Italian submarines in World War Two
Ascianghi (AS)
Ascianghi
Ascianghi (USMM)
Type | Coastal / Sea going | |
Class | Adua (23) | |
Laid down | 20 Jan 1937 | Odero-Terni-Orlando, Muggiano |
Launched | 5 Dec 1937 | |
Commissioned | 25 Mar 1938 | |
End service | ||
Stricken | ||
Loss date | 23 Jul 1943 | |
Loss position | 37° 03'N, 15° 24'E | |
History | ||
Fate | Sunk on 23rd July 1943 north-east of Syracuse, Sicily, in position 37°03.5'N, 15°24'E by gunfire from the destroyers HMS Laforey and HMS Eclipse after being forced to surface by depth charging. |
Commands
Commander | Date from | Date to | Command notes |
---|---|---|---|
T.V. Ugo Gelli | 17 Jul 1938 | 28 Apr 1941 | |
T.V. Piero Pailli | 29 Apr 1941 | 10 Jun 1941 | |
T.V. Olinto Di Serio | 28 Jun 1941 | 14 Mar 1942 | |
C.C. Mario Resio | 15 Mar 1942 | 20 May 1942 | |
T.V. Rodolfo Bombig | 20 May 1942 | 27 Aug 1942 | |
T.V. Rino Erler | 1 Sep 1942 | 30 Jun 1943 | |
S.T.V. Mario Fiorini | 1 Jul 1943 | 23 Jul 1943 |
Ships hit
Date | Commander | Ship hit | Type | GRT | Nat. | Loss type | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 21 Sep 1941 | T.V. Olinto Di Serio | Antar | Tanker | 385 | Sunk | |
2. | 15 Nov 1942 | T.V. Rino Erler | HMS Algerine | Minesweeper | 1,040 | Sunk |
Patrols and events
Commander | Date | Time | Port | Arr. date | Arr. time | Arr. port | Miles | Description | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gelli, Ugo | 11 Jun 1940 | 0100 | La Maddalena | 11 Jun 1940 | 1630 | Cagliari | 177 | Passage La Maddalena-Cagliari. | ||
1 | Gelli, Ugo | 17 Jun 1940 | 2350 | Cagliari | 30 Jun 1940 | 1245 | Cagliari | 1458 | Patrolled between 38°20'N and 39°00'N, and between 00°10'E and 01°00'E. off Balearic Islands between Cape San Antonio and Fermentara Island. Sighted many neutral ships. | |
19 Jun 1940 | 0352 | 38° 30'N, 3° 30'E (0) Italian Grid 1664. | At 0352 hours, five cruisers were sighted at a distance of 10,000 metres, steering 020°, 20 knots. Ascianghi could not close within attacking range. | |||||||
22 Jun 1940 | 0130 0055 (e) | (0) Near Cape San Antonio (Balearic Islands). | At 0125 hours, a darkened 15,000-ton steamer was sighted. At 0130 hours, four torpedoes (three 533mm, one 450mm) were fired in quick succession from the bow tubes, at a range of 1,700 metres. They all missed. This was the British Ashcrest (5,645 GRT, built 1920). Ascianghi then opened fire, claiming hits with her second and third salvoes. The enemy vessel turned sharply to starboard and replied very accurately with its gun, immediately straddling the submarine. Ascianghi had to crash-dive and the vessel escaped. | |||||||
25 Jun 1940 | 0125 | (0) Italian Grid 1422/3. | At 0125 hours, four large enemy warships were sighted, steering 180°, 22 knots. They passed out of range. | |||||||
25 Jun 1940 | 0125 | (0) Near Italian Grid 1422/3. | At 0125 hours, dark shapes were sighted at a distance of 10,000 metres. Aradam closed to 8-9,000 metres and recognised four large warships believed to be cruisers. They passed out of range and the submarine made an enemy report. | |||||||
25 Jun 1940 | 0223 | (0) Near Italian Grid 1422/3. | At 0223 hours, a destroyer was sighted. It was suspected to have located the submarine after she had sent an enemy report for the four warships sighted earlier. Aradam dived to 74 metres, then returned to 35 metres and used the Rovetto apparatus to remain motionless until the warship went away. | |||||||
25 Jun 1940 | 1748 | (0) Near Italian Grid 1422/3. | At 1748 hours, a large tanker of the MÉKONG class was sighted at a distance of 8-9,000 metres. It was then observed to be escorted by a destroyer of the AUDACIEUX class. They passed out of range. | |||||||
26 Jun 1940 | 1625 | At 1625 hours, a merchant ship was sighted, but the attack was aborted when she was recognised as Greek. | ||||||||
26 Jun 1940 | 1940 | At 1940 hours, four merchant ships, two of them Yugoslav, one Panamian and the fourth not displaying any flag but suspected to be French. The submarine proceeded to attack the latter. The attack was aborted as Ascianghi could not close the range. Shortly after, a light cruiser of the PERTH or BERTIN class was sighted at a distance of 4-5,000 metres. Again, the target passed out of range. | ||||||||
29 Jun 1940 | 1615 | At 1615 hours, a large submarine, probably Italian, was sighted at a distance of 7,000 metres moving away, steering 110° at 15-16 knots. | ||||||||
30 Jun 1940 | 0605 | (0) Near Cagliari. | At 0605 hours, the Italian torpedo-boat Vega was met and informed Ascianghi that the points of approach to Cagliari C and E were dangerous because of suspected mines. | |||||||
2 | Gelli, Ugo | 9 Jul 1940 | 0045 | Cagliari | 12 Jul 1940 | 0920 | Cagliari | 316 | Patrolled near Sardinia in 37°30'N, 09°40'E, on a barrage line with Turchese. | |
Gelli, Ugo | 28 Jul 1940 | 2015 | Cagliari | 29 Jul 1940 | 1315 | La Maddalena | 177 | Passage Cagliari-La Maddalena. | ||
3 | Gelli, Ugo | 2 Aug 1940 | 2230 | La Maddalena | 19 Aug 1940 | 0815 | La Maddalena | 1913 | Patrolled off Alboran, between Cape Quilates and Cape de Gata on parallel 36°00'N, on a barrage line with Marcello. Sighted vessels only at long range. | |
Gelli, Ugo | 5 Sep 1940 | 1345 | La Maddalena | 5 Sep 1940 | 1955 | La Maddalena | 48,5 | Trials. | ||
Gelli, Ugo | 28 Sep 1940 | 1400 | La Maddalena | 28 Sep 1940 | 1740 | La Maddalena | 14 | Trials. | ||
Gelli, Ugo | 30 Sep 1940 | 0930 | La Maddalena | 30 Sep 1940 | 1240 | La Maddalena | 8 | Trials. | ||
Gelli, Ugo | 1 Oct 1940 | 1930 | La Maddalena | 2 Oct 1940 | 1415 | Cagliari | 180 | Passage La Maddalena-Cagliari. | ||
Gelli, Ugo | 7 Oct 1940 | 2355 | Cagliari | 9 Oct 1940 | 0850 | Messina | 336 | Passage Cagliari-Messina. | ||
4 | Gelli, Ugo | 13 Oct 1940 | 0040 | Messina | 25 Oct 1940 | 1330 | Augusta | 1952 | Patrolled between meridians 25°35'E and 26°40'E, and between 32°30'N and points 20 miles and 12 miles from the coast respectively for each meridian, on a barrage line with Toti, Anfitrite, Topazio and Speri. | |
Gelli, Ugo | 5 Nov 1940 | 0700 | Augusta | 7 Nov 1940 | 1235 | La Spezia | 566 | Passage Augusta-La Spezia. | ||
Gelli, Ugo | 11 Dec 1940 | 0900 | La Spezia | 11 Dec 1940 | 1040 | La Spezia | 6 | Trials. | ||
Gelli, Ugo | 14 Dec 1940 | 0850 | La Spezia | 14 Dec 1940 | 1800 | La Spezia | 60 | Trials. | ||
Gelli, Ugo | 21 Dec 1940 | 0815 | La Spezia | 21 Dec 1940 | 1200 | La Spezia | 18 | Trials. | ||
Gelli, Ugo | 11 Jan 1941 | 1305 | La Spezia | 11 Jan 1941 | 1823 | La Spezia | 43 | Trials. | ||
Gelli, Ugo | 14 Jan 1941 | 0835 | La Spezia | 14 Jan 1941 | 1458 | La Spezia | 46,6 | Trials. | ||
Gelli, Ugo | 15 Jan 1941 | 1250 | La Spezia | 15 Jan 1941 | 1745 | La Spezia | 35 | Trials. | ||
5 | Gelli, Ugo | 2 Feb 1941 | 1920 | La Spezia | 5 Feb 1941 | 1310 | La Spezia | 426 | Patrolled in Gulf of Genoa from 43°50'N, 08°30'E, in a line 180° - 20 miles and a line 240° - 20 miles, on a barrage line with Scirè. Uneventful. | |
6 | Gelli, Ugo | 16 Feb 1941 | 2200 | La Spezia | 18 Feb 1941 | 1805 | La Spezia | 200 | Patrolled in Gulf of Genoa, between 43°20'N and between 43°50'N, and between 08°50'E and 09°00'E. Uneventful. | |
Gelli, Ugo | 28 Feb 1941 | 1115 | La Spezia | 28 Feb 1941 | 1635 | La Spezia | 46 | Tests. | ||
7 | Gelli, Ugo | 10 Mar 1941 | 2230 | La Spezia | 12 Mar 1941 | 1333 | La Spezia | 232 | Patrolled in Gulf of Genoa, from 44°12'N, 09°00'E, on a line 5 miles SW, on a barrage line with Colonna. Uneventful. | |
Gelli, Ugo | 14 Mar 1941 | 1555 | La Spezia | 16 Mar 1941 | 1415 | Messina | 488 | Passage La Spezia-Messina. | ||
8 | Gelli, Ugo | 19 Mar 1941 | 1700 | Messina | 5 Apr 1941 | 1720 | Messina | 1225 | Patrolled between Alexandria and Cape Krio, on a patrol line 20 miles SW and NE from 32°40'N, 27°20'E. | |
22 Mar 1941 | 0055 | At 0055 hours, a small vessel was sighted at a range of 3,000 metres steering 280° at fast speed. | ||||||||
26 Mar 1941 | 0230 | At 0230 hours, a vessel believed to be a destroyer was sighted at a distance of 1,000 metres.proceeding at 25 knots. Ascianghi did not have time to carry out an attack. At 1355 hours, explosions were heard very near (perhaps bombs as the hydrophones did not detect anything). | ||||||||
Gelli, Ugo | 22 Apr 1941 | 0815 | Messina | 22 Apr 1941 | 1700 | Messina | 65 | Trials with the auxiliary Castiglia. | ||
Gelli, Ugo | 24 Apr 1941 | 0935 | Messina | 24 Apr 1941 | 1745 | Messina | 47 | Trials. | ||
9 | Gelli, Ugo | 25 Apr 1941 | 2050 | Messina | 26 Apr 1941 | 1210 | Messina | 147,7 | Defensive patrol following a report of an enemy naval force from the east. Recalled very quickly. | |
Gelli, Ugo | 28 Apr 1941 | 0825 | Messina | 28 Apr 1941 | 1450 | Messina | 44 | Exercises escorted by R.D.57. | ||
10 | Pailli, Piero | 2 May 1941 | 1900 | Messina | 14 May 1941 | 1500 | Leros | 1393 | Patrolled southwest of Crete, between (1) 35°20'N, 23°00'E (2) 35°00'N, 23°00'E (3) 35°00'N, 24°00'E (4) 34°40'N, 24°00'E then off Sollum and Mersa Matruh. Uneventful. | |
Pailli, Piero | 9 Jun 1941 | 0810 | Leros | 9 Jun 1941 | 1108 | Leros | 17 | Exercises. | ||
Di Serio, Olinto | 10 Jul 1941 | 0700 | Portolago (Leros) | 10 Jul 1941 | 1235 | Portolago (Leros) | 34 | Exercises. | ||
Di Serio, Olinto | 17 Jul 1941 | 0710 | Portolago (Leros) | 17 Jul 1941 | 1710 | Portolago (Leros) | 59 | Exercises. | ||
Di Serio, Olinto | 18 Jul 1941 | 0705 | Portolago (Leros) | 18 Jul 1941 | 1648 | Portolago (Leros) | 41 | Exercises. | ||
Di Serio, Olinto | 19 Jul 1941 | 0726 | Portolago (Leros) | 19 Jul 1941 | 1725 | Portolago (Leros) | 43 | Exercises. | ||
Di Serio, Olinto | 22 Jul 1941 | 0945 | Portolago (Leros) | 22 Jul 1941 | 1150 | Portolago (Leros) | 7,7 | Exercises. | ||
Di Serio, Olinto | 23 Jul 1941 | 0710 | Portolago (Leros) | 23 Jul 1941 | 0752 | Portolago (Leros) | 4,8 | Exercises. | ||
Di Serio, Olinto | 24 Jul 1941 | 0715 | Portolago (Leros) | 24 Jul 1941 | 1735 | Portolago (Leros) | 61 | Exercises. | ||
Di Serio, Olinto | 25 Jul 1941 | 0715 | Portolago (Leros) | 25 Jul 1941 | 1747 | Portolago (Leros) | 53 | Exercises. | ||
Di Serio, Olinto | 1 Aug 1941 | 0715 | Portolago (Leros) | 1 Aug 1941 | 1715 | Portolago (Leros) | 41,5 | Exercises. | ||
Di Serio, Olinto | 2 Aug 1941 | 0700 | Portolago (Leros) | 2 Aug 1941 | 1722 | Portolago (Leros) | 46 | Exercises. | ||
Di Serio, Olinto | 6 Aug 1941 | 0650 | Portolago (Leros) | 6 Aug 1941 | 1718 | Portolago (Leros) | 42 | Exercises. | ||
Di Serio, Olinto | 9 Aug 1941 | 1350 | Portolago (Leros) | 9 Aug 1941 | 1804 | Portolago (Leros) | 26 | Exercises. | ||
Di Serio, Olinto | 16 Aug 1941 | 0640 | Portolago (Leros) | 16 Aug 1941 | 1242 | Portolago (Leros) | 29,3 | Exercises. | ||
Di Serio, Olinto | 20 Aug 1941 | 0640 | Portolago (Leros) | 20 Aug 1941 | 1125 | Portolago (Leros) | 25,5 | Exercises. | ||
11 | Di Serio, Olinto | 24 Aug 1941 | 2000 | Leros | 31 Aug 1941 | 0815 | Leros | 555 | Patrolled in the Cyclades, off Kalogeri, Cape Koraka, Karlovassi and Panormos Point. Uneventful. | |
12 | Di Serio, Olinto | 17 Sep 1941 | 0720 | Leros | 25 Sep 1941 | 0613 | Rhodes | 938 | Patrolled between 33°40'N and 34°40'N, and between 34°40'E and the Syrian coast (off Beirut) and reconnaissance of the bay of Famagusta. | |
21 Sep 1941 | 2146 2300 (e) | 33° 57'N, 35° 04'E (0) 332° - Ras Beirut - 7.8 miles. | At 2142 hours, a vessel believed to be a 12,000-ton tanker, was sighted at a distance slightly over 1,000 metres, travelling at 8 knots. At 2146 hours, a single torpedo was fired from a bow tube at a range of 700 metres. It missed narrowly ahead. Shortly after, a second torpedo was fired but the target must have seen it and altered course. It also missed. This was the Palestinian tanker Antar (385 GRT, built 1890) on passage from Beirut to Haifa. At 2152 hours, a pair of torpedoes were fired from the bow tubes. T.V. Olinto Di Serio claimed both torpedoes hit, one forward and one aft. It is surprising if they did, as surely such a small vessel would have been destroyed by them. The vessel was observed to fire three rockets, two red and one green. The crew abandoned ship in lifeboats. At 2159 hours, the submarine opened fire to finish her off. Some hits registered but, after the fifth round the gun jammed. At 2218 hours, the gun had not yet been repaired, so two torpedoes were fired from the stern tubes at a range of 400 metres. They both had erratic courses and missed the target. At 2224 hours, gunfire was resumed with 21 rounds from close range. Most of them hit and the tanker was set afire and sank at 2229 hours. At least, this was as reported by T.V. Olinto Di Serio. Despite the punishment, Antar was still afloat. There were no casualties. The fifteen survivors were reported picked up by a Lebanese fishing vessel. Later the armed trawler HMSAS Southern Isles took the hull in tow and was bombed in the process but was undamaged. However, Antar finally sank on 23 September. | |||||||
Di Serio, Olinto | 26 Sep 1941 | 1950 | Rhodes | 27 Sep 1941 | 0830 | Portolago (Leros) | 110 | Passage Rhodes-Leros. | ||
Di Serio, Olinto | 10 Oct 1941 | 0800 | Portolago (Leros) | 10 Oct 1941 | 1215 | Portolago (Leros) | 23 | Trials. | ||
Di Serio, Olinto | 17 Oct 1941 | 0750 | Portolago (Leros) | 17 Oct 1941 | 1035 | Portolago (Leros) | 23 | Trials. | ||
13 | Di Serio, Olinto | 17 Oct 1941 | 1805 | Leros | 24 Oct 1941 | 0235 | Leros | 580 | Patrolled in Scarpanto Channel from 36°40'N, 26°40'E to 35°20'N, 27°34'E. Uneventful. | |
Di Serio, Olinto | 10 Nov 1941 | 1030 | Leros | 10 Nov 1941 | 1218 | Leros | 2,5 | Trials. | ||
Di Serio, Olinto | 11 Nov 1941 | 0910 | Leros | 11 Nov 1941 | 1120 | Leros | 1,5 | Trials. | ||
14 | Di Serio, Olinto | 11 Nov 1941 | 1705 | Leros | 26 Nov 1941 | 0825 | Leros | 1464 | Patrolled in 33°20'N, 33°00'E then, after a week, in area north of 33°40'N and Bay of Morphon, mostly off Beirut and Haifa. This patrol was marred by numerous defects. | |
13 Nov 1941 | 0307 | 32° 28'N, 32° 50'E | At 0307 hours, a small fishing vessel or a patrol boat was sighted. Ascianghi turned away. | |||||||
15 | Di Serio, Olinto | 10 Dec 1941 | 0310 | Leros | 22 Dec 1941 | 1525 | Brindisi | 1418,5 | Patrolled south of Crete, between 32°50'N and 35°20'N, and between 22°50'E and 24°25'E (Grids 4456 and 9856). Returned via 36°36'N, 20°35'E and Point A from Santa Maria di Leuca. | |
14 Dec 1941 | 1408 | (0) About 100 miles north of Sidi Barrani. | At 1408 hours, information was received from MARICOSOM (1009/14) that an enemy naval force of three battleships and nine destroyers had been sighted at 96 miles NNW of Ras Haleima (Sidi Barrani), steering 315°, 22 knots. T.V. Olinto Di Serio altered course to an intercept position six miles away, which he expected the enemy would cross at 1630 hours. At 1714 hours, Ascianghi received a new signal reporting a change of course, which would put the enemy much farther south. The submarine surfaced at 1730 hours and proceed at full speed on a 225° course in the hope that the enemy might slow down. At 2200 hours she had sighted nothing. | |||||||
Di Serio, Olinto | 26 Dec 1941 | Brindisi | 26 Dec 1941 | Brindisi | While changing moorings, the cable towing the M.R. Zara snapped and the vessel collided with Ascianghi causing slight damage to the submarine. | |||||
26 Dec 1941 | 0925+ | (0) At La Spezia. | At 0925 hours, the auxiliary Zara (1,976 GRT, built 1931) had arrived at Brindisi from convoy escort duty. While being towed by tugs to her moorings, a cable snapped and she collided with the stern of Ascianghi. Only minor damages were inflicted to a hydroplane and torpedo tube no. 6. They did not affect the seaworthiness of the submarine. | |||||||
Di Serio, Olinto | 30 Dec 1941 | 1535 | Brindisi | 1 Jan 1942 | 0900 | Pola | 365 | Passage Brindisi-Pola. | ||
Di Serio, Olinto | 3 Jan 1942 | 0812 | Pola | 3 Jan 1942 | 1510 | Monfalcone | 74 | Passage Pola-Monfalcone. | ||
Resio, Mario | 6 May 1942 | 0850 | Monfalcone | 6 May 1942 | 1530 | Monfalcone | 66 | Trials. | ||
Resio, Mario | 18 May 1942 | 1020 | Monfalcone | 18 May 1942 | 1655 | Monfalcone | 55 | Trials. | ||
Bombig, Rodolfo | 22 May 1942 | 0930 | Monfalcone | 22 May 1942 | 1616 | Pola | 46 | Trials. | ||
Bombig, Rodolfo | 25 May 1942 | 0906 | Monfalcone | 25 May 1942 | 1610 | Pola | 55 | Trials. | ||
Bombig, Rodolfo | 27 May 1942 | 0835 | Monfalcone | 27 May 1942 | 1555 | Pola | 75 | Passage Monfalcone-Pola with the submarine Toti. | ||
Bombig, Rodolfo | 28 May 1942 | 1845 | Pola | 28 May 1942 | 2052 | Pola | Diving trials in harbour. | |||
Bombig, Rodolfo | 30 May 1942 | 0622 | Pola | 30 May 1942 | 2105 | Pola | 138,5 | Diving trials, escorted by the auxiliary San Giorgio. | ||
Bombig, Rodolfo | 1 Jun 1942 | 0940 | Pola | 1 Jun 1942 | 2018 | Pola | 14 | Exercises. | ||
Bombig, Rodolfo | 2 Jun 1942 | 0630 | Pola | 2 Jun 1942 | 1220 | Fiume | 68 | Passage Pola-Fiume. | ||
Bombig, Rodolfo | 3 Jun 1942 | 1000 | Fiume | 4 Jun 1942 | 0240 | Fiume | Exercises with the submarines Manara and Menotti, escorted by the torpedo boat Insidioso. | |||
Bombig, Rodolfo | 6 Jun 1942 | 0930 | Fiume | 6 Jun 1942 | 1825 | Fiume | Exercises with the submarines Bandiera and Serpente, escorted by the torpedo boat Insidioso. | |||
Bombig, Rodolfo | 7 Jun 1942 | Fiume | 7 Jun 1942 | Fiume | Exercises. | |||||
Bombig, Rodolfo | 9 Jun 1942 | 1005 | Fiume | 13 Jun 1942 | 1130 | Trapani | 883,5 | Passage Fiume-Trapani. | ||
16 | Bombig, Rodolfo | 14 Jun 1942 | 0930 | Trapani | 18 Jun 1942 | 1630 | Trapani | 494 | Sailed escorted by the torpedo boat Dezza until 1604 hours on the 14th and patrolled west of Malta, between 35°40'N and 36°00' N, and between 13°00'E and 13°20'E, to intercept a large convoy. | |
15 Jun 1942 | 1300 | 35° 47'N, 13° 06'E | At 1300 hours, a smoke was sighted on the horizon. Ascianghi attempted to close but lost sight of it. | |||||||
15 Jun 1942 | 1600 | 35° 51'N, 13° 05'E | At 1600 hours, a convoy of four merchant vessels with six destroyers were sighted (operation HARPOON). Ascianghi could not close to attack. | |||||||
16 Jun 1942 | 0915 | 35° 50'N, 13° 05'E | At 0915 hours, the wreck of a CANT Z.506 no 288-7 seaplane was sighted. Ascianghi looked for survivors without success. | |||||||
Bombig, Rodolfo | 19 Jun 1942 | 1740 | Trapani | 20 Jun 1942 | Messina | Passage Trapani-Messina. | ||||
Bombig, Rodolfo | 20 Jun 1942 | 2120 | Messina | 21 Jun 1942 | 0652 | Augusta | 303,5 | Passage Messina-Augusta. | ||
Bombig, Rodolfo | 26 Jun 1942 | 0025 | Augusta | 27 Jun 1942 | 0645 | Trapani | 303,5 | Passage Augusta-Trapani. | ||
17 | Bombig, Rodolfo | 28 Jun 1942 | 0800 | Trapani | 11 Jul 1942 | 1728 | Trapani | 1215 | Patrolled east of La Galite Island and north of Cape Blanc, between 37°20'N and 37°50'N, and between 09°20'E and 10°00'E, to intercept enemy traffic. Uneventful. Sighted only French ships. Dived twice because of unknown aircraft. | |
18 | Bombig, Rodolfo | 11 Aug 1942 | 1206 | Trapani | 17 Aug 1942 | 1736 | Trapani | 708,5 | Sailed with the submarines Dessiè and Alagi. Escorted by the auxiliary minesweeper R.D.4 until 1530 hours on the 11th. Patrolled between 37°20'N and 38°00'N, and between 10°00'E and 10°40'E, off the north coast of Tunisia. | |
12 Aug 1942 | 1940 | 37° 40'N, 10° 30'E | At 1940 hours, a convoy was sighted at 15-20,0000 metres. This was the PEDESTAL convoy. Ascianghi could not close to attack, but observed columns of smoke and explosions at long range. | |||||||
16 Aug 1942 | 0555 | At 0555 hours, the silhouette of a submarine, probably Italian, was sighted at less than 1,000 metres. Ascianghi turned away. | ||||||||
19 | Bombig, Rodolfo | 17 Aug 1942 | 2350 | Trapani | 19 Aug 1942 | 0245 | Trapani | 245 | Sailed with Alagi and Asteria, escorted by an R.D. (minesweeper) vessel until 0245 hours on the 18th, for patrol between 37°20'N and 37°50'N, and between 09°20'E and 10°20'E, and patrolled off north coast of Tunisia. Upon her return was met by escort at 2355 hours on the 18th. | |
18 Aug 1942 | 0617 | At 0617 hours, an aircraft was seen and the submarine dived. | ||||||||
18 Aug 1942 | 1154 | At 1154 hours, an aircraft was seen and the submarine dived. | ||||||||
Bombig, Rodolfo | 20 Aug 1942 | 0911 | Trapani | 20 Aug 1942 | 1930 | Trapani | 100 | Passage to Messina but then ordered back. | ||
Bombig, Rodolfo | 22 Aug 1942 | 0505 | Trapani | 23 Aug 1942 | 0645 | Messina | 247,5 | Passage Trapani-Messina. | ||
Erler, Rino | 6 Sep 1942 | 0900 | Messina | 6 Sep 1942 | 1415 | Messina | 33,5 | Exercises. | ||
Erler, Rino | 9 Sep 1942 | 0835 | Messina | 9 Sep 1942 | 1325 | Messina | 33,5 | Exercises. | ||
Erler, Rino | 14 Sep 1942 | 0750 | Messina | 14 Sep 1942 | 1305 | Messina | 36 | Exercises. | ||
Erler, Rino | 17 Sep 1942 | 0800 | Messina | 17 Sep 1942 | 1255 | Messina | 31,5 | Exercises. | ||
Erler, Rino | 19 Sep 1942 | 0800 | Messina | 19 Sep 1942 | 1305 | Messina | 31 | Exercises escorted by AS.16. | ||
Erler, Rino | 4 Oct 1942 | 1345 | Messina | 4 Oct 1942 | 1757 | Messina | 26 | Exercises and trials. | ||
Erler, Rino | 16 Oct 1942 | 0820 | Messina | 16 Oct 1942 | 1224 | Messina | 25 | Exercises and trials. | ||
Erler, Rino | 21 Oct 1942 | 0834 | Messina | 21 Oct 1942 | 1231 | Messina | 28 | Exercises and trials. | ||
Erler, Rino | 23 Oct 1942 | 1800 | Messina | 24 Oct 1942 | 1431 | Naples | 195 | Passage Messina-Naples. | ||
Erler, Rino | 27 Oct 1942 | 0000 | Naples | 27 Oct 1942 | 2145 | Messina | 197,5 | Passage Naples-Messina. | ||
20 | Erler, Rino | 1 Nov 1942 | 2135 | Messina | 4 Nov 1942 | 0940 | Tobruk | 594 | Supply mission to Tobruk (18 tons of German ammunition), escorted by the torpedo boat Abba across the Straits of Messina, until 0035 hours on 2nd November. She rescued twenty Germans whose aircraft had been shot down and landed them at Tobruk. | |
3 Nov 1942 | 0625-1200 | During the period of 0625-1200 hours, many German aircraft were seen. Ascianghi exchanged recognition signals on eight occasions during the morning. | ||||||||
3 Nov 1942 | 1330+ | (0) Off the Libyan coast. | At 1330 hours, a formation of eighteen German transport aircraft (probably Junkers 52) were observed flying to Libya. One of them suddenly began to gradually lose altitude and crashed into the sea. Ascianghi rushed in heavy seas and managed to pick up twenty German survivors, including several wounded. They were later landed at Tobruk. At 1600 hours, two Germans seaplanes were sighted, apparently looking for survivors. The submarine signalled them that she had picked them up. | |||||||
3 Nov 1942 | 1600+ | (0) Off the Libyan coast. | After 1600 hours, the submarine Zoea was encountered. She was also proceeding to Tobruk and they exchanged recognition signals. | |||||||
3 Nov 1942 | 1828 | (0) Off the Libyan coast. | At 1828 hours, a hospital ship was sighted. | |||||||
3 Nov 1942 | 1840 | (0) Off the Libyan coast. | At 1840 hours, a submarine that could not be identified was sighted. Ascianghi turned away. | |||||||
3 Nov 1942 | 2307 | (0) Off the Libyan coast. | At 2307 hours, an hospital ship was sighted. | |||||||
20b | Erler, Rino | 4 Nov 1942 | 1740 | Tobruk | 7 Nov 1942 | 1300 | Augusta | 606 | Return trip from Tobruk. At 1900 hours on the 6th, had been ordered to patrol off Pantelleria but was short on fuel. | |
6 Nov 1942 | 0510 | At 0510 hours, an hospital ship was sighted. | ||||||||
20c | Erler, Rino | 7 Nov 1942 | 1900 | Augusta | 8 Nov 1942 | 1920 | Trapani | 220 | Passage Augusta-Trapani. Uneventful. | |
20d | Erler, Rino | 9 Nov 1942 | 0217 | Trapani | 18 Nov 1942 | 0957 | Naples | 1580 | Patrolled off Bougie and Philippeville, between 37°00'N and 37°20'N, 05°55'E and 06°35'E. Then refit at Naples. | |
12 Nov 1942 | 0030 | 36° 44'N, 5° 10'E | At 0030 hours, a corvette was sighted. Ascianghi crash-dived at dropped to the bottom at a depth of 57 metres. | |||||||
12 Nov 1942 | 0800+ 0855 (e) | (e) 36° 43'N, 5° 12'E (0) Off Bougie. | At 0800 hours, Ascianghi had dived to the bottom, which this proved very muddy and, she became stuck. As efforts were being made to free the submarine by blowing the ballasts, she was sighted by the frigate HMS Spey at 0810A hours. She was also sighted at 0855 hours by the destroyer ORP Blyskawica which was oiling from the tanker Dewdale (8,265 GRT, built 1941). At 0900 hours, the Polish destroyer observed two trawlers and three sloops (one of them probably HMS Spey) depth charging the submarine and joined the hunt, dropping four depth charges at 0912 hours. At 0951 hours, ORP Blyskawica followed up with two more attacks, delivering five depth charges each time. Ascianghi reported about 100 depth-charges dropped in all but managed to escape by going down to a depth of 70-80 meters. Since the harbour and anchorage were under heavy air attacks during the day (1110-1153, 1440, 1521 hours), it is possible that the submarine mistook these for depth-charges. | |||||||
15 Nov 1942 | 0342 | 36° 45'N, 5° 11'E | At 0339 hours, Ascianghi was about 4 miles from then entrance of the harbour of Bougie, when the stern lookout spotted a dark mass. At first, it was believed it could be a submarine but then was identified as a CALEDON class cruiser with two destroyers. At 0342 hours, she fired two torpedoes from her stern tubes at a range of 3,300 metres, but it was then realised that the cruiser was proceeding at a slower speed than estimated, causing them to miss ahead. After 167 seconds, an explosion was heard, which T.V. Rino Erler assumed to be that of the torpedo having hit another vessel. Immediately after, G.M. Ansaldo drew Erler's attention to another ship in the vicinity. At 0346.5 hours, the newcomer was identified as a cruiser of the LEANDER class and two torpedoes were fired (533mm, Italian type, speed 46 knots), aimed at it, at a range of 700 metres. Both torpedoes hit, after 30 seconds with a loud explosion,followed shortly after by a third explosion, believed to have been caused by a boiler blowing up. The vessel was broken in two and sank. The "cruiser" was actually the minesweeper HMS Algerine (J213, 1,040 tons, Lieutenant Commander Wilfrid Alan Cooke, RN) ). Survivors confirmed that she was struck by two torpedoes and sank in five minutes. Nine officers and seventy-one ratings were killed or missing. Thirty-two survivors were picked up by the minesweeper HMS Cadmus. Seventeen survivors were picked up by H.M. ships HMS Alarm, HMS Hoy and HMS Mull. Four died of their wounds. | |||||||
Erler, Rino | 12 Dec 1942 | 0840 | Naples | 12 Dec 1942 | 1311 | Naples | 23 | Trials. | ||
Erler, Rino | 18 Dec 1942 | 1055 | Naples | 18 Dec 1942 | 1700 | Naples | 36 | Trials. | ||
Erler, Rino | 20 Dec 1942 | 0832 | Naples | 20 Dec 1942 | 1715 | Naples | 23 | Exercises and gyrocompass tests. | ||
Erler, Rino | 21 Dec 1942 | 1330 | Naples | 21 Dec 1942 | 1725 | Naples | 29 | Trials. | ||
Erler, Rino | 23 Dec 1942 | 0903 | Naples | 23 Dec 1942 | 1320 | Naples | 38 | Trials. | ||
Erler, Rino | 24 Dec 1942 | 0650 | Naples | 25 Dec 1942 | 0715 | Augusta | 250 | Passage Naples-Augusta. | ||
Erler, Rino | 2 Jan 1943 | 0905 | Augusta | 2 Jan 1943 | 1236 | Augusta | 21,5 | Exercises. | ||
21 | Erler, Rino | 3 Jan 1943 | 1710 | Augusta | 21 Jan 1943 | 0845 | Augusta | 1611 | Patrolled off Cyrenaica, between Ras Hilal and Derna, between 34°00'N and Libyan coast, and between 21°00'E and 21°30'E. Uneventful except for the bad weather encountered. | |
Erler, Rino | 9 Feb 1943 | 0900 | Augusta | 9 Feb 1943 | 1130 | Augusta | 14,5 | Exercises. | ||
22 | Erler, Rino | 18 Feb 1943 | 1810 | Augusta | 5 Mar 1943 | 1020 | Augusta | 1724,5 | Patrolled in Gulf of Sirte, between 31°54'N and 32°06'N, and between 15°50'E and 16°40'E. | |
22 Feb 1943 | 2300 | 32° 03'N, 16° 04'E | At 2300 hours, an escorted convoy was sighted at a distance of 5,000 metres. Ascianghi closed to about 2,000 meters and dived at 2307 hours but lost contact. | |||||||
2 Mar 1943 | 0231 | 31° 47'N, 16° 43'E | At 0227 hours, the First Officer, who was Officer of the Watch, alerted T.V. Erler that he had a destroyer and an undetermined number of merchant ships in his sights, steering 300°, 12 knots. At 0231 hours, three torpedoes (533mm) were fired from the bow tubes at a range of 800 metres aimed at the destroyer described as of the JERVIS classs. A fourth torpedo misfired. Ascianghi immediately crash-dived. After 40.5 seconds, she had reached a depth of 16 metres, when a double explosion was heard followed by a third one after 73 seconds. This led Erler to believe he had hit the destroyer with two torpedoes and a merchant ship behind with the third. Unfortunately, Allied records have not confirmed these claims. | |||||||
4 Mar 1943 | 0755 | At 0755 hours, a Blenheim bomber was sighted at a distance of 5,000 metres. Ascianghi dived. | ||||||||
Erler, Rino | 20 Mar 1943 | 1520 | Augusta | 21 Mar 1943 | 1815 | Naples | 274 | Passage Augusta-Naples for docking. | ||
Erler, Rino | 23 Mar 1943 | 1310 | Naples | 23 Mar 1943 | 1828 | Naples | 4 | Exercises. | ||
Erler, Rino | 28 Mar 1943 | 1325 | Naples | 28 Mar 1943 | 1535 | Naples | 18 | Exercises. | ||
Erler, Rino | 30 Mar 1943 | 1115 | Naples | 30 Mar 1943 | 1300 | Naples | 11 | Exercises. | ||
Erler, Rino | 4 Apr 1943 | 0400 | Naples | 5 Apr 1943 | 0850 | La Maddalena | 250,2 | Passage Naples-La Maddalena. | ||
Erler, Rino | 6 Apr 1943 | 0950 | La Maddalena | 6 Apr 1943 | 1640 | Ajaccio | 68,1 | Passage La Maddalena-Ajaccio. | ||
Erler, Rino | 26 Apr 1943 | 1430 | Ajaccio | 28 Apr 1943 | 0755 | Naples | 299 | Passage Ajaccio-Naples. | ||
Erler, Rino | 12 May 1943 | 0050 | Castellamare Di Stabia | 13 May 1943 | 0740 | Cagliari | Passage Castellamare Di Stabia-Cagliari. | |||
Erler, Rino | 14 May 1943 | 2200 | Cagliari | 16 May 1943 | 0800 | Castellamare Di Stabia | Passage Cagliari-Castellamare Di Stabia. | |||
Erler, Rino | 26 Jun 1943 | Time? | Pozzuoli | 26 Jun 1943 | Time? | Naples | 12,9 | Passage Pozzuoli-Naples. | ||
Fiorini, Mario | 11 Jul 1943 | Time? | Naples | 11 Jul 1943 | Time? | Pozzuoli? | Exercises. | |||
23 | Fiorini, Mario | 16 Jul 1943 | 1650 | Pozzuoli | 23 Jul 1943 | 1530 | Sunk | ? | Sailed for patrol southeast of Sicily in 36°50'N, 15°50'E, about 30 miles SE of Augusta. On 20th July, ordered to area between Augusta and Catania. Sunk in 37°03.5'N, 15°24'E by HMS Laforey and HMS Eclipse. Twenty-seven of her crew were picked up (including her commanding officer), twenty-three were lost. | |
23 Jul 1943 | 1500 1349Z (e) | The details of this attack are not well known as Ascianghi did not return from patrol. In the afternoon of 23rd July, the light cruiser HMS Newfoundland was torpedoed by U-407. As the stricken vessel managed to limp away to Malta, the destroyer HMS Laforey (D.19) was left behind to hunt the U-boat. At 1428B hours, HMS Laforey had carried out an attack, believed to be on a non-sub contact. At 1440 hours, she had been joined by the destroyers HMS Faulknor (D.8), HMS Inglefield, HMS Ilex, HMS Raider and HMS Eclipse for the antisubmarine sweep. At 1549B hours, two torpedo tracks were sighted by HMS Laforey and HMS Eclipse, apparently fired from about 3,500 yards. The two destroyers combed the tracks. This was Ascianghi who had fired two stern torpedoes at the destroyer, mistaking her for a cruiser. At 1550B hours, Laforey dropped a pattern of eight depth charges set from 150 to 300 feet. At 1554B hours, Eclipse dropped a pattern of eight depth charges set at 100 feet. At 1557B hours, Laforey dropped a second pattern of eight depth charges set from 350 to 550 feet. At 1608B hours, Eclipse dropped a pattern of eight depth charges set from 250 to 350 feet. At 1615B hours, Laforey dropped a third and final pattern of eight depth charges set from 150 to 385 feet. About a minute and half after this attack, Ascianghi surfaced in the wake of Laforey and was immediately engaged with gunfire by all the destroyers in the group. Laforey fired 62 4" rounds, claiming six certain hits, and 83 20mm rounds from about 800 yards. Ascianghi sank stern first at 1623 hours. Twenty-three men perished. Twenty-seven survivors (including S.T.V. Mario Fiorini) were picked up. |
138 entries. 115 total patrol entries (23 marked as war patrols) and 37 events.