Italian submarines in World War Two
Italian Commanders
Giovanni Cantù
| Born | 26 Jun 1907 | Leghorn | |
| Died | 24 Apr 1989 | (81) | Rome |
| Ranks
Decorations
|
Career information
From 25.02.1940, had been in command of the torpedo-boat PLEIADI.RUGGIERO SETTIMO (T.V. C.O.): from 04.06.1940 to 27.08.1940.
CIRO MENOTTI (T.V. C.O.): from 28.08.1940 to 18.09.1940.
DES GENEYS (T.V. C.O.): from 26.09.1940 to 19.01.1941?
VETTOR PISANI (T.V. C.O.): from 15.10.1940 to 22.10.1940.
Commands listed for Giovanni Cantù
| Submarine | Type | Rank | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruggiero Settimo (RS) | Ocean going | T.V. | 4 Jun 1940 | 27 Aug 1940 |
| Ciro Menotti (ME, N.66) | Ocean going | T.V. | 28 Aug 1940 | 18 Sep 1940 |
| Vettor Pisani (PN) | Ocean going | T.V. | 15 Oct 1940 | 22 Oct 1940 |
| Des Geneys (DN) | Ocean going | T.V. | 26 Sep 1940 | 19 Jan 1941 |
Ships hit by Giovanni Cantù
No ships hit by this Commander.War patrols listed for Giovanni Cantù
| Submarine | Date | Time | Port | Arr. date | Arr. time | Arr. port | Miles | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ruggiero Settimo (RS) | 6 Jun 1940 | 0427 | Taranto | 16 Jun 1940 | 1546 | Gallipoli (near Taranto) | 1295 | Patrolled in Kythera Channel, north of Crete. | |
| 13 Jun 1940 | 2027 | (0) Off Suda (Crete) | A large enemy submarine was sighted at a distance of 1,000 metres and two torpedoes (533mm) were fired, but missed. The enemy submarine also appeared to have launched torpedoes. This was possibly HMS Phoenix, which was in 35°42' N, 24°11' E, but she did not fire torpedoes and did not observe the attack. | |||||||
| Ruggiero Settimo (RS) | 26 Jun 1940 | 1505 | Gallipoli (near Taranto) | 26 Jun 1940 | 1730 | Taranto | 7 | Passage Gallipoli-Taranto. | ||
| Ruggiero Settimo (RS) | 4 Jul 1940 | 1620 | Taranto | 5 Jul 1940 | 1652 | Augusta | 282 | Passage Taranto-Augusta with submarine Luigi Settembrini. | ||
| 2. | Ruggiero Settimo (RS) | 8 Jul 1940 | 2321 | Augusta | 13 Jul 1940 | 0007 | Augusta | 389 | Patrolled in 36°10'N, 17°20'E. Damaged by a bomb from a Sunderland. | |
| 12 Jul 1940 | 1129 1125 (e) | 36° 10'N, 17° 20'E (e) 36° 48'N, 15° 54'E (0) Approximately. | The submarine was attacked by a Sunderland flying at an altitude of 250 meters. This was Sunderland 'W' (N.9020) of 228 Squadron, piloted by Squadron Leader G. L. Menzies] flying at 2,000 feet, which dropped three 250 lb A/S bombs and strafed the submarine. Ruggiero Settimo replied with the starboard machine-gun, but it jammed after a few rounds. The submarine turned to starboard as an evasive action, allowing the port side MG to bear, but it was hit by a bomb on the stern just abaft the engine compartment, causing only minor damage. Luckily, despite being strafed by the Sunderland, there were no casualties. Settimo dived, two more bombs were dropped on the submerging submarine and another on a third run. These bombs caused more serious damage forcing the submarine to abort her patrol. | |||||||
| Ruggiero Settimo (RS) | 20 Jul 1940 | 1600 | Augusta | 21 Jul 1940 | 1750 | Taranto | 298 | Passage Augusta-Taranto. | ||
| Ruggiero Settimo (RS) | 23 Aug 1940 | 0804 | Taranto | 23 Aug 1940 | 1640 | Taranto | 26 | Exercises. | ||
| Ruggiero Settimo (RS) | 25 Aug 1940 | 0850 | Taranto | 25 Aug 1940 | 1700 | Taranto | 50 | Exercises. | ||
| Ciro Menotti (ME, N.66) | 28 Aug 1940 | Taranto | 18 Sep 1940 | Taranto | Refit at Taranto. Change in command. | |||||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 7 Oct 1940 | 1003 | Pola | 7 Oct 1940 | 1736 | Pola | 49,4 | Exercises. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 14 Oct 1940 | 0820 | Pola | 14 Oct 1940 | 1724 | Pola | 49,7 | Exercises. | ||
| Vettor Pisani (PN) | 15 Oct 1940 | Pola | 22 Oct 1940 | Pola | Refit in Pola. Change in command. | |||||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 19 Oct 1940 | 0800 | Pola | 19 Oct 1940 | 1710 | Pola | 55 | Exercises. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 2 Nov 1940 | 0803 | Pola | 2 Nov 1940 | 1102 | Pola | 21,05 | Exercises. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 5 Nov 1940 | 0810 | Pola | 5 Nov 1940 | 1705 | Pola | 54 | Exercises. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 7 Nov 1940 | 0818 | Pola | 7 Nov 1940 | 1656 | Pola | 31,3 | Exercises. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 9 Nov 1940 | 0805 | Pola | 9 Nov 1940 | 1747 | Pola | 56 | Exercises. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 20 Nov 1940 | 0820 | Pola | 20 Nov 1940 | 1726 | Pola | 29,9 | Exercises. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 21 Nov 1940 | 0722 | Pola | 21 Nov 1940 | 1716 | Pola | 35,6 | Exercises. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 25 Nov 1940 | 0758 | Pola | 25 Nov 1940 | 1712 | Pola | 70 | Sailed with the submarine Adua, escorted by the auxiliary San Giorgio and the tug Tenace, for torpedo firing exercises with the torpedo boat Audace. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 27 Nov 1940 | 0813 | Pola | 27 Nov 1940 | 1708 | Pola | 59 | Sailed with the submarine Adua, escorted by the auxiliary San Giorgio and the tug Tenace, for torpedo firing exercises with the torpedo boat Audace. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 3 Dec 1940 | 0814 | Pola | 3 Dec 1940 | 1741 | Pola | 58 | Exercises. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 5 Dec 1940 | 0751 | Pola | 5 Dec 1940 | 1725 | Pola | 62 | Exercises. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 9 Dec 1940 | 0800 | Pola | 9 Dec 1940 | 1748 | Pola | 57 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary San Giorgio. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 12 Dec 1940 | 0800 | Pola | 12 Dec 1940 | 1654 | Pola | 63 | Exercises. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 16 Dec 1940 | 0833 | Pola | 16 Dec 1940 | 1745 | Pola | 74 | Attack exercises with torpedo boat Audace, escorted by the auxiliary Laurana. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 20 Dec 1940 | 0800 | Pola | 20 Dec 1940 | 1844 | Pola | 63 | Sailed with the submarine Adua, escorted by the auxiliary Gigliola, for torpedo firing exercises with the torpedo boat Audace. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 26 Dec 1940 | 0805 | Pola | 26 Dec 1940 | 1800 | Pola | 71 | Attack exercises on the torpedo boat Audace with the submarines Bragadino and Adua, escorted by the auxiliary San Giorgio and the submarine chaser Laurana. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 28 Dec 1940 | 1602 | Pola | 29 Dec 1940 | 0202 | Pola | 84 | Sailed with the submarine Adua for night torpedo firing exercises with the torpedo boat Audace. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 29 Dec 1940 | 0800 | Pola | 29 Dec 1940 | 1736 | Pola | 114 | Exercises. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 3 Jan 1941 | 0800 | Pola | 3 Jan 1941 | 1640 | Pola | 68 | Exercises. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 6 Jan 1941 | 0800 | Pola | 6 Jan 1941 | 1640 | Pola | 62 | Exercises with the submarine Adua, escorted by the submarine chaser Laurana. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 7 Jan 1941 | 0912 | Pola | 7 Jan 1941 | 1347 | Pola | 46 | Gunfire exercises with the submarines Bragadino, Adua and Fisalia, escorted by the auxiliary Laurana. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 8 Jan 1941 | 0810 | Pola | 8 Jan 1941 | 1715 | Pola | 71 | Attack exercises with the submarine chaser Laurana. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 11 Jan 1941 | 0800 | Pola | 12 Jan 1941 | 0110 | Pola | 132 | Attack exercises with the submarine Adua on the torpedo boat Audace, escorted by the auxiliary San Giorgio. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 17 Jan 1941 | 0810 | Pola | 17 Jan 1941 | 1135 | Pola | 32 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Laurana. | ||
| Des Geneys (DN) | 18 Jan 1941 | 1603 | Pola | 19 Jan 1941 | 0315 | Pola | 80 | Sailed with the submarines Adua and Bragadino, escorted by the auxiliary San Giorgio, for torpedo firing exercises with the torpedo boat Audace. | ||
36 entries. 36 total patrol entries (2 marked as war patrols) and 2 events.