.
  12 Jul 1942135018° 30'N, 67° 30'W
(0) Approximately.
An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived.
  12 Jul 1942181118° 30'N, 67° 30'W
(0) Approximately.
An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived.
  12 Jul 1942221318° 30'N, 67° 30'WA convoy of six tankers was sighted at 12,000 metres. Enrico Tazzoli attempted to close submerged, but the mist prevented it and at 2230 hours she surfaced.
  12 Jul 19422230
2030Z (e)
18° 30'N, 67° 30'W
(e) 18° 40'N, 67° 10'W
(0) Approximately.
Enrico Tazzoli had just surfaced to chase the convoy, when an aircraft was sighted on opposite course, passing 200 meters to port. There was no time to man the machine guns so the submarine dived. She had reached a depth of 40 metres when a bomb exploded fairly close. Apparently, a surface craft (K189? HMS Bergamot? according to aircraft, but unlikely) joined the hunt and ten depth-charges were dropped.
  13 Jul 1942024018° 30'N, 67° 30'W
(0) Approximately.
Enrico Tazzoli had surfaced at 0203 hours to chase the convoy, when at 0240 hours she was suddenly strafed by an aircraft. She crash-dived . No bombs were dropped, but she lost contact with the convoy.
  14 Jul 19421345
(0) Near Mona Pass.
An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived.
  14 Jul 1942134615° 00'N, 68° 00'W
(0) Approximately.
An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived.
  16 Jul 1942115112° 55'N, 68° 30'WAt 1151 hours, an unknown vessel was sighted. The submarine attempted to close, but the vessel was faster and the chase was abandoned at noon.
  18 Jul 19421914An unidentified aircraft was seen at 1,000 metres and the submarine dived.
  19 Jul 19422040An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived.
  20 Jul 1942180413° 15'N, 69° 00'WAt 1804 hours, a destroyer was sighted. The submarine attempted to close without success.
  20 Jul 1942202913° 15'N, 69° 00'W
(0) Approximately.
An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived.
  21 Jul 1942190214° 35'N, 68° 20'WAt 1902 hours, a smoke was sighted on the horizon. The submarine closed and submerged as she was in a favourable position but, at 1953 hours, the vessel was identified as the Argentine steamer Rio Diamante (5,272 GRT, built 1918) and the attack was aborted.
  21 Jul 1942211514° 30'N, 68° 10'WAt 2115 hours, a destroyer was sighted. The submarine dived to carry out an attack but could not close the range sufficiently.
  22 Jul 19420045An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived.
  23 Jul 1942161014° 30'N, 78° 10'WAt 1610 hours, a destroyer was observed but disappeared nine minutes later.
  23 Jul 19422143An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived.
  24 Jul 19421255An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived.
  28 Jul 1942193015° 18'N, 59° 25'WAt 1930 hours, a small submarine chaser was observed, forcing the submarine to dive.
  29 Jul 1942182513° 37'N, 60° 15'WA submarine chaser was sighted at 1825 hours, but Enrico Tazzoli could not gain an attacking position.
  30 Jul 19421500?An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived.
  30 Jul 19421700An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived.
  30 Jul 19422232An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived.
  31 Jul 1942045612° 42'N, 60° 55'WAt 0456 hours, a submarine chaser was seen and the submarine took avoiding action.
  31 Jul 1942112011° 50'N, 60° 30'WAt 1120 hours, a destroyer was seen but the submarine could not gain an attacking position.
  31 Jul 19421515An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived.
  1 Aug 1942161611° 10'N, 59° 10'WAt 1616 hours, a steamer was observed and the submarine took an intercepting course. This was the Greek Kastor (5,497 GRT, built 1921), on passage from Bombay to St. John (New Brunswick) via Capetown and Trinidad, carrying 8,000 tons of general cargo. At 1840 hours, a tanker came into view. Fecia di Cossato elected to investigate it, but the tanker proved too fast and the submarine returned to her original course to intercept the Greek ship.
  2 Aug 19420016
2220Z/1 (e)
10° 40'N, 58° 40'W
(e) 10° 54'N, 59° 12'W
Encountering a vessel at 0016 hours, Enrico Tazzoli fired two torpedoes from the bow tubes. Both hit after 50 and 52 seconds and she sank. One was killed and three drowned. The survivors told Fecia Di Cossato that their ship was the Dutch Castor, but he perhaps misunderstood. A US aircraft reported the Dutch Castor (1830 GRT, built 1939) as torpedoed at 0900Z hours on 2nd August 1942 in 10°54' N, 59°12' W. It is possible that the aircraft relayed a signal, which may have used the call sign of the Dutch vessel and that Di Cossato made the same mistake. There is no doubt that his victim was the Greek Kastor (5,497 GRT, built 1921). The Dutch Castor arrived a few days later at Trinidad. Thirty-one survivors (including the Master) were rescued by the corvette USS Surprise and landed at Trinidad on 3rd August. A report mentions that they were picked up by the American armed yacht USS Tourmaline, but this appears to be an error.
  3 Aug 1942012311° 00'N, 57° 10'WAt 1644 hours on 2nd August, the submarine sighted a steamer on a 270° course. At 1945 hours, Fecia Di Cossato judged the conditions favourable for a submerged attack and Enrico Tazzoli dived. By 2107 hours, the submarine had still not reached an attack position and surfaced to close the range. Three minutes later, another smoke was sighted over the horizon.

Fecia Di Cossato decided to concentrate his efforts on the first ship and, at 0123 hours on 3rd August, he ordered tubes no.3 and no.4 fired from a distance of 400 metres. They both had an erratic course and missed.

At 0148 hours, torpedoes were fired from tubes no. 1 and no. 2 from a distance of 800 metres. They missed ahead as the ship appeared to go full speed astern. The second ship appeared to be an escort vessel, coming to the assistance of the first. With all forward tubes empty, Di Cossato had to disengage and withdraw.
  3 Aug 1942135810° 50'N, 58° 45'WAt 1358 hours, a vessel was observed. At 1412 hours, Enrico Tazzoli dived as conditions appeared to be good for a submerged attack. However, the vessel was zigzagging and appeared to move away. The submarine had to surface to resume the chase, with the intention to attack it at dusk, but her speed may have been underestimated and she was lost from view.
  4 Aug 1942190211° 10'N, 57° 05'WA periscope was sighted, which probably belonged to a German submarine. Enrico Tazzoli made a recognition signal but when it was not answered, she turned away.
  4 Aug 1942222011° 12'N, 57° 30'WAt 2220 hours, a submarine chaser was observed and the submarine dived to carry out an attack, but the warship passed out of range.
  6 Aug 1942104010° 25'N, 57° 10'WAt 0945 hours, a dark shape was observed at a distance of 8,000 metres. Enrico Tazzoli closed and identified it as a tanker. At 1031 hours, torpedoes from no.3 and no.4 tubes were fired but missed. The target was the derelict Norwegian Havsten (6,161 GRT, built 1930). She had been torpedoed by U-160 (OL Georg Lassen) on 3rd August and had been abandoned. Of her crew, two had been killed, two captured and thirty were later rescued. Fecia di Cossato did not mention any survivors.
  6 Aug 1942104810° 25'N, 57° 10'WAt 1048 hours, Enrico Tazzoli turned to deliver two stern shots. They both hit after 35 and 38 seconds. A third stern torpedo was fired at 1108 hours and missed. Havsten finally sank at 1115 hours.
  6 Aug 1942142210° 00'N, 57° 00'WAt 1422 hours, a vessel was sighted and Enrico Tazzoli closed to attack, but was robbed by a U-boat at 1717 hours. This was, most probably, the Polish Rozewie (766 GRT, built 1938) who was torpedoed and sunk by U-66 (KL Friedrich Markworth).
  8 Aug 1942104010° 45'N, 53° 59'WAt 1040 hours, a steamer was sighted, but as the submarine closed she was identified as Argentine and let go.
  12 Aug 1942114210° 35'N, 53° 50'WAt 1142 hours, a steamer was sighted. At 1720 hours, as the submarine closed, she was identified as Argentine and let go.
  12 Aug 1942184411° 10'N, 53° 35'WAt 1844 hours, a steamer was sighted. At 2155 hours, as the submarine closed, she was identified as Argentine and let go.
  28 Aug 1942152538° 05'N, 19° 22'WAt 1525 hours, a steamer was sighted. At 1916 hours, as the submarine closed, she was identified as the Portuguese steamer Gaza (4,705 GRT, built 1914) and let go.

Fecia di Cossato, Carlo5 Nov 19421416Bordeaux5 Nov 19421830Le VerdonPassage Bordeaux-Le Verdon.

Fecia di Cossato, Carlo6 Nov 19421015Le Verdon6 Nov 19421142Le VerdonTrials. From 2015 to 2245 hours, went to action stations because of air raid over Le Verdon.

Fecia di Cossato, Carlo7 Nov 1942Le Verdon8 Nov 1942Le VerdonAt Le Verdon. Air raids during both days.
  7 Nov 19421630-1900
(0) Le Verdon.
At 1630-1900 hours, there was an air raid on Le Verdon. The submarine was at anchor and opened fire with her machine guns.
  8 Nov 19420810
(0) Le Verdon.
At 0810 hours, Enrico Tazzoli was still anchored at Le Verdon, when an enemy four-engine bomber flew over her and was immediately engaged with the starboard machine gun. The aircraft was set afire and crashed in the sea. The claim has not been confirmed.

12Fecia di Cossato, Carlo9 Nov 19422250Le Verdon10 Nov 19421108Le VerdonSailed for patrol but early return because of defects.

Fecia di Cossato, Carlo11 Nov 19420735Le Verdon11 Nov 19421224BordeauxPassage Le Verdon-Bordeaux.

Fecia di Cossato, Carlo13 Nov 19420919Bordeaux13 Nov 19421345Le VerdonPassage Bordeaux-Le Verdon.

Fecia di Cossato, Carlo13 Nov 19421715Le Verdon14 Nov 19421220Le VerdonTrials.

Fecia di Cossato, Carlo15 Nov 19420715Le Verdon15 Nov 19421124BordeauxPassage Le Verdon-Bordeaux.

Fecia di Cossato, Carlo18 Nov 19421454Bordeaux18 Nov 19421822Le VerdonPassage Bordeaux-Le Verdon.

13Fecia di Cossato, Carlo19 Nov 19420810Bordeaux1 Feb 19431147Le Verdon13715Patrolled off Brazil, near Cape San Rocco. She carried nineteen torpedoes (eight forward, eight aft and three in external containers) and 314 rounds of 102mm. After this patrol, Fecia di Cossato took over the command of the torpedo boat Aliseo and committed suicide after the Armistice. From 10th February to 1st May, Tazzoli was modified as a transport submarine.
  20 Nov 1942223044° 32'N, 5° 52'WAt 2230 hours, an unknown submarine was observed on an easterly course. Enrico Tazzoli turned away.
  28 Nov 19421500-183530° 05'N, 25° 05'WThe submarine Leonardo Da Vinci was sighted at 1157 hours. From 1500 to 1835 hours, Enrico Tazzoli took 30 tons of fuel from her [25 tons according to the Leonardo Da Vinci report].
  29 Nov 1942233727° 08'N, 26° 15'WAt 2337 hours, a vessel was sighted but Enrico Tazzoli could not catch up.
  12 Dec 19420059
2400 GMT/11 (e)
5° 33'N, 39° 25'W
(e) 3° 00'N, 38° 00'W
At 2008 hours on 11th December, a vessel was sighted at a distance of 18,000 meters. The submarine went on an intercepting course.

At 0059 hours on the 12th, two bow torpedoes were fired and one hit.

She was the British Empire Hawk (5,590 GRT, built 1919), on passage from New York to Alexandria via Trinidad and Capetown. She was carrying 3,500 tons of coal and 2,200 tons of general cargo. She remained afloat and opened machine gun fire on the submarine.

At 0117 hours, the submarine turned for a stern shot at Empire Hawk. The torpedo had an erratic run and missed.

At 0120 hours, Enrico Tazzoli fired a torpedo from a stern tube and it hit the target but she remained upright.

Enrico Tazzoli turned again, this time for a bow shot at Empire Hawk. This torpedo also had an erratic run and missed.

At 0123 hours, the submarine fired another torpedo from a stern tube, but it had an erratic run and missed.

At the same time, both guns opened fire and, within a short time, Tazzoli fired another torpedo which hit. Gunfire was maintained until 0210 hours, when Empire Hawk finally sank. Thirty-one survivors were picked up by the steamer Cape Breton on the 17th. Twenty survivors, including the Master, reached the Brazilian coast on 25th December. There were no victims.
  12 Dec 19421929-1930
1930 GMT 1610 or 184 (e)
7° 35'N, 39° 25'W
(e) 7° 25'N, 39° 19'W
At 1659 hours, a steamer was sighted at 20,000 metres and chased. At 1825 hours, the submarine submerged for the final run and at 1929 hours, two torpedoes were fired from the stern tubes, one hit and the target sank. This was the Dutch Ombilin (5,658 GRT, built 1916), on passage from Montreal to Capetown via Trinidad. Of her crew of eighty-one, the Master and the Engineer were captured by the submarine, twenty-four survivors were rescued by the British steamer City Of Sydney, thirty by the Argentine tanker Santa Cruz (and the remainder ?). There were no victims. Following this action, the submarine proceeded in loading torpedoes stored externally.
  17 Dec 194220550° 45'N, 44° 55'WAt 1303 hours, a vessel was sighted at a distance of 12,000 metres. The submarine trailed it with the intention of attacking it after dark. At 2055 hours, the submarine was making its attack run when, due to an error in drill, a torpedo was fired and exploded shortly after leaving the tube, shaking the submarine.
  18 Dec 194208152° 30'N, 47° 33'WUndeterred by the previous incident, Enrico Tazzoli trailed the vessel and at 0815 hours on 18th December, two torpedoes were fired from the bow tubes. Their run was erratic and they missed.
  21 Dec 19422058
1730 (e)
0° 41'S, 41° 35'W
(e) 0° 49'S, 41° 34'W
At 1232 hours, Enrico Tazzoli sighted a steamer at a distance of 5,000 metres and dived for a submerged attack. It was realised that an attack position could not be gained in time, so the submarine surfaced again at 1356 hours, with the intention of trailing the steamer and attack it after dark.

At 2058 hours, two stern torpedoes were fired and both hit.

This was the British Queen City (4,809 GRT, built 1924) steering 312°, bound from Capetown to Trinidad, carrying 7,900 tons of general cargo. Queen City sighted the U-boat, described as of the MARCELLO class, 0.25 mile on starboard beam steering 070°. The two hits had crippled her, but she did not sink.

Using gunfire, the submarine finally sent the British ship to the bottom. There were no casualties. One rating was taken prisoner aboard the submarine. Forty-four survivors, distributed in two lifeboats, reached the Brazilian coast. .
  23 Dec 194209122° 12'S, 39° 22'WA corvette was sighted at a distance of 10,000 metres and Enrico Tazzoli dived.
  25 Dec 19421040
1030 (e)
2° 03'S, 35° 38'W
(e) 2° 02'S, 35° 17'W
At 0925 hours, a smoke was sighted over the horizon at 25,000 metres. It was gaining rapidly on the submarine and she submerged. At 1040 hours, two bow torpedoes were fired. Although, Fecia Di Cossato recorded that both hit, whereas survivors acknowledged only one hit. The torpedo had been sighted making a sound like a motorboat and porpoising.The ship had attempted to avoid by turning hard to port, but it appeared to veer and strike it amidship. This was the American Dona Aurora (5,011 GRT, built 1939). She had been on a voyage from Capetown to Baltimore with a general cargo of manganese ore, cow and sheep hides, wool, coffee and dye stuff. Seven were killed. Enrico Tazzoli picked up three survivors, including a ship's boy. Fifty-three survivors were picked up by the British Testbank on 27th December and another nine by the seaplane tender USS Humboldt.
  30 Dec 194218056° 55'S, 33° 15'WAt 1805 hours, a steamer was sighted at 16,000 metres. Three hours later, the submarine had closed to within attacking distance but aborted the attack when the Argentine flag was recognised.
  31 Dec 194216005° 35'S, 31° 30'WAn unidentified aircraft was seen at 10,000 metres and the submarine dived.
  3 Jan 194313051° 40'S, 26° 20'WAt 1045 hours, the submarine reached the rendezvous point and began cruising in the vicinity. Ammiraglio Cagni appeared at 1305 hours, but Enrico Tazzoli could not refuel from her due to the heavy seas. However, the ship's boy from Dona Aurora was transferred to Cagni as he required medical attention.
  6 Jan 194315380° 56'S, 32° 33'WAn unidentified aircraft was seen at 10,000 metres and the submarine dived.
  19 Jan 1943140415° 54'N, 34° 42'WAt 1404 hours, a smoke was sighted over the horizon at a distance of 30,000 metres. The submarine closed and at 1630 hours, the steamer passed ahead, traveling at a speed of 15 knots, but the track angle was not favourable and the ship was apparently neutral. The attack was aborted.
  26 Jan 1943113236° 00'N, 18° 42'WAt 1132 hours, a German submarine was sighted at 10,000 metres.
  26 Jan 1943134536° 18'N, 18° 33'WAt 1345 hours, a smoke was sighted at 20,000 metres. The submarine went on an intercepting course but recognised the vessel as the Spanish Cabo De Buena Esperanza (12,595 GRT, built 1921) and the attack aborted.
  30 Jan 19430345An unidentified aircraft was seen and the submarine dived.

Fecia di Cossato, Carlo1 Feb 19431252Le Verdon1 Feb 19431623BordeauxPassage Le Verdon-Bordeaux.

14Caito, Giuseppe16 May 19431200La Pallice17 Jun 1943Sunk with all handsPassage Bordeaux-Singapore with 165 tons of stores with passenger Japanese Colonel Kihara and German Lt. Chiari and nine others via: (1) 45°30'N, 11°00'W (2) 35°00'N, 21°00'W (3) 17°00'N, 28°00'W [was to have met Giuliani in 09°30'S, 06°30'W on 17 June] (4) 15°00'S, 01°00'W (5) 36°30'S, 16°00'E (6) 37°40'S, 18°00'E (37°40'S, 26°00'E then Sunda Straits. From German sources kindly provided by Dr Axel Niestlé, Tazzoli and Giuliani left La Pallice at 1200 under escort of M 83, M 84 and Sperrbrecher 21 via Points P1 and point Pilz. Point Pilz (BF 6848 or 45°57' N, 02°15' W) was reached at 1632 and both boats then proceeded independently. (Originally, departure planned for 15.05.43, but delayed). Believed lost between 17th and 24th May 1943, six officers, forty-six ratings, and five civilians killed. The destroyer USS Mackenzie (DD-614) attacked a submarine on 16th May in 38°53'N, 20°33'W and another on 22nd May. It is impossible that it was the first attack. She was to rendezvous with another unit [Giuliani] in 09°30'S, 06°30'W on 17th June, but never showed up.
  16 May 1943
2003 (e)

(e) 45° 57'N, 11° 40'W
At 2003 hours, Halifax 'R' (HR774) of 58 Squadron (piloted by Pilot Officer A.J.W. Birch) attacked a submarine with depth-charges. It was claimed that Enrico Tazzoli was sunk in this attack but it is unlikely, as she could never have reached this position in time.
  20 May 1943
1000 (e)

(e) 45° 50'N, 9° 27'W
At 1000 hours, Liberator 'A' (Flying Officer J.R. Weeds) of 224 Squadron sighted a submarine on course of 270 degrees at 8 knots. The bomber attacked from port quarter and a stick of six depth charges was released from 100 feet, 45 seconds after the U-boat had disappeared. The rear gunner witnessed the explosions, estimating four on the submarine's track about 400 feet ahead of the swirl. Baiting tactics were carried out but nothing further was observed. It is possible that Enrico Tazzoli was sunk in this attack.
  21 May 1943
0925 (e)

(e) 45° 54'N, 15° 29'W
At 0925 hours, an aircraft of 19 Group reported to be over a submarine. Details of this attack are unknown but it remains a possibility that this was Enrico Tazzoli.
  23 May 1943
1718Z (e)

(e) 34° 30'N, 13° 13'W
At 1718Z hours, an American PBY (from VP-92?) sighted two U-boats and attacked one of them. Another aircraft sighted one corpse and debris in a large oil slick in the vicinity. It is possible that this was Enrico Tazzoli. The submarine disappeared without a trace. Believed lost between 17th and 24th May 1943, six officers, forty-six ratings and five civilians killed.

162 entries. 43 total patrol entries (14 marked as war patrols) and 130 events.

All Italian submarines