Italian submarines in World War Two

Italian Commanders


Gino Andreani

Born  15 Nov 1906Vicenza
Died   1988(81)Rome

Ranks

  T.V.Tenente di Vascello
29 Aug 1941 C.C.Capitano di Corvetta

Decorations

20 Apr 1938 Cavaliere dell'ordine della Corona d'Italia
10 May 1943 Medaglia d'argento al valore militare

Career information

CORALLO (T.V. C.O.): from 16.03.1941 to 13.06.1942.
Promoted to C.C. on 29.08.1941.
DESSIÈ (C.C. C.O.): from 13.06.1942 to 17.06.1942.
CORALLO (C.C. C.O.): from 17.06.1942 to 27.06.1942.
ONICE (C.C. C.O.): from 10.08.1942 to 25.09.1942.
FRANCESCO RISMONDO (C.C. C.O.): from 02.10.1942 to 23.10.1942.
FRANCESCO RISMONDO (C.C. C.O.): from 06.11.1942 to 11.11.1942.
ANTONIO BAJAMONTI (C.C. C.O.): from 29.12.1942 to 24.04.1943.
H.1 (C.C. C.O.): from 27.04.1943 to 09.06.1943.

Commands listed for Gino Andreani


Submarine Type Rank From To
Corallo (CO)Coastal / Sea goingT.V.16 Mar 194113 Jun 1942
Dessiè (DE)Coastal / Sea goingC.C.13 Jun 194217 Jun 1942
Corallo (CO)Coastal / Sea goingC.C.17 Jun 194227 Jun 1942
Onice (OC)Coastal / Sea goingC.C.10 Aug 194225 Sep 1942
Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI)C.C.2 Oct 194223 Oct 1942
Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI)C.C.6 Nov 194211 Nov 1942
Antonio Bajamonti (ex-N.2, ex-Smeli) (BM)C.C.29 Dec 194224 Apr 1943
H 1 (H1, P.56)CoastalC.C.27 Apr 19439 Jun 1943

Ships hit by Gino Andreani


DateSubmarineShip hitTypeGRTNat.Loss type
1.28 Apr 1942CoralloDar El SalamFishing vessel138TunisianSunk
2.28 Apr 1942CoralloTunisFishing vessel41TunisianSunk
3.7 Jun 1942CoralloHadj MohamedFishing vessel26TunisianSunk

War patrols listed for Gino Andreani

 SubmarineDateTimePortArr. dateArr. timeArr. portMilesDescription
Corallo (CO)17 Mar 19410800Cagliari17 Mar 19411210Cagliari26Exercises, escorted by the tug Varo.

Corallo (CO)19 Mar 19410802Cagliari19 Mar 19411140Cagliari24Exercises.

Corallo (CO)22 Mar 19410800Cagliari22 Mar 19411210Cagliari19Exercises, escorted by the minesweeper R.D.29.

Corallo (CO)1 Apr 19411330Cagliari1 Apr 19411800Cagliari28Exercises.

1.Corallo (CO)3 Apr 19411250Cagliari9 Apr 19411645Cagliari629,5Patrolled north of Tunisian coast on a a line NE/SW from 37°10' N, 08°10' E (with Turchese east of Galite Island). Sighted only French vessels.

Corallo (CO)23 Apr 19410805Cagliari23 Apr 19411224Cagliari23,7Exercises with the minesweeper R.D.29.

2.Corallo (CO)8 May 19412217Cagliari12 May 19411105Cagliari360Patrolled west of La Galite on a line extending 10 miles north and south from 37°40' N, 08°00' E, to intercept a force reported to have sailed from Gibraltar. Uneventful except for H.E. and distant explosions.

Corallo (CO)14 May 19410804Cagliari14 May 19411200Cagliari31Exercises with the minesweeper R.D.34.

Corallo (CO)17 May 19410805Cagliari17 May 19411225Cagliari29Exercises with the minesweeper R.D.34.

3.Corallo (CO)21 May 19410445Cagliari23 May 19411040Cagliari283Patrolled west of Galite Island on a line extending 10 miles and 10 miles south from 37°40' N, 08°00' E (patrol line with Diaspro east of Galite Island), to intercept Force H which was reported to have sailed from Gibraltar. Uneventful, heard only H.E.

Corallo (CO)27 May 19410445Cagliari28 May 19411040Naples273Passage Cagliari-Naples.

Corallo (CO)2 Jun 19411425Naples2 Jun 19411830Naples28Trials.

Corallo (CO)5 Jun 19410930Naples6 Jun 19411307Cagliari275Passage Naples-Cagliari.

4.Corallo (CO)13 Jun 19412018Cagliari19 Jun 19410010Cagliari763Operating against Force H in western Mediterranean on 37°54' N parallel between 06° and 08° E.
  14 Jun 19411320
(0) Western Med.
At 1320 hours, fifteen planes flying in an easterly direction, were sighted at a distance of 4,000 metres. These were probably Hurricanes flown off from HMS Ark Royal and HMS Victorious for Malta (operation TRACER). Corallo reported the sighting.

5.Corallo (CO)22 Jun 19410735Cagliari22 Jun 19411800Cagliari63Hydrographic observation, escorted by the minesweeper R.D.41.

6.Corallo (CO)2 Jul 19412124Cagliari12 Jul 19411120Cagliari1090Patrolled in the western Mediterranean on a line extending 20 miles NE an SW of 37°50, 02°40' E (patrol line with Diaspro) to intercept an enemy force coming from Gibraltar.
  4 Jul 19411610
(0) Probably near Baleares.
At 1610 hours, a submarine similar to Sirena, was sighted at a range of 6,000 metres [Admiral Falangola wrote in his assessment that the submarine was certainly enemy]. This may have been Diaspro, but she did not report any incident. This could not have been HMS P 33 proceeding from Gibraltar to Malta as she was already east of Sardinia at the time.

Corallo (CO)16 Jul 19410732Cagliari17 Jul 19411320Naples273Passage Cagliari-Naples.

Corallo (CO)3 Sep 19410845Naples3 Sep 19411525Naples31Trials.

Corallo (CO)6 Sep 19410803Naples6 Sep 19411435Naples26Trials.

Corallo (CO)7 Sep 19410835Naples7 Sep 19411910Naples48Trials.

Corallo (CO)9 Sep 19410814Naples9 Sep 19411430Naples30Exercises.

Corallo (CO)10 Sep 19411906Naples11 Sep 19410035Naples27Exercises.

Corallo (CO)15 Sep 19410805Naples15 Sep 19411900Naples61Exercises with the torpedo boat Cascino.
  15 Sep 1941
1257 (e)
At 1257 hours, the submarine HMS Unique (Lieutenant A.F. Collett, RN) had just come to periscope depth, when a submarine of the DURBO class was sighted bearing 310°, steering 185°, apparently exercising with a GENERALE class destroyer. This was almost certainly Corallo exercising at the time with the torpedo-boat Cascino.

The British submarine was unable to gain an attacking position and was thwarted by the presence of the destroyer.

Corallo (CO)19 Sep 19410815Naples19 Sep 19411220Naples29Exercises.

Corallo (CO)29 Sep 19411013Naples29 Sep 19411800Naples32Exercises.

7.Corallo (CO)3 Oct 19411607Naples5 Oct 19411630Naples439Sailed for patrol 33 miles north of Ras Zebib on a line 5 miles west from this point (on a barrage line with Ambra 13 miles north, and Ametista 33 miles north of the Cape) via the north coast of Sicily, but then recalled. Uneventful.

Corallo (CO)15 Oct 19410815Naples15 Oct 19411507Naples30Exercises.

Corallo (CO)17 Oct 19410915Naples18 Oct 19411645Augusta292Passage Naples-Augusta at 9.5 knots.

Corallo (CO)23 Oct 19411315Augusta23 Oct 19411650Augusta18Exercises.

Corallo (CO)30 Oct 19410830Augusta30 Oct 19411200Augusta16,5Exercises.

8.Corallo (CO)1 Nov 19411030Augusta10 Nov 19411545Augusta947Patrolled east of Linosa, between 35°40' N and 36°20' N, and between 13°00' E and 13°20' E. Did not sight any ship.
  1 Nov 19411610
(0) Off Porri Islet.
At 1610 hours, two enemy fighters or recce aircraft were sighted, one of which made a motion to attack but then desisted. Corallo's gun crew remained at the ready to repel the attack and the submarine proceeded on the surface.
  1 Nov 19411630-1643
(0) Off Porri Islet.
At 1630-1643 hours, a derelict mine was fired upon with 210 rounds of 13.2mm rounds but without being able to sink it.
  10 Nov 19410805
(0) Near Ragusa.
At 0805 hours, a derelict mine was fired upon, Some 150 rounds of 13.2mm rounds and 150 rounds of 6.5mm were expended and it sank without exploding.

Corallo (CO)20 Nov 19411458Augusta20 Nov 19411706Augusta20Exercises.

Corallo (CO)25 Nov 19410854Augusta25 Nov 19411700Messina74Passage Augusta-Messina.

9.Corallo (CO)26 Nov 19410125Messina4 Dec 19411750Messina924,8Patrolled east of Malta, between 35°10' N and 35°50' N, and between 16°20' E and 16°40' E. Uneventful.

Corallo (CO)19 Dec 19410900Messina19 Dec 19411130Messina11Trials, escorted by the auxiliary Diversi.

Corallo (CO)12 Jan 19420915Messina12 Jan 19421145Messina13,5Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Diversi.

Corallo (CO)17 Jan 19421305Messina17 Jan 19421825Messina39,5Exercises.

10.Corallo (CO)21 Jan 19421407Messina29 Jan 19421115Augusta896Sailed with the submarine Platino for a patrol off Malta between 34°00' N and 34°20' N, and between 15°40' E and 16°00' E. On 26th January, she was ordered to an area between 34°40' N and 35°00' N, and between 14°20' E and 14°40' E. Patrol lines with Platino to protect Italian convoys and intercept enemy traffic. Uneventful.

Corallo (CO)4 Feb 19420900Augusta4 Feb 19421740Messina70Passage Augusta-Messina.

Corallo (CO)25 Feb 19421612Messina25 Feb 19421901Messina15Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Castiglia.

Corallo (CO)26 Feb 19421510Messina26 Feb 19421730Messina15Exercises.

Corallo (CO)1 Mar 19420850Messina1 Mar 19421230Messina24Trials, escorted by the auxiliary Marras.

Corallo (CO)2 Mar 19421000Messina2 Mar 19421740Augusta72Passage Messina-Augusta.

11.Corallo (CO)4 Mar 19421755Augusta14 Mar 19421000Augusta1068Patrolled south of Malta between 34°40' N and 35°00' N, and between 14°20' E and 14°40' E. Uneventful. Heard only distant explosions.

Corallo (CO)15 Apr 19420405Augusta16 Apr 19421000Trapani282Passage Augusta-Trapani.

Corallo (CO)20 Apr 19420805Trapani20 Apr 19421210Trapani24Exercises.

12.Corallo (CO)20 Apr 19421555Trapani5 May 19421012Trapani792,5Sailed with the submarine Onice, escorted by the torpedo boat Cigno until 2320 hours on the 20th, to patrol from 35°53' N to 36°57' N on meridian 11°12' E, off Cape Bon or zone K, to attack traffic to Malta. On 22nd April, attempted to communicate underwater with Onice, but without result.
  23 Apr 19420952
(0) Off Cape Bon.
At 0952 hours, the French steamer Liberia, escorted by the minesweeper Héron, was sighted on a southerly course.
  26 Apr 19421105
(0) Off Cape Bon.
At 1105 hours, the French minesweeper Héron was sighted at a distance of 4,000 metres for the second time in four days.
  28 Apr 19420212-032037° 01'N, 11° 09'EAt 0212 hours, the Tunisian schooner Dar El Salam (A.D. 293, 138.33 GRT), on passage from Djerba to Bone, was stopped with a burst of machine gun fire. The crew of seven Tunisian nationals was ordered to abandon ship and were rescued. The vessel was sunk with fifteen 100mm rounds.
  28 Apr 19420345-040037° 01'N, 11° 09'EAt 0345 hours, the Tunisian fishing vessel Tunis (41 GRT) was stopped with a burst of machine gun fire. The crew of six were ordered to abandon ship and were rescued. The vessel was sunk with a single 100mm round.
  30 Apr 19421825
(0) Near Cape Bon.
At 1825 hours, the Italian ship Apollo (3,177 GRT, built 1905) escorted by an aircraft were sighted.

Corallo (CO)22 May 19421339Trapani22 May 19421637Trapani21,5Trials.

13.Corallo (CO)24 May 19422350Trapani10 Jun 19420030Trapani1484Patrolled near Galite Island between 37°20' N and 37°45' E, and 09°00' E and 09°40' E. Sighted several Italian and French ships.
  7 Jun 19420200-034537° 24'N, 9° 10'EAt 0145 hours, a faint light was sighted. At 0200 hours, it was identified as a schooner. She was ordered to bring her papers to the submarine.

This was the Tunisiam motor vessel Hadj Mohamed (26 GRT) on passage Bizerta-Bone.

As the vessel was navigating in a forbidden zone and without regulation lights, she was sunk with seventeen rounds of gunfire after the crew of six was taken on board the submarine.

14.Dessiè (DE)13 Jun 19420843Trapani17 Jun 19421635Trapani514Patrolled near La Galite, between 36°00'N and 36°00'N, and between 13°20'E and 13°40'E, on a patrol line with Onice and Aradam.

Corallo (CO)19 Jun 19421800Trapani20 Jun 19421920Messina197Passage Trapani-Messina.

Corallo (CO)22 Jun 19420935Messina23 Jun 19420550Naples184,5Passage Messina-Naples.

Onice (OC)10 Aug 1942Genoa25 Sep 1942GenoaAt Genoa. Change in command.

Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI)3 Oct 19421240La Spezia3 Oct 19421720Genoa55Passage La Spezia-Genoa.

Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI)6 Nov 1942Genoa11 Nov 1942GenoaRefit at Genoa.

Antonio Bajamonti (ex-N.2, ex-Smeli) (BM)29 Dec 19420812La Spezia29 Dec 19421345Genoa52Passage La Spezia-Genoa, escorted by MAS 507 for refit.

Antonio Bajamonti (ex-N.2, ex-Smeli) (BM)16 Apr 19430910Genoa16 Apr 19431740Genoa46Trials.

H 1 (H1, P.56)2 Jun 19430917Genoa2 Jun 19431858Genoa47Trials.

64 entries. 58 total patrol entries (14 marked as war patrols) and 12 events.

Italian Commanders

Italian Submarines