Italian submarines in World War Two

Italian Commanders


Alberto Longhi

Born  22 Sep 1913Naples
Died   1988(74)Leghorn

Ranks

  T.V.Tenente di Vascello

Decorations

4 Jul 1942 Croce di guerra al valore militare
17 Aug 1942 Medaglia di bronzo al valore militare
16 Aug 1943 Medaglia di bronzo al valore militare
14 Jan 1948 Medaglia di bronzo al valore militare
14 Jan 1948 Medaglia d'argento al valore militare

Career information

FILIPPO CORRIDONI (T.V. C.O.): from 22.10.1941 to 02.12.1941.
FILIPPO CORRIDONI (T.V. C.O.): from 01.02.1942 to 03.02.1942.
MOCENIGO (T.V. First Officer): from 06.03.1942 to April 1942+.
MOCENIGO (T.V. C.O.): from 15.07.1942 to 13.05.1943 (sunk at Cagliari by air attack, Longhi survived).
S.7 (T.V. C.O.): from August 1943? to 09.09.1943 (working up at Danzig).
Refused to join RSI and was imprisoned in Germany.

Commands listed for Alberto Longhi


Submarine Type Rank From To
Filippo Corridoni (CR)MinelayingT.V.22 Oct 19412 Dec 1941
Filippo Corridoni (CR)MinelayingT.V.1 Feb 19423 Feb 1942
Mocenigo (MO, I.19)Ocean goingT.V.15 Jul 194213 May 1943
S 7 ()Sea goingT.V.Aug 19439 Sep 1943

Ships hit by Alberto Longhi


DateSubmarineShip hitTypeGRTNat.Loss type
1.14 Dec 1942MocenigoHMS ArgonautLight cruiser5,450BritishDamaged

War patrols listed for Alberto Longhi

 SubmarineDateTimePortArr. dateArr. timeArr. portMilesDescription
Filippo Corridoni (CR)22 Oct 1941Taranto2 Dec 1941TarantoAt Taranto for refitting. Change in command.

Filippo Corridoni (CR)1 Feb 1942Brindisi3 Feb 1942BrindisiAt Brindisi. Change in command.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)8 Aug 19420852Naples8 Aug 19421637Naples38,3Trials.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)12 Aug 19420814Naples12 Aug 19422342Naples58,4Exercises.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)17 Aug 19421022Naples18 Aug 19421525La Spezia349,5Passage Naples-La Spezia to load G7e electric torpedoes.
  17 Aug 1942130040° 42'N, 13° 59'EAt 1300 hours, a torpedo was fired from tube no.7 (stern) due to an error in drill.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)20 Aug 19421025La Spezia20 Aug 19421100La Spezia0,9Change moorings.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)24 Aug 19421635La Spezia24 Aug 19421730La Spezia0,9Change moorings.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)25 Aug 19421526La Spezia25 Aug 19421750La Spezia7,8Exercises.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)27 Aug 19420845La Spezia27 Aug 19421650La Spezia41,6Trials.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)1 Sep 19420200La Spezia2 Sep 19420848Cagliari351Passage La Spezia-Cagliari.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)7 Sep 19420737Cagliari7 Sep 19421153Cagliari42,5Exercises.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)14 Sep 19421144Cagliari14 Sep 19421517Cagliari38,8Exercises.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)15 Sep 19420819Cagliari15 Sep 19421225Cagliari50,4Exercises.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)2 Oct 19420805Cagliari2 Oct 19421225Cagliari27Exercises.

1.Mocenigo (MO, I.19)10 Oct 19421800Cagliari19 Oct 19421344Cagliari1455,6Patrolled between 37°00'N and 37°30'N and 01°40'E and 02°00'E, between Ibiza and the Algerian coast. Sighted only three Swedish relief ships which had been announced.
  11 Oct 1942084237° 49'N, 6° 27'EAt 0842 hours, a German aircraft was seen and exchanged recognition signals.
  11 Oct 1942204537° 08'N, 3° 55'EAt 2045 hours, an unknown submarine was observed at 1,500 metres and Mocenigo turned away.
  15 Oct 1942195037° 20'N, 1° 42'EAt 1950 hours, three ships were seen on a 080° course. At 2008 hours, they were recognised as Swedish vessels which had been announced.
  19 Oct 19420950At 0950 hours, the submarine Dandolo was encountered and signals were exchanged.

2.Mocenigo (MO, I.19)7 Nov 19420355Cagliari21 Nov 19421520Cagliari1662,8Patrolled off Philippeville, ordered to area between 37°40'N and 37°50'N and 07°00'E and 07°30'E but on the morning of 8th November, she was ordered to shift to 37°00'N and 37°20'N and 07°00'E and 07°20'E. Also ordered to sea were: Nichelio, Porfido, Brin, Argento, Emo, Asteria, Velella, Dandolo, Argo, Platino and Acciaio.
  8 Nov 1942084037° 46'N, 7° 13'EAt 0840 hours, an Italian submarine was sighted at a range of 10 miles.
  10 Nov 1942015337° 11'N, 7° 15'EAt 0513 hours, an unknown submarine was sighted.
  11 Nov 1942035037° 10'N, 7° 05'E
(0) Approximately.
At 0350 hours, an unknown submarine was sighted.
  11 Nov 19421802-182037° 02'N, 7° 04'EAt 1802 hours, an unidentified aircraft was seen. The submarine dived at 1820 hours and heard explosions at 1825-1829 hours.
  11 Nov 1942214037° 13'N, 7° 18'EAt 2140 hours, an unidentified submarine was sighted.
  12 Nov 1942175537° 07'N, 7° 13'EAt 1755 hours, an aircraft of the Consolidated 32 type, was sighted through the periscope. Mocenigo went down to 50 metres and heard bomb explosions.
  13 Nov 1942123737° 07'N, 7° 15'E
(0) Approximately.
At 1237 hours, an aircraft was sighted through the periscope. Mocenigo went deep and, three minutes later, heard two explosions.
  13 Nov 19421312At 1312 hours, an aircraft was sighted through the periscope. Mocenigo went down to 50 metres.
  13 Nov 1942160037° 07'N, 7° 15'EAt 1600 hours, a corvette was sighted at 7,000 metres.
  13 Nov 19421700At 1700 hours, an aircraft was sighted and Mocenigo went down to 50 meters. Shortly after, H.E. were heard approaching and the submarine went deeper to 70 meters and heard depth-charges.
  16 Nov 1942002936° 43'N, 5° 25'EAt 0029 hours, a corvette was sighted and Mocenigo dived.
  16 Nov 1942021036° 45'N, 5° 22'EAt 0210 hours, an MTB was sighted and Mocenigo dived.
  19 Nov 1942003537° 14'N, 6° 54'EAt 0030 hours, a convoy of seven ships was observed proceeding on an easterly course at a distance of about 3,200 metres. Five minutes later, Mocenigo had closed on the surface to 1,000 metres and fired four torpedoes (G7e) from her bow tubes and dived. About 65 seconds later, two hits were heard. This claim has not been confirmed.
  20 Nov 1942043536° 55'N, 6° 55'EAt 0435 hours, a large motorboat was sighted at 500 metres and Mocenigo dived.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)1 Dec 19420816Cagliari1 Dec 19421250Cagliari34,7Exercises.

3.Mocenigo (MO, I.19)11 Dec 19421605Cagliari15 Dec 19420710Cagliari1635,2Patrolled in area between 37°20'N and 37°40'N and 08°00'E and 08°20'E, interrupted patrol to load four torpedoes at Cagliari.
  14 Dec 19420558.5
0600 (e)
37° 30'N, 8° 13'E
(e) 37° 21'N, 8° 19'E
At 0556 hours, Mocenigo was on the surface when she sighted four enemy warships in two columns, proceeding on a SSW course at 18 knots at a distance of 2,000 metres. At 0558 hours, four torpedoes (G7e) were fired from the bow tubes at 2 second intervals from a distance of 800 metres, at what appeared to be a TRIBAL class destroyer. The submarine dived upon firing and heard two hits after 59 and 62 seconds. The victim was the light cruiser HMS Argonaut (5,450 tons), returning from a sweep with the light cruiser HMS Aurora and the destroyers HMS Eskimo and HMS Quality (Force Q).

The torpedoes had hit the bow and stern sections, killing an officer and two ratings. The engines were stopped and the steering had failed. HMS Quality remained besides her throughout and HMS Eskimo rejoined them before daylight. She finally managed to get under way at 8 knots, screened by the two destroyers. The escort was later reinforced by the destroyers HMS Ashanti and HMS Tartar and they reached Algiers at 1700 hours on the 15th.

4.Mocenigo (MO, I.19)16 Dec 19421740Cagliari25 Dec 19420950Cagliari1635,2Patrolled in area between 37°20'N and 37°40'N, and between 08°00'E and 08°20'E, west of La Galite.
  19 Dec 1942181037° 34'N, 8° 16'EAt 1810 hours, an enemy aircraft was sighted and it dropped flares. Mocenigo dived.
  24 Dec 19421955+37° 38'N, 8° 11'EAt 1955 hours, a submarine of the OBERON class was sighted at 2,000 metres. Mocenigo immediately turned away and almost simultaneously a torpedo passed alongside her, missing her by only 2 or 3 metres. The Italian submarine fired back a torpedo from no. 8 tube from a distance of 1,000 metres. It missed. Two loud explosions were heard at 2006 hours (probably torpedoes exploding at the end of their run).

The explosions were also heard by the submarine Alagi who was cruising in the vicinity. Longhi had ordered his gun crew at the ready, but conditions were not favourable for a gun duel so they were not used and Mocenigo dived at 2001 hours. The enemy submarine was P 219 (later named Seraph, Lt. N.L.A. Jewell, RN, MBE). She had fired three torpedoes at a range of 400-500 yards. For Mocenigo this had been a close shave.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)3 Jan 19430822Cagliari3 Jan 19431250Cagliari27,2Exercises.

5.Mocenigo (MO, I.19)4 Jan 19430620Cagliari11 Jan 19432310Cagliari1050,1Sailed for patrol between 37°40'N and 38°00'N, and between 09°00'E and 09°20'E. In the evening of 5th January, ordered to the western approaches of the Bay of Bougie between 37°00'N and 37°20'N, and between 04°00'E and 04°20'E.
  6 Jan 1943031037° 51'N, 8° 10'EAt 0310 hours, an Axis bomber was sighted and recognition signals exchanged.
  6 Jan 1943182037° 44'N, 6° 59'EAt 1820 hours, a surfaced Italian submarine was sighted at 5,000 metres.
  7 Jan 19432356
2356 (e)
37° 06'N, 4° 10'E
(e) 37° 20'N, 5° 48'E
At 2356 hours, Mocenigo sighted an aircraft, which flew over and dropped flares. She crash-dived and was shaken violently by two explosions. Two more explosions were heard at 0026 hours.

This was Wellington 'X' (LB145) of 179 Squadron piloted by Flight Sergeant T. Hasty who had detected the submarine by radar at a distance of 1 mile and used the Leigh Light to illuminate it. It was recognised as of Italian type similar to Galileo Ferraris. The attack was carried out from the port quarter, first using the nose gun then dropping two Mark XI Torpex depth charges set at shallow depth from a height of 50-100 feet (two more failed to release). Two flame floats were also dropped to mark the position. The rear gunner reported that the first depth charge exploded well to port, but the second exploded close to the starboard side of the submarine. The aircraft returned at 0055 hours but nothing was sighted.
  10 Jan 1943181836° 59'N, 5° 18'EAt 1818 hours, three steamers escorted by three destroyers were observed on an easterly course at a distance of 10,000 metres. They were too far to be attacked. These were the same ships that were nearly attacked by Bronzo earlier in the afternoon.
  11 Jan 19430041
0035 (e)
37° 07'N, 6° 08'E
(e) 37° 10'N, 5° 42'E
At 0041 hours, an aircraft was seen with a projector (a Leigh Light) and Mocenigo dived immediately. This was Wellington 'V' (HX562) of 179 Squadron piloted by Flying Officer G. Dring. It had gained a radar contact from 7 miles and had switched its Leigh Light when at range of 0.75 mile and correctly identified the submarine to be of the Italian type. Four Mark XI Torpex depth charges were released from a height of 80 feet and the rear gunner fired off about 30 rounds. The aircraft circled the area but without sighting anything.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)21 Jan 19431335Cagliari21 Jan 19431615Cagliari17,2Exercises.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)23 Jan 19430820Cagliari23 Jan 19431220Cagliari19,2Exercises.

6.Mocenigo (MO, I.19)23 Jan 19431610Cagliari31 Jan 19430825Cagliari955,3Patrolled off Bougie, between 37°20'N and the North African coast, and between 06°00'E and 06°20'E.
  25 Jan 1943122337° 17'N, 6° 07'EAt 1223 hours, the submarine was suddenly shaken by depth charges and escaped by going down to 70 meters.
  26 Jan 1943091037° 14'N, 5° 59'EAt 0745 hours, a convoy was observed from a distance of about 10,000 metres on a westerly course, zigzagging at 7 knots. It appeared to be formed by three 4-5,000-ton steamers escorted by three patrol vessels. At 0809, at 0818 and 0831 hours, sounds were heard from turbines. Finally, at 0832 hours, a smoke was seen on the horizon. This time it was a convoy of three steamers escorted by corvettes and two aircraft. At 0910 hours, Mocenigo fired two torpedoes from tubes no. 1 and 3 at a distance of 1,500 metres. The other tubes were not ready to fire. The torpedoes missed as nothing was heard. At 1052 hours, the submarine surfaced and made an enemy report.
  30 Jan 1943045437° 16'N, 6° 08'EAfter hearing sounds of vessels on several occasions, at 0335 hours, Mocenigo sighted a corvette at 6,000 metres. She had perhaps been seen by the enemy and dived at 0350 hours. At 0450 hours, the submarine surfaced and observed the shadows of four merchant ships escorted by destroyers and corvettes steering 070° at 8 knots. Four minutes later, the four stern torpedoes were fired at 2-second intervals from a distance of 1,600 metres and the submarine dived. Three hits were heard. Depth charges were heard at 0501, 0504 and 0507 hours. At 1102 hours, Mocenigo surfaced and made an enemy report.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)1 Feb 19430725Cagliari2 Feb 19430915Naples281,8Passage Cagliari-Naples.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)23 Feb 19430810Naples23 Feb 19431155Naples18Trials.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)25 Feb 19431325Naples25 Feb 19431615Naples14,8Exercises.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)26 Feb 19430220Naples27 Feb 19430725Cagliari287,4Passage Naples-Cagliari.

7.Mocenigo (MO, I.19)2 Mar 19431840Cagliari20 Mar 19431155La Maddalena1697,4Sailed with Brin and Dandolo and patrolled between 37°00'N and 37°40'N and between 05°00'E and 05°40'E off Bougie, then between 38°20'N and the African coast, and between 06°00'E and 06°40'E. ULTRA had informed the Allies of her patrol position.
  5 Mar 1943033137° 21'N, 5° 50'E
(0) Approximately.
At 2145 hours, Mocenigo was informed that a German aircraft had crashed in the sea and was ordered to search for survivors. At 0331 hours, a lifeboat was located but it was of the type used by merchant vessels and was empty. The search for the airmen was fruitless.
  9 Mar 1943114837° 22'N, 6° 27'EAt 1148 hours, a 5,000-ton light cruiser of the DIDO class was sighted at a distance of 12,000 metres, proceeding steering 270° at 20 knots. Mocenigo was unable to close.
  14 Mar 1943100337° 21'N, 6° 35'EAt 1008 hours, two DIDO class cruisers and two JERVIS class destroyers were sighted on a westerly course at 18 knots, from a distance of 16,000 metres. Mocenigo readied her torpedo tubes, but could not close to less than 6,000 metres and the attack was abandoned.
  14 Mar 1943140737° 22'N, 6° 25'EAt 1407 hours, two cruisers and two destroyers were sighted at 10,000 metres. It was believed they were the same as those seen at 1003 hours. Again Mocenigo could not close to less than 5,000 metres. At 1524 hours, the submarine surfaced and made an enemy report.
  17 Mar 1943040337° 14'N, 6° 18'EAt 0356 hours, a freighter with two escorts steering 050°, were sighted at 3,000 metres. At 0403 hours, four torpedoes (G7e) were fired from the bow tubes at 1,000 metres. They missed. Mocenigo turned for a stern shot but she was at a depth of 20 metres when two depth charges exploded at 0407 hours. The submarine went deep.
  17 Mar 19432128-214037° 52'N, 6° 33'EAt 2128 hours, a submarine steering 270° was sighted at 7,000 metres. Mocenigo tried to close but lost contact.
  18 Mar 19431225-1610Between 1225 and 1610 hours, the submarine was depth charged but escaped without damage.
  19 Mar 1943083038° 22'N, 9° 04'EAt 0830 hours, an Italian aircraft was sighted and recognition signals were exchanged.
  19 Mar 1943105039° 21'N, 10° 16'EAt 1050 hours, a derelict mine was sighted.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)4 Apr 19430915La Maddalena4 Apr 19431547La Maddalena71,1Exercises.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)5 Apr 19431402La Maddalena5 Apr 19431625La Maddalena17,2Exercises.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)12 Apr 19431005La Maddalena13 Apr 19430745Naples232,8Passage La Maddalena-Naples.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)13 Apr 19431002Naples13 Apr 19431152Castellammare di Stabia20,05Passage Naples-Castellammare di Stabia.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)21 Apr 19430925Castellammare di Stabia21 Apr 19431912Castellammare di Stabia31,5Exercises, stopped also in Naples.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)24 Apr 19430820Castellammare di Stabia24 Apr 19431219Castellammare di Stabia27,5Exercises.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)28 Apr 19430815Castellammare di Stabia28 Apr 19431222Castellammare di Stabia29,5Exercises.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)1 May 19430056Castellammare di Stabia2 May 19430926Cagliari284,5Passage Castellammare di Stabia-Cagliari.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)13 May 19431415Cagliari13 May 19431445SunkSunk by USAAF in Cagliari harbour, where she needed repairs by several near-misses (all ten crew members who were on board were evacuated in time, no casualties).
  13 May 1943
(0) Cagliari harbour.
During an air raid by USAAF bombers on Cagliari harbour, Mocenigo was near-missed several times and sank. The ten crew members who were on board at the time were all evacuated safely.

S 7 ()9 Sep 1943Danzig9 Sep 1943DanzigSeized by the Germans at the armistice. No patrols carried out.

70 entries. 39 total patrol entries (7 marked as war patrols) and 40 events.

Italian Commanders

Italian Submarines