Italian submarines in World War Two
Italian Commanders
Pasquale Terra
| Born | 25 Sep 1907 | Città Sant'Angelo (Pescara) | |
| Died | 1997 | (89) | Rome |
| Ranks
Decorations
|
Career information
VELELLA (T.V. C.O.): from 15.12.1938 to 19.12.1941.Promoted to C.C. on ?
NEREIDE (C.C. C.O.): from 22.04.1942 to 27.03.1943.
Commands listed for Pasquale Terra
| Submarine | Type | Rank | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Velella (VL, I.27) | Ocean going | T.V. | 15 Dec 1938 | 19 Dec 1941 |
| Nereide (NE) | Coastal / Sea going | C.C. | 22 Apr 1942 | 27 Mar 1943 |
Ships hit by Pasquale Terra
No ships hit by this Commander.War patrols listed for Pasquale Terra
| Submarine | Date | Time | Port | Arr. date | Arr. time | Arr. port | Miles | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 5 Jun 1940 | 0535 | Brindisi | 20 Jun 1940 | 2040 | Leros | 1483,5 | Patrolled between Rhodes and the Turkish coast in 36°27'N, 28°40'E. Uneventful. Off Cerigo at 1300 hours on 9th June. At 1015 hours on the 11th in the Northern searched channel of Rhodes and arrived in patrol area at 0100 hours on the 12th. At 2100 hours on the 19th, left patrol for Leros. | |
| 2. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 3 Jul 1940 | 1950 | Leros | 15 Jul 1940 | 2400 | Alimnia Bay | 1193 | Patrolled on Crete-Alexandria route, in 33°05'N, 28°45'E, on a patrol line with Tricheco and Beilul then anchored in Alimnia Bay. | |
| 3. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 16 Jul 1940 | 1205 | Alimnia Bay | 17 Jul 1940 | 0320 | Leros | Passage Alimnia Bay-Leros. | ||
| 4. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 19 Aug 1940 | 1200 | Leros | 26 Aug 1940 | 1200 | Leros | 663 | Patrolled east of Crete, laid two lines of sounding buoys at 500 metres interval, from Plati Island (Kaso) to Cape Plaka (Crete) and from Plati Island to Cape Sidero (Crete). | |
| 21 Aug 1940 | 0118 | (0) Off Cape Sidero. | At 0118 hours, a destroyer proceeding toward Cape Sidero was observed at a distance of 5-6,000 metres. She passed out of sight. | |||||||
| Velella (VL, I.27) | 6 Sep 1940 | 1634 | Leros | 14 Sep 1940 | 1815 | La Spezia | 1336 | Passage Leros-La Spezia. Uneventful. | ||
| Velella (VL, I.27) | 24 Oct 1940 | 0910 | La Spezia | 24 Oct 1940 | 1555 | La Spezia | Exercises. | |||
| Velella (VL, I.27) | 25 Oct 1940 | 1630 | La Spezia | 25 Oct 1940 | 1700 | La Spezia | Exercises? Escorted by the submarine H.2. | |||
| Velella (VL, I.27) | 30 Oct 1940 | 0820 | La Spezia | 30 Oct 1940 | 1230 | La Spezia | Exercises. | |||
| 5. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 1 Nov 1940 | 0730 | La Spezia | 8 Nov 1940 | 2200 | La Spezia | 1155 | Sailed for Gibraltar (and Bordeaux) but was then recalled when the fuel flow to one of her engines was interrupted. | |
| Velella (VL, I.27) | 20 Nov 1940 | 0915 | La Spezia | 20 Nov 1940 | 1105 | La Spezia | Exercises. | |||
| 6. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 25 Nov 1940 | 0750 | La Spezia | 25 Dec 1940 | 1900 | Bordeaux | 4528 | Passage La Spezia-Bordeaux and patrol between 37°00'N and 40°00'N, between 09°00'W and 11°00'W. Crossed Gibraltar on 1st December, where she was seriously depth-charged by two British destroyers but escaped at a depth of 130 meters. From 4th to 20th December off Lisbon then to Bordeaux. Sighted several neutral vessels. | |
| 15 Dec 1940 | 0900-1000 | (0) Off Cape Roca. | At 0900 hours, a submarine, who proved to be Michele Bianchi, was encountered and exchanged recognition signals. Velella was informed that Brin was following her. | |||||||
| 17 Dec 1940 | 0340 | (0) Off Cape Roca. | At 0340 hours, an illuminated vessel was sighted and the submarine took an intercepting course. At 0930 hours, the vessel was ordered to stop and requested to show her papers. An officer brought them aboard the submarine and she proved to be the Spanish Castillo Andrade (3,457 GRT, built 1914) of Cadiz, on passage from Las Palmas to Vigo with a cargo of fruit. She was allowed to proceed. | |||||||
| 7. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 18 Feb 1941 | 1100 | Bordeaux | 18 Feb 1941 | 1500 | Le Verdon | 50 | Passage Bordeaux-Le Verdon. | |
| 8. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 19 Feb 1941 | 0830 | Le Verdon | 19 Feb 1941 | 1925 | La Pallice | 110 | Passage Le Verdon-La Pallice, escorted by the German minesweepers M-6, M-9 and M-21 and Sperrbrecher 16, the latter as far as Buoy 1. | |
| 9. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 20 Feb 1941 | 0900 | La Pallice | 20 Feb 1941 | 1410 | La Pallice | 30 | Trials at Le Pertuis d'Antioche. | |
| 10. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 23 Feb 1941 | 1750 | La Pallice | 21 Mar 1941 | 1410 | Pauillac | 4500 | Sailed for Atlantic patrol between 54°00'N and 55°00'N, and between 18°00'W and 25°00'W. On her return was met by Sperrbrecher III, the minesweepers M-9 and M-12, the submarine chaser UJ-K and the patrol vessel V-406 and escorted in. | |
| 27 Feb 1941 | 1425 | At 1425 hours, a vessel was seen zigzagging steering 250°. The submarine attempted to intercept it but lost contact at 2030 hours. | ||||||||
| 2 Mar 1941 | 1700 | At 1700 hours, Velella received a signal from BETASOM (1500/2) reporting a large convoy in Italian Grid 2781/46 steering 270° and was ordered to Grid 6124/41 to intercept. She complied by taking a 090° course at 7 knots, but due to the heavy weather it was impossible to reach the area in time. | ||||||||
| 3 Mar 1941 | 1600 | At 1600 hours, two vessels were sighted at 8,000 metres. They turned out to be two three-funnel destroyers steering 070°. The submarine dived quickly and was not detected. At 2350 hours on 3rd March, Velellla received signals from BETASOM: the first (1650/3) ordering her to move north at 10 knots and, a second (2300/3) ordering her to patrol within a radius of 5 miles from Italian Grid 2767/66. At 1900 hours on 4th March, she received a signal (1740/4) ordering her to proceed to Grid 5324/63. | ||||||||
| 9 Mar 1941 | 1855 | At 1855 hours, a submarine was sighted and, after exchanging recognition signals, identified as Brin. | ||||||||
| 11. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 21 Mar 1941 | 1530 | Pauillac | 21 Mar 1941 | 1840 | Bordeaux | 30 | Passage Pauillac-Bordeaux. Then refit. | |
| 12. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 23 May 1941 | 0630 | Bordeaux | 23 May 1941 | 1730 | Le Verdon | 60 | Passage Bordeaux-Le Verdon. | |
| 13. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 24 May 1941 | 0220 | Le Verdon | 24 May 1941 | 0630 | Le Verdon | 60 | Sailed for patrol led by Sperrbrecher III but lost her in the darkness and had a slight collision with the Alsterufer who was proceeding to Bordeaux escorted by M-boats. She had damage to her forward tube and had to turn back for repairs. This delayed her departure by four days. | |
| 24 May 1941 | 0430 | (0) Off the Gironde (entrance of La Grande Passe de l'Ouest). | At 0430 hours, Velella collided with the German blockade-runner Alsterufer (2.729 GRT, built 1939), on her way to Bordeaux escorted by M-boats from the 8.MSFL. The submarine suffered slight damage which forced her to turn back and delay her departure by four days. T.V. Pasquale Terra was reprimanded for the accident. | |||||||
| 14. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 24 May 1941 | 0800 approx. | Le Verdon | 24 May 1941 | 1800 | Bordeaux | 60 | Passage Le Verdon-Bordeaux for repairs. | |
| 24 May 1941 | 0430 | (0) Off the Gironde (entrance of La Grande Passe de l'Ouest). | At 0430 hours, Velella collided with the German blockade-runner Alsterufer (2.729 GRT, built 1939), on her way to Bordeaux escorted by M-boats from the 8.MSFL. The submarine suffered slight damage which forced her to turn back and delay her departure by four days. T.V. Pasquale Terra was reprimanded for the accident. | |||||||
| 15. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 28 May 1941 | 0857 | Bordeaux | 28 May 1941 | 1300 | Le Verdon | 60 | Passage Bordeaux-Le Verdon. | |
| 16. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 28 May 1941 | 2000 | Le Verdon | 20 Jun 1941 | 0905 | Le Verdon | 4500 | Sailed for Atlantic patrol (1) between 34°45'N and 35°45'N, and between 12°50'W and 13°50'W (2) within 30 miles of 33°55'N, 14°50'W. Escorted out by Sperrbrecher III. | |
| 30 May 1941 | 1145 | 43° 42'N, 9° 24'W | At 1145 hours, many smokes were observed over the horizon. The submarine closed only to find out that they were fishing vessels. | |||||||
| 30 May 1941 | 1600 | 43° 32'N, 9° 14'W | An Sunderland was seen and the submarine dived. | |||||||
| 30 May 1941 | 1935-2040 | 43° 11'N, 9° 34'W | At 1935 hours, a vessel was sighted. The submarine closed to attack, but then desisted when she proved to be a neutral. | |||||||
| 31 May 1941 | 1700 | 40° 20'N, 10° 58'W | At 1700 hours a vessel was sighted on a 050° course. The submarine closed and at 1952 hours dived to attack. It proved to be small 300 to 400-ton neutral tanker and the attack was aborted. | |||||||
| 3 Jun 1941 | 0830 | 35° 13'N, 13° 05'W | At 0830 hours, a steamer on a 055° course was sighted, but the submarine could not catch up and she disappeared in the distance. | |||||||
| 4 Jun 1941 | 1905 | 35° 31'N, 13° 18'W | At 1905 hours, a steamer was sighted. At 2015 hours, she was identified as neutral and the attack broken off. | |||||||
| 5 Jun 1941 | 0410 | 35° 03'N, 13° 38'W | At 0410 hours, a dark shadow was sighted. As the submarine closed, it was identified as a submarine chaser zigzagging steering 060-120°. A sudden change of course prevented Velella from carrying out an attack, but the submarine altered course to 270° on the supposition that this vessel was scouting ahead of a convoy. | |||||||
| 5 Jun 1941 | 0640 | 35° 03'N, 13° 47'W | At 0640 hours, a destroyer was sighted at 2,500 metres proceeding on a 100° course. Velella turned with the intention of attacking it with a stern shot but then sighted a tanker in the distance. | |||||||
| 5 Jun 1941 | 0645 | 35° 02'N, 13° 48'W | A large tanker was sighted at a distance of 4-5,000 metres but the submarine could not close the range. | |||||||
| 5 Jun 1941 | 1825 | 35° 07'N, 12° 58'W | At 1825 hours, Velella sighted a convoy steering 090° at 8 knots. The submarine turned to a parallel course hoping to intercept after dusk ahead of the convoy with the moon behind. | |||||||
| 5 Jun 1941 | 2230 | 35° 07'N, 12° 10'W | At 2230 hours, the submarine Marconi was encountered and directed toward the convoy. | |||||||
| 6 Jun 1941 | 0604 | 35° 06'N, 11° 20'W | Velella, trailing the convoy [OG.63], had observed only small vessels on the starboard column. She moved to attack the vessels on the port column which appeared larger. At 0604 hours, a 12,000/14,000-ton tanker followed by a 7,000/8,000-ton steamer were sighted and T.V. Terra decided to attack both. Two torpedoes were fired from the bow tubes at a distance of 800 metres aimed at the tanker. Both were claimed hit and the tanker reported damaged, but this has not been confirmed. | |||||||
| 6 Jun 1941 | 0606 0605-0616 (e) | 35° 00'N, 11° 00'W (e) 35° 45'N, 10° 50'W | One torpedo aimed at the second ship was fired from 400-500 metres and simultaneously, the target fired two rounds at the submarine. This was the British Tintern Abbey (2479 GRT, built 1939) and although Terra reported her as sunk, she had not been hit. At 0652 hours, HMS Wellington opened fire on the submarine at a range of 14,000-13,600 yards. The submarine dived to 100 metres and was shaken by three explosions which caused minor damages. | |||||||
| 8 Jun 1941 | 1715 1610 (e) | 35° 46'N, 12° 25'W (e) 36° 02'N, 11° 52'W | At 1715 hours, the submarine sighted a reconnaissance aircraft approaching. At a range of 500-600 metres, Velella opened fire with her machine guns while taking evasive action. This was Catalina 'C' (AH538) of 202 Squadron, piloted by Flight Lieutenant R.W. Whittome and it dropped two 500lb bombs, which missed about 100 metres astern, according to Terra (30 feet according to Whittome). The Catalina was hit by a few 13.2mm rounds but not seriously damaged. The aircraft returned for a second run and dropped two more bombs, missing the bow by about 20 metres (15 feet according to the pilot). At 1745 hours, Velella dived and escaped. | |||||||
| 17. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 20 Jun 1941 | 1218 | Le Verdon | 20 Jun 1941 | 1700 | Bordeaux | Passage Le Verdon-Bordeaux. | ||
| 18. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 12 Aug 1941 | 1000 | Bordeaux | 12 Aug 1941 | 1400 | Le Verdon | 50 | Passage Bordeaux-Le Verdon. | |
| 19. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 12 Aug 1941 | 1800 | Le Verdon | 12 Aug 1941 | 1930 | Le Verdon | Trials. | ||
| 20. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 13 Aug 1941 | 0800 | Le Verdon | 13 Aug 1941 | 1915 | La Pallice | 110 | Passage Le Verdon-La Pallice. | |
| 21. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 16 Aug 1941 | 1830 | La Pallice | 16 Aug 1941 | 2015 | La Pallice | ? | Sailed for patrol, but turned back because of a defective gyrocompass. | |
| 22. | Velella (VL, I.27) | 17 Aug 1941 | 1020 | La Pallice | 29 Aug 1941 | 1340 | Cagliari | 2230 | Passage La Pallice-Cagliari after four missions in the Atlantic. Passed Gibraltar on the surface during the night of 24/25th August 1941, finally diving at 0707 hours on the 25th. | |
| 24 Aug 1941 | 2330 | (0) West of Gibraltar. | At 2330 hours, as Velella was nearing the Straits of Gibraltar, a submarine chaser was sighted at 1,500 metres. Terra elected to remain on the surface and was not seen. | |||||||
| Velella (VL, I.27) | 7 Sep 1941 | 0900 | Cagliari | 8 Sep 1941 | 1030 | Naples | 265 | Passage Cagliari-Naples. Then refit until January 1942. | ||
| 23. | Nereide (NE) | 29 Apr 1942 | 1425 | Leros | 15 May 1942 | 0845 | Leros | 1187 | Sailed via Kasos Strait through (1) 34°40'N, 26°40'E (2) 33°40'N, 25°00'E, for patrol between 33°40'N and 34°00'N, and between 22°20'E and 23°20'E in Italian Grids 0225, 0273 and 0211, on a patrol line with Galatea. Following this patrol, several members of the crew reported lacking appetite and showing signs of physical deterioration which was attributed to the lack of fruits and vegetables. Similar signs were observed on Galatea of the same Submarine Group. | |
| 2 May 1942 | 1930 2050C (e) | 33° 58'N, 22° 58'E | At 1930 hours, a submarine's periscope was sighted and shortly after she surfaced. Nereide gained a favourable position and also surfaced. She made a recognition signal but the other submarine dived and C.C. Terra thought she was German. This was actually the submarine HMS Porpoise (Lieutenant L.A.W. Bennington, RN) on passage from Malta to Alexandria. At 2050C hours, she sighted Nereide steering 090° and believed it was a German U-boat. She passed a warning to Captain S. One, in Alexandria. It was repeated to HMS Urge, who was expected to be astern of her some 50 miles to the west. HMS Urge had actually been mined off Malta. | |||||||
| 10 May 1942 | 1956 | 34° 04'N, 23° 12'E | At 1956 hours, a submarine, believed to be German, was sighted at a distance of 1,200 metres. As a precaution, Nereide dived immediately. | |||||||
| Nereide (NE) | 1 Jun 1942 | 0800 | Leros | 1 Jun 1942 | 1345 | Leros | 30 | Exercises. | ||
| 24. | Nereide (NE) | 4 Jun 1942 | 1610 | Leros | 5 Jun 1942 | 1902 | Leros | 306 | Sailed with the submarine Sirena escorted by the destroyer Sella for a patrol in Aegean. Forced to interrupt mission when water reached the battery causing chlorine fumes. | |
| Nereide (NE) | 22 Jun 1942 | 0845 | Leros | 22 Jun 1942 | 1124 | Leros | 20 | Exercises. | ||
| 25. | Nereide (NE) | 3 Jul 1942 | 0124 | Leros | 21 Jul 1942 | 0548 | Leros | 1453 | Sailed with Ondina for patrol on route to Alexandretta near Ras El Khanzir between 33°40'N and 36°00'N, and between 32°00'E and the Syrian coast | |
| 9 Jul 1942 | 2100 | 35° 38'N, 35° 26'E | At 2100 hours, a submarine was sighted. Nereide took avoiding action. This may have been Ondina who was lost two days later. | |||||||
| 11 Jul 1942 | 1515-1550 | From 1515 to 1550 hours, several explosions were heard very close. Nereide was submerged at the time. When she came to periscope depth, nothing was in sight. C.C. Terra believed he may have been bombed by an aircraft. | ||||||||
| 13 Jul 1942 | 0107 | (0) Off Ras El Khanzir. | At 0107 hours, information was received that two steamers had left Alexandretta for Port Said. Nereide altered course to intercept north of Ras El Khanzir. Nothing was sighted or heard. | |||||||
| Nereide (NE) | 17 Aug 1942 | 0815 | Leros | 17 Aug 1942 | 1210 | Leros | 12 | Exercises. | ||
| Nereide (NE) | 24 Aug 1942 | 0642 | Leros | 24 Aug 1942 | 0755 | Leros | 10 | Exercises. | ||
| 26. | Nereide (NE) | 23 Sep 1942 | 0642 | Leros | 11 Oct 1942 | 1924 | Leros | 2329 | Sailed with Ametista and escorted by the destroyer Sella until 1840 hours on the 23rd and patrolled between 32°50'N and 33°20'N, and between 26°35'E and 27°05'E. | |
| 30 Sep 1942 | 2255 | 33° 10'N, 26° 54'E | At 2255 hours, several flares were dropped by aircraft. Nereide dived. | |||||||
| 2 Oct 1942 | 0300 | 33° 00'N, 27° 00'E (0) Approximately. | At 0300 hours, an aircraft was sighted at close range. Nereide crash-dived and surfaced again at 0334 hours. | |||||||
| 27. | Nereide (NE) | 12 Dec 1942 | 0750 | Leros | 28 Dec 1942 | 1455 | Leros | 1854,5 | Patrolled in Aegean between 34°20'N and 36°00'N, and between 30°00'E and 30°40'E (Grid 8389). Uneventful. | |
| 28. | Nereide (NE) | 8 Jan 1943 | 0614 | Leros | 22 Jan 1943 | 0840 | Augusta | 1564,5 | Patrolled in eastern Mediterranean then to Augusta. Uneventful. According to British intelligence the patrol was between 35°20'N (actually 34°20'N) and 36°00'N and 30°00'E and 30°40'E or Grids 5337, 5937, 5367, 5967. | |
| 29. | Nereide (NE) | 7 Feb 1943 | 1627 | Augusta | 18 Feb 1943 | 0810 | Augusta | 1111,5 | Patrolled between 32°40'N and 33°30'N, and between 15°40'E and 16°00'E. On the evening of 13th February, she was moved to a new area between 31°50'N and 32°00'N, and between 15°50'E and 16°40'E. Uneventful. | |
| Nereide (NE) | 22 Feb 1943 | 2243 | Augusta | 25 Feb 1943 | 0835 | Brindisi | 359 | Passage Augusta-Brindisi. She collided with the motor boat Marras (A.S.51) as she was leaving the quay at Augusta. The skipper of the motor boat was blamed for the collision. Then repairs and refit until May 1943. | ||
61 entries. 40 total patrol entries (29 marked as war patrols) and 31 events.