Italian submarines in World War Two
Italian Commanders
Corrado Dal Pozzo
| Born | 9 Oct 1909 | Genoa |
| Ranks
Decorations
|
Career information
MARCELLO (T.V. First Officer): from 05.01.1939 to ?SIRENA (T.V. C.O.): from 28.10.1940 to 21.12.1940.
ONDINA (T.V. C.O.): from 18.11.1940 to 28.02.1942.
Promoted C.C. in August 1941.
From 01.07.1942 to at least January 1943, served at MARINACCAD.
Commands listed for Corrado Dal Pozzo
| Submarine | Type | Rank | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sirena (SI) | Coastal / Sea going | T.V. | 28 Oct 1940 | 21 Dec 1940 |
| Ondina (ON) | Coastal / Sea going | T.V. | 18 Nov 1940 | 28 Feb 1942 |
Ships hit by Corrado Dal Pozzo
| Date | Submarine | Ship hit | Type | GRT | Nat. | Loss type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 23 Jun 1941 | Ondina | Refah | Cargo ship | 3,512 |  | Sunk |
War patrols listed for Corrado Dal Pozzo
| Submarine | Date | Time | Port | Arr. date | Arr. time | Arr. port | Miles | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sirena (SI) | 5 Nov 1940 | 0835 | Taranto | 5 Nov 1940 | 1510 | Taranto | 31,7 | Exercises. | ||
| Sirena (SI) | 7 Nov 1940 | 0830 | Taranto | 7 Nov 1940 | 1552 | Taranto | 52,2 | Exercises. | ||
| Sirena (SI) | 9 Nov 1940 | 0835 | Taranto | 9 Nov 1940 | 1620 | Taranto | 59,5 | Exercises. | ||
| Sirena (SI) | 14 Nov 1940 | 0805 | Taranto | 14 Nov 1940 | 1247 | Taranto | 24,5 | Exercises. | ||
| Sirena (SI) | 16 Nov 1940 | 0800 | Taranto | 16 Nov 1940 | 1200 | Taranto | 23,5 | Exercises. | ||
| Sirena (SI) | 18 Nov 1940 | 0800 | Taranto | 18 Nov 1940 | 1400 | Taranto | 33 | Exercises. | ||
| 1. | Sirena (SI) | 22 Nov 1940 | 0923 | Taranto | 1 Dec 1940 | 1620 | Taranto | 886 | Patrolled off Corfu, within 10 miles from 39°40'N, 19°10'E on the parallel with Nereide. Uneventful. | |
| Ondina (ON) | 1 Jan 1941 | 1410 | Taranto | 1 Jan 1941 | 1752 | Taranto | 23 | Exercises. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 2 Jan 1941 | 1025 | Taranto | 2 Jan 1941 | 1825 | Taranto | 44 | Exercises. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 5 Jan 1941 | 1243 | Taranto | 5 Jan 1941 | 1919 | Taranto | 23,5 | Exercises. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 7 Jan 1941 | 1115 | Taranto | 7 Jan 1941 | 1532 | Taranto | 26 | Exercises. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 9 Jan 1941 | 0852 | Taranto | 9 Jan 1941 | 1618 | Taranto | 21,8 | Exercises with submarine chaser Vieste. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 10 Jan 1941 | 0807 | Taranto | 10 Jan 1941 | 1520 | Taranto | 53,6 | Exercises with the submarines Millelire and Speri. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 12 Jan 1941 | 0729 | Taranto | 12 Jan 1941 | 1600 | Taranto | 42,5 | Exercises. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 13 Jan 1941 | 0839 | Taranto | 13 Jan 1941 | 1031 | Taranto | 5 | Exercises with the torpedo boat Polluce. | ||
| 2. | Ondina (ON) | 20 Jan 1941 | 2115 | Taranto | 21 Jan 1941 | 1110 | Taranto | 75 | A/S patrol in 40°00'N, 17°20'E. Uneventful. | |
| Ondina (ON) | 23 Jan 1941 | 0916 | Taranto | 27 Jan 1941 | 0845 | Leros | 683 | Passage Taranto-Leros. Uneventful, except for the bad weather. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 5 Mar 1941 | 0850 | Leros | 5 Mar 1941 | 1637 | Leros | 34 | Exercises. | ||
| 3. | Ondina (ON) | 8 Mar 1941 | 0340 | Leros | 19 Mar 1941 | 0715 | Leros | 1040 | Patrolled SSE of Scarpanto within 20 miles from 34°20'N, 27°40'E on a NE-SW axis. | |
| 13 Mar 1941 | 1420-1735 | (0) Near Kasos Strait. | At 1420 hours, smokes were sighted on the horizon. At 1450 hours, the upper works of a destroyer could be discerned at 15,000 metres. Later, the convoy could be seen, consisting of eight merchant ships, escorted by a light cruiser of the CERES or CALEDON class and two destroyers, on a NNW course. This was most likely convoy AN.19 escorted by the antiaircraft cruiser HMS Coventry and the Greek destroyers Spetsai and Hydra. Ondina vainly attempted to close, but gave up at 1735 hours as the distance was now 10 miles and she just made an enemy report. | |||||||
| Ondina (ON) | 3 Apr 1941 | 2157 | Leros | 4 Apr 1941 | 0206 | Leros | 36 | Exercises. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 19 Apr 1941 | 0730 | Leros | 19 Apr 1941 | 1205 | Leros | 29 | Exercises. | ||
| 4. | Ondina (ON) | 19 Apr 1941 | 2226 | Leros | 28 Apr 1941 | 1530 | Leros | 804,5 | Patrolled in 35°30'N, 36°20'E then, from 24th April, in 33°20'N, 26°00'E, off Cape Plaka on Alexandria-Cape Sidero route and Kasos Straits. | |
| 25 Apr 1941 | 1956 | (0) Near Cape Plaka (or near Cape Kaso). | Several hydrophone effects had been heard since 1518 hours. At 1956 hours, Ondina had just surfaced when a large MTB was sighted at a distance of 500 metres. The submarine dived immediately, but the hatch could not be properly closed until a rating managed to unblock it and the submarine dived to 85 meters. Depth-charges exploded but high above the submarine. Other patterns of depth charges followed at 2023, 2024 and 2025 and a last one at 2320 hours, which caused some damage forcing the submarine to 130 meters. H.E. continued to be heard and oxygen was running out. At 1830 hours on 26th April, Ondina finally surfaced with the gun crews at the ready, but fortunately the horizon was clear of enemy vessels. The damage inflicted by the depth-charging and S.T.V. Galletti who had been very sick with high fever since 22nd April forced the abandonment of the patrol. | |||||||
| 5. | Ondina (ON) | 11 May 1941 | Leros | 11 May 1941 | 1517 | Leros | Onice was to have sailed during the day (or in the evening) for the "Dario" area (or area D, Kaso Strait) but apparently was recalled. | |||
| Ondina (ON) | 9 Jun 1941 | 1643 | Portolago (Leros) | 9 Jun 1941 | 1304 | Portolago (Leros) | 24 | Exercises. | ||
| 6. | Ondina (ON) | 13 Jun 1941 | 1643 | Leros | 27 Jun 1941 | 1304 | Leros | 1066 | Patrolled between Alexandretta and Cape Andreas, Cyprus. | |
| 23 Jun 1941 | 2130 | 36° 08'N, 34° 44'E | At about 2000 hours, a vessel was sighted coming from the direction of Mersin (Turkey). At 2100 hours, Ondina began closing for the attack. The vessel was flying the Turkish flag and estimated at about 9,000 GRT. At 2130 hours, two torpedoes (533mm) were fired from the bow tubes at a range of 1,000 metres, They missed ahead. This was the Turkish Refah (3,512 GRT, built 1901) on her way from Mersin to Alexandria (or Port Said) carrying Turkish naval officers destined to England for a submarine course. Ondina turned sharply to port to revert course and fired a stern torpedo (533mm) from 1,000 metres. It squarely hit the vessel, followed 30 or 40 seconds later by a secondary explosion, believed to be from boilers exploding. She sank at 2200 hours. The sinking could have proven an embarrassment to the Italian government, as Turkey was sought as an ally in the war against the Soviet Union. The Italians were ready to deny their involvement. Dal Pozzo had refrained from using his gun so as not to reveal that the vessel had been sunk by a submarine and this was justified as British authorities attributed the sinking to a mine. Captain Christopher Michael Cadogan of SOE was travelling on this ship (he was drowned). Of some 200 passengers and crew, 168 were missing and 32 survived. | |||||||
| 7. | Ondina (ON) | 4 Aug 1941 | 2305 | Leros | 17 Aug 1941 | 1110 | Brindisi | 881,5 | Patrolled between 36°00'N and 36°40'N, and between 25°00'E and 25°40'E, off Island of Thera and passage to Brindisi. Uneventful. | |
| Ondina (ON) | 22 Aug 1941 | 1800 | Brindisi | 24 Aug 1941 | 0635 | Pola | 360 | Passage Brindisi-Pola. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 26 Aug 1941 | 0511 | Pola | 26 Aug 1941 | 1125 | Monfalcone | 70 | Passage Pola-Monfalcone for repairs. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 11 Dec 1941 | 1007 | Monfalcone | 11 Dec 1941 | 1800 | Monfalcone | 29 | Exercises. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 15 Dec 1941 | 1045 | Monfalcone | 15 Dec 1941 | 1348 | Monfalcone | 10,5 | Exercises. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 17 Dec 1941 | 0940 | Monfalcone | 17 Dec 1941 | 1430 | Monfalcone | 7 | Exercises. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 18 Dec 1941 | 1015 | Monfalcone | 18 Dec 1941 | 1528 | Monfalcone | 14,5 | Exercises. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 20 Dec 1941 | 1031 | Monfalcone | 20 Dec 1941 | 1658 | Pola | 79 | Passage Monfalcone-Pola. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 23 Dec 1941 | 0907 | Pola | 23 Dec 1941 | 1710 | Pola | 24 | Diving trials, escorted by auxiliary San Giorgio. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 24 Dec 1941 | 0745 | Pola | 24 Dec 1941 | 1748 | Pola | 109,6 | Exercises. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 28 Dec 1941 | 1502 | Pola | 29 Dec 1941 | 1702 | Pola | 125,5 | Diving trials to 80 metres, escorted by the auxiliary Jadera. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 31 Dec 1941 | 0855 | Pola | 31 Dec 1941 | 1516 | Pola | 10 | Gyrocompass test. The following days were used for battery maintenance. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 4 Jan 1942 | 0819 | Pola | 4 Jan 1942 | 1650 | Pola | 57 | Exercises. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 5 Jan 1942 | 0811 | Pola | 5 Jan 1942 | 1626 | Pola | 37,5 | Exercises with the submarines Jalea, Des Geneys, Medusa and Speri, escorted by the torpedo boat Audace and the auxiliaries Jadera, San Giorgio and Trau. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 7 Jan 1942 | 0846 | Pola | 7 Jan 1942 | 1749 | Pola | 52 | Exercises. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 8 Jan 1942 | 0920 | Pola | 8 Jan 1942 | 1510 | Pola | 19 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary San Giorgio. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 12 Jan 1942 | 0840 | Pola | 12 Jan 1942 | 1428 | Pola | 12 | Exercises. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 13 Jan 1942 | 1621 | Pola | 14 Jan 1942 | 0114 | Pola | 58 | Exercises with the submarine Otaria, escorted by the auxiliaries San Giorgio and Jadera. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 14 Jan 1942 | 0909 | Pola | 14 Jan 1942 | 1545 | Pola | 41,5 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Trau. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 15 Jan 1942 | 0838 | Pola | 15 Jan 1942 | 1520 | Pola | 51,1 | Exercises with the submarine Jalea, escorted by the auxiliary Jadera. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 16 Jan 1942 | 1603 | Pola | 16 Jan 1942 | 2235 | Pola | 59 | Exercises with the submarine Des Geneys, escorted by the auxiliary San Giorgio. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 19 Jan 1942 | 1649 | Pola | 20 Jan 1942 | 0130 | Pola | 47 | Exercises (night firing) with the auxiliary Grado. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 21 Jan 1942 | 0847 | Pola | 21 Jan 1942 | 1700 | Pola | 50,7 | Exercises. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 24 Jan 1942 | 2311 | Pola | 26 Jan 1942 | 1020 | Brindisi | 362 | Passage Pola-Brindisi. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 30 Jan 1942 | 0832 | Brindisi | 30 Jan 1942 | 1540 | Brindisi | 31,5 | Exercises. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 5 Feb 1942 | 0955 | Brindisi | 5 Feb 1942 | 1529 | Brindisi | 22 | Exercises. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 6 Feb 1942 | 0902 | Brindisi | 6 Feb 1942 | 1531 | Brindisi | 20 | Exercises. | ||
| Ondina (ON) | 7 Feb 1942 | 0912 | Brindisi | 7 Feb 1942 | 1454 | Brindisi | 20 | Exercises. | ||
| 8. | Ondina (ON) | 8 Feb 1942 | 1430 | Brindisi | 18 Feb 1942 | 1630 | Brindisi | 1114 | Patrolled off Cyrenaica, within 8 miles on the meridian from 34°30'N, 21°10'E, on a patrol line with Sirena. On the evening of 13th February, she was shifted 20 miles to the south then back to her original position. Due to defects to her diesels, she had to interrupt her patrol. | |
| 10 Feb 1942 | 1156-1235 | At 1156 hours, a derelict mine was sighted. It was an occasion for some firing exercises with light machine guns and rifles. It finally was exploded from a distance of 250 metres at 1235 hours. | ||||||||
| 13 Feb 1942 | 2058 | At 2058 hours, a submarine was sighted on an opposite course. Ondina had just been ordered to change her patrol position to the south. Ondina turned away. | ||||||||
| 14 Feb 1942 | 0854 | 34° 11'N, 21° 10'E | At 0648 hours, hydrophones noises were heard but, when the submarine rose to periscope depth, nothing could be seen. At 0854 hours, explosions were heard, believed to be from aircraft bombs. Ondina went down deep. At 1115 hours, another loud explosion occurred, but this time the hydrophones detected an antisubmarine vessel. More depth-charges followed at 1355, 1720 and 1830 hours. | |||||||
| 14 Feb 1942 | 2242 | At 2242 hours, information was received of a large convoy on easterly course. Ondina steered 231° to intercept. Hydrophone effects were heard without sighting anything and defects finally forced her to return home. | ||||||||
57 entries. 54 total patrol entries (8 marked as war patrols) and 7 events.