Italian submarines in World War Two

Italian Commanders


Gioacchino Ventura

Born  25 Sep 1914

Ranks

  T.V.Tenente di Vascello

Decorations

Career information

PERLA (T.V. C.O.): from 13.06.1942 to 09.07.1942 (sunk, Ventura survived as PoW).

Commands listed for Gioacchino Ventura


Submarine Type Rank From To
Perla (I.33 or I.30)Coastal / Sea goingT.V.13 Jun 19429 Jul 1942

Ships hit by Gioacchino Ventura

No ships hit by this Commander.

War patrols listed for Gioacchino Ventura

 SubmarineDateTimePortArr. dateArr. timeArr. portMilesDescription
Perla (I.33 or I.30)15 Jun 19420800Messina15 Jun 19421305Messina13Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Manas, between 38°02'N and 38°10'N, and between 15°35'E and the coast.

Perla (I.33 or I.30)20 Jun 19421230Messina20 Jun 19421906Messina28,5Exercises between 38°02'N and 38°10'N, and between 15°35'E and the coast.

Perla (I.33 or I.30)22 Jun 19420850Messina22 Jun 19421255Messina28,5Exercises between 38°02'N and 38°10'N, and between 15°35'E and the coast.

Perla (I.33 or I.30)24 Jun 19420810Messina24 Jun 19421250Messina29Exercises between 38°02'N and 38°10'N and 15°35'E and the coast.

Perla (I.33 or I.30)26 Jun 19420805Messina26 Jun 19421300Messina27,3Exercises between 38°02'N and 38°10'N and 15°35'E and the coast.

1.Perla (I.33 or I.30)1 Jul 19421850 or 1923Messina9 Jul 1942CapturedPassage Messina-Leros, patrol in Cyprus area and then patrolled off Beirut, between 33°40'N and 36°00'N and between 32°00'E and the Syrian coast. Captured by HMS Hyacinth 15 miles south of Beirut (one killed, five officers and forty ratings taken PoWs). Became RHN Matrozos.
  2 Jul 1942091536° 52'N, 17° 44'EAt 0915 hours, a wheel of a German aircraft was seen and picked up. It appeared to be the tail wheel.
  2 Jul 19421730
(0) About 100 miles west of Navarino.
At 1730 hours, Perla carried out gunnery practice. Two 100mm and about 140 13.2mm rounds were fired.
  2 Jul 19422145
(0) About 70 miles southwest of Navarino.
At 2145 hours, a friendly submarine (possibly U-375?) was sighted. Perla took avoiding action.
  3 Jul 19420002
(0) West of Crete.
At 0002 hours, a hospital ship was sighted.
  7 Jul 19421602
(0) ?
A large motor launch apparently stopped was sighted bearing 270°. Perla steered away.

At 2000 hours, information was received of a convoy, 10 miles to the southward. The submarine steered 170° to intercept, but nothing was sighted.
  9 Jul 1942
1728C (e)

(e) 33° 50'N, 35° 19'E
At 0309 hours, Sunderland 'X' (W.3987) of 230 Squadron piloted by Flying Officer Howe, obtained a radar contact at a distance of 3 miles in 32°18' N, 34°28' E. This was a submarine and it submerged before an attack could be made.

At 1020C hours, a Blenheim of 13 Hellenic Squadron piloted by Pilot Officer Kipouros, sighted a surfaced submarine in 32°44' N, 34°30' E, steering 270° at 12-14 knots. The submarine crash-dived again, before an attack could be made.

These two sightings possibly referred to HMS Una, on passage from Port Said to Haifa, or U-372. The British submarine did not dive at the aforementioned time, but this is possibly an error somewhere. Check!

At 1728C hours, the corvette HMS Hyacinth (Lieutenant John Ivor Jones, DSC, RNR) was proceeding at 15 knots from Haifa to Beirut, when two torpedo tracks were observed from the port beam. A Walrus of 700 Squadron, piloted by Lieutenant P.C. Chorley, also sighted the tracks and passed a warning to the corvette. The warship turned immediately to port to comb the tracks and an ASDIC contact was obtained at 1,000 yards.

The attack had been made by Perla.

At 1730C hours, a first pattern of depth charges was delivered and oil patches were seen. Two more patterns followed and the submarine surfaced. The corvette immediately engaged Perla with all guns. A white flag was waved and the crew began abandoning ship. Firing was ceased and a boarding party (including the Maltese cook who spoke Italian) was sent under Lieutenant Jack Arthur Pollard, RNVR. After examination, Pollard judged that the submarine could be towed. Shortly after, the corvette HMS Gloxinia and the motor torpedo boats MTB-261 and MTB-265 arrived on the scene. The submarine was towed to Beirut by HMS Hyacinth, covered by the other vessels and by aircraft. At the entrance of the port, the tow was passed to a tug.

One rating of Perla had been killed. T.V. Gioacchino Ventura, four officers and forty ratings were taken as prisoners of war.

11 entries. 6 total patrol entries (1 marked as war patrols) and 6 events.

Italian Commanders

Italian Submarines