Italian submarines in World War Two

Italian Commanders

Giuseppe Simonetti

Born

21 Feb 1908

Marciana Marina (Elba)

Ranks

		S.T.V.	Sottotenente di Vascello
		T.V.	Tenente di Vascello

Decorations

11 Jan 1941		Croce di guerra al valore militare
7 Nov 1941		Medaglia di bronzo al valore militare

Career information

ENRICO TOTI (S.T.V. officer): from 21.01.1939 to ? (slightly wounded during the action with HMS Triad).
Promoted to T.V. on ?
ALABASTRO (T.V. First Officer): from 31.03.1942 to April 1942+.
H.4 (T.V. C.O.): from 28.05.1942 to 05.01.1943.
SANTORRE DI SANTAROSA (T.V. C.O.): From 05.01.1943 to 20.01.1943 (sunk, Simonetti survived).
H.4 (T.V. C.O.): From 27.06.1943 to 31.08.1943.

Commands listed for Giuseppe Simonetti

Submarine	Type	Rank	From	To
H 4 (H4)	Coastal	T.V.	28 May 1942	5 Jan 1943
Santorre Di Santarosa (SN)	Ocean going	T.V.	5 Jan 1943	20 Jan 1943
H 4 (H4)	Coastal	T.V.	27 Jun 1943	31 Aug 1943

Ships hit by Giuseppe Simonetti

No ships hit by this Commander.

War patrols listed for Giuseppe Simonetti

	Submarine	Date	Time	Port	Arr. date	Arr. time	Arr. port	Miles	Description
	H 4 (H4)	30 May 1942	1345	La Spezia	30 May 1942	1806	La Spezia	18,4	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	4 Jun 1942	0735	La Spezia	4 Jun 1942	1728	La Spezia	38,5	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	7 Jun 1942	1350	La Spezia	7 Jun 1942	1903	La Spezia	21,1	Sonar trials with the destroyer Gioberti.

	H 4 (H4)	12 Jun 1942	0800	La Spezia	12 Jun 1942	1330	La Spezia	27,2	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	19 Jun 1942	0740	La Spezia	19 Jun 1942	1228	La Spezia	20	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	22 Jun 1942	1205	La Spezia	22 Jun 1942	1803	La Spezia	26,9	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	24 Jun 1942	2000	La Spezia	25 Jun 1942	0033	La Spezia	29	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	26 Jun 1942	0800	La Spezia	26 Jun 1942	1340	La Spezia	26,5	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	29 Jun 1942	2240	La Spezia	30 Jun 1942	0535	La Spezia	24	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	30 Jun 1942	1330	La Spezia	30 Jun 1942	1810	La Spezia	15,7	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	2 Jul 1942	0740	La Spezia	2 Jul 1942	1543	La Spezia	24	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	11 Jul 1942	1050	La Spezia	11 Jul 1942	1212	La Spezia	4,3	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	13 Jul 1942	0700	La Spezia	13 Jul 1942	1237	La Spezia	22,9	Exercises with the corvette Procione.

	H 4 (H4)	16 Jul 1942	0730	La Spezia	16 Jul 1942	1301	La Spezia	29,7	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	21 Jul 1942	1310	La Spezia	21 Jul 1942	1745	La Spezia	23,5	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	23 Jul 1942	Time?	La Spezia	23 Jul 1942	Time?	La Spezia		Docked.

	H 4 (H4)	29 Jul 1942	Time?	La Spezia	29 Jul 1942	Time?	La Spezia		Undocked.

	H 4 (H4)	31 Jul 1942	0643	La Spezia	31 Jul 1942	1155	La Spezia	23,2	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	5 Aug 1942	0705	La Spezia	5 Aug 1942	1655	La Spezia	30	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	10 Aug 1942	0630	La Spezia	10 Aug 1942	1243	La Spezia	31,8	Exercises.

1.	H 4 (H4)	11 Aug 1942	2355	La Spezia	14 Aug 1942	1910	La Spezia	309,2	Defensive patrol. Uneventful.

2.	H 4 (H4)	18 Aug 1942	0130	La Spezia	18 Aug 1942	2200	La Spezia	117,4	Defensive barrage in 44°11'N, 08°56'E with H.1, H.6 and Bajamonti, but recalled at 1700 hours on the 18th.

	H 4 (H4)	21 Aug 1942	0807	La Spezia	21 Aug 1942	1220	La Spezia	21,6	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	24 Aug 1942	0658	La Spezia	24 Aug 1942	1105	La Spezia	20,2	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	28 Aug 1942	0700	La Spezia	28 Aug 1942	1245	La Spezia	27,9	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	1 Sep 1942	0700	La Spezia	1 Sep 1942	1255	La Spezia	22,5	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	7 Sep 1942	1205	La Spezia	7 Sep 1942	1715	La Spezia	21	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	11 Sep 1942	0740	La Spezia	11 Sep 1942	1222	La Spezia	21,7	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	19 Sep 1942	0730	La Spezia	19 Sep 1942	1737	La Spezia	35,3	Exercises escorted, by A.S.218, A.S.221 and A.S.226.

	H 4 (H4)	21 Sep 1942	0715	La Spezia	21 Sep 1942	1744	La Spezia	54	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	3 Oct 1942	0645	La Spezia	3 Oct 1942	1510	La Spezia	32,8	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	6 Oct 1942	0802	La Spezia	6 Oct 1942	1252	La Spezia	30,5	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	8 Oct 1942	0700	La Spezia	8 Oct 1942	1630	La Spezia	48,5	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	14 Oct 1942	0722	La Spezia	14 Oct 1942	1645	La Spezia	56	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	16 Oct 1942	1339	La Spezia	16 Oct 1942	1935	La Spezia	35	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	21 Oct 1942	0722	La Spezia	21 Oct 1942	1910	La Spezia	62	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	23 Oct 1942	1055	La Spezia	23 Oct 1942	1840	La Spezia	40	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	26 Oct 1942	0710	La Spezia	26 Oct 1942	1235	La Spezia	29	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	4 Nov 1942	0720	La Spezia	4 Nov 1942	1722	La Spezia	47	Exercises.

3.	H 4 (H4)	8 Nov 1942	0100	La Spezia	11 Nov 1942	1150	La Spezia	392,6	Defensive patrol in Gulf of Genoa. Uneventful.

	H 4 (H4)	13 Nov 1942	0755	La Spezia	14 Nov 1942	1055	La Maddalena	201	Passage La Spezia-La Maddalena.

	H 4 (H4)	22 Nov 1942	1700	La Maddalena	23 Nov 1942	1700	La Spezia	201	Passage La Maddalena-La Spezia.

	H 4 (H4)	27 Nov 1942	0800	La Spezia	27 Nov 1942	1730	La Spezia	49	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	5 Dec 1942	0720	La Spezia	5 Dec 1942	1255	La Spezia	24,5	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	5 Dec 1942	0720	La Spezia	5 Dec 1942	1255	La Spezia	24,5	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	10 Dec 1942	0730	La Spezia	10 Dec 1942	1705	La Spezia	29,2	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	17 Dec 1942	0805	La Spezia	17 Dec 1942	1515	La Spezia	35,7	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	19 Dec 1942	0703	La Spezia	19 Dec 1942	1643	La Spezia	40,5	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	23 Dec 1942	0725	La Spezia	23 Dec 1942	1610	La Spezia	37,5	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	26 Dec 1942	0727	La Spezia	26 Dec 1942	1307	La Spezia	29	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	2 Jan 1943	0725	La Spezia	2 Jan 1943	1245	La Spezia	19	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	3 Jan 1943	0845	La Spezia	3 Jan 1943	1215	La Spezia	8	Exercises.

4.	Santorre Di Santarosa (SN)	13 Jan 1943	1110	Taranto	13 Jan 1943	1410	Taranto		Sailed for supply mission to Tripoli (42 tons of ammunition and 24 tons of stores) but turned around when alerted by the presence of mines on her route.

5.	Santorre Di Santarosa (SN)	13 Jan 1943	1525	Taranto	14 Jan 1943	1405	Taranto	164	Sailed for supply mission to Tripoli (42 tons of ammunition and 24 tons of stores) but developed engine defects when in 40° - Punta Alice - 23 miles and had to be towed back by tug Tenace assisted by the torpedo boat Sirtori.

6.	Santorre Di Santarosa (SN)	15 Jan 1943	1155	Taranto	20 Jan 1943	0230	Sunk		Supply mission to Tripoli (40.8 tons of ammunition, 20.7 tons of petrol, 1.8 ton of lubricating oil). At 0620 hours on the 19th, she ran aground 3 miles northeast of Kaliuscia. She attempted to free herself, but was attacked by four MTBs at 2300 hours. At 0230 hours on the 20th, she was torpedoed by MTB-260 and had to be abandoned (two killed, fifty-two survivors). The survivors were brought back to Italy by the torpedo boats Uragano and Ciclone.
		19 Jan 1943	0620	(e) 32° 55'N, 13° 14'E	The submarine ran aground and attempts were being made to free herself.
		20 Jan 1943	0230 2330/19 (e)	(e) 32° 55'N, 13° 14'E	The submarine was still aground in 32°55.8'N, 13°14'E with three tugs attempting to tow her away, when MTB-260 (Tempy Lt. Harry Frederick Wadds, RANVR), MTB-264 and MTB-313 (Tempy Lt. Alexander Dunlop Foster, RNVR) intervened. The three boats were on their way to carry out Operation CHILDHOOD. MTB-260 torpedoed the stranded submarine. The submarine replied with her two Breda two 13.2 mm machine guns. All MTB's were repeatedly hit but had no serious damage, two ratings were wounded. A fourth boat, MTB-267, had a damaged propeller and had to turn back, and therefore took no part in the action. Santorre Di Santarosa was crippled and finally scuttled (two killed, fifty-two survivors). The wreck was found by British forces on 23rd January 1943 when Tobruk fell in their hands.

	H 4 (H4)	4 Jul 1943	1035	La Spezia	4 Jul 1943	1505	La Spezia	18,5	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	5 Jul 1943	0605	La Spezia	5 Jul 1943	1705	La Spezia	30	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	8 Jul 1943	0720	La Spezia	8 Jul 1943	0923	La Spezia	13,5	Exercises.

7.	H 4 (H4)	9 Jul 1943	1830	La Spezia	10 Jul 1943	0655	La Spezia	64	Hydrophone watch.

	H 4 (H4)	13 Jul 1943	0800	La Spezia	13 Jul 1943	1500	La Spezia	84	Exercises.

8.	H 4 (H4)	14 Jul 1943	1852	La Spezia	15 Jul 1943	0836	La Spezia	79	Hydrophone watch.

	H 4 (H4)	16 Jul 1943	1340	La Spezia	16 Jul 1943	1731	La Spezia	3,5	Gyrocompass test.

9.	H 4 (H4)	19 Jul 1943	1815	La Spezia	20 Jul 1943	0231	La Spezia	54	Hydrophone watch.

	H 4 (H4)	22 Jul 1943	0610	La Spezia	22 Jul 1943	1450	La Spezia	31	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	29 Jul 1943	1450	La Spezia	30 Jul 1943	0745	La Spezia	52	Exercises with the submarine Rismondo and the gunboat Zagabria.

10.	H 4 (H4)	25 Aug 1943	1510	La Spezia	26 Aug 1943	0650	La Spezia	?	Hydrophone watch.

	H 4 (H4)	28 Aug 1943	0635	La Spezia	28 Aug 1943	1250	La Spezia	?	Exercises.

	H 4 (H4)	30 Aug 1943	0745	La Spezia	30 Aug 1943	1650	La Spezia	120	Exercises.

69 entries. 68 total patrol entries (10 marked as war patrols) and 2 events.

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Italian submarines

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Events on this day

Italian submarines in World War Two

Italian Commanders

Giuseppe Simonetti

Ranks

Decorations

Career information

Commands listed for Giuseppe Simonetti

Ships hit by Giuseppe Simonetti

War patrols listed for Giuseppe Simonetti

Italian Commanders

Italian Submarines