Italian submarines in World War Two
Uarsciek (UR)
Uarsciek
Type | Coastal / Sea going | |
Class | Adua (23) | |
Laid down | 2 Dec 1936 | Cantieri Navale Tosi di Taranto, Taranto |
Launched | 19 Sep 1937 | |
Commissioned | 4 Dec 1937 | |
End service | ||
Stricken | ||
Loss date | 15 Dec 1942 | |
Loss position | 35° 18'N, 14° 25'E | |
History | ||
Fate | Sank in tow south of Malta in position 35°18N, 14°25'E after being depth charged and forced to surface by the British destroyer HMS Petard and the Greek destroyer Vasilissa Olga. |
Commands
Commander | Date from | Date to | Command notes |
---|---|---|---|
T.V. Carlo Zanchi | 10 Mar 1940 | ||
C.C. Mario Resio | 10 Oct 1940 | 13 Nov 1940 | |
T.V. Brunone Ghersina | 14 Nov 1940 | 31 Dec 1940 | |
T.V. Alberto Campanella | 1 Jan 1941 | 17 Jun 1941 | |
T.V. Raffaello Allegri | 17 Jun 1941 | 12 Dec 1941 | |
S.T.V. Mario Fiorini | 12 Dec 1941 | 25 Dec 1941 | |
S.T.V. Pietro Scarpellini | 25 Dec 1941 | 31 Dec 1941 | |
C.C. Raffaello Allegri | 5 Feb 1942 | 22 Jun 1942 | |
T.V. Gaetano Arezzo Della Targia | 22 Jun 1942 | 15 Dec 1942 |
Ships hit
No ships hit by this submarine.Patrols and events
Commander | Date | Time | Port | Arr. date | Arr. time | Arr. port | Miles | Description | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Zanchi, Carlo | 8 Jun 1940 | 1610 | Taranto | 21 Jun 1940 | 0637 | Gallipoli | Patrolled south of Cephalonia, within 5 miles from 38°00'N, 20°26'E and Bay of Argostoli, then refit. Only neutral vessels sighted. | ||
1b | Zanchi, Carlo | 21 Jun 1940 | 1501 | Gallipoli | 21 Jun 1940 | 1830 | Taranto | 841 | Passage Gallipoli-Taranto. | |
Zanchi, Carlo | 26 Aug 1940 | 0735 | Taranto | 26 Aug 1940 | 1525 | Taranto | 45 | Exercises. | ||
Zanchi, Carlo | 27 Aug 1940 | 1340 | Taranto | 27 Aug 1940 | 1816 | Taranto | 29 | Exercises. | ||
Zanchi, Carlo | 28 Aug 1940 | 1335 | Taranto | 28 Aug 1940 | 1914 | Taranto | 45 | Exercises. | ||
Zanchi, Carlo | 3 Sep 1940 | 1030 | Taranto | 3 Sep 1940 | 1140 | Taranto | 1 | Changed anchorage. | ||
Zanchi, Carlo | 4 Sep 1940 | 0645 | Taranto | 4 Sep 1940 | 1259 | Taranto | 26 | Exercises. | ||
Zanchi, Carlo | 5 Sep 1940 | 1525 | Taranto | 5 Sep 1940 | 1545 | Taranto | 0,3 | Changed anchorage. | ||
2 | Zanchi, Carlo | 6 Sep 1940 | 2325 | Taranto | 22 Sep 1940 | 1815 | Benghazi | 600 | Patrolled between Sidi Barrani and Mersa Matruh, between 32°20'N and Egyptian coast, and between 26°00'E and 26°40'E, on a patrol line with Ondina. Cut short because several members fell sick and one later died. Caused by mercury poisoning (first symptom at 0830 hours on the 15th). | |
7 Sep 1940 | 2050 | (0) 138° - Cape Colonne - 14 miles. | At 2050 hours, a destroyer was sighted arriving at full speed, this was the Italian destroyer Granatiere who sighted Uarsciek at a distance of 5,000 metres and mistook her for an enemy submarine of the PHOENIX or REGULUS class. The destroyer and attempted to ram the submarine after firing two salvoes from her forward guns and was joined by Bersagliere who also opened fire. The Italian warships were part of the advance screening force for the battleships Littorio, Cavour and Giulio Cesare. Uarsciek crash dived to 90 meters, while Granatiere dropped six depth-charges and the submarine had minor damages. Part of the blame was on Uarsciek who was very slow at clearing Cape Colonne, having submerged since 1300 hours. Granatiere was reported to have avoided two torpedoes fired from the submarine but, this was not the case. There was no immediate realisation of the error and the destroyers Fuciliere and Alpino were sent to hunt the submarine. | |||||||
Resio, Mario | 5 Nov 1940 | 2355 | Benghazi | 10 Nov 1940 | 1350 | Taranto | 703 | Passage Benghazi-Taranto using personnel from submarine Dagabur who had been brought by the destroyer Freccia. Uneventful. | ||
Ghersina, Brunone | 19 Nov 1940 | 1430 | Taranto | 19 Nov 1940 | 1500 | Taranto | 0,5 | Entered dock. | ||
Campanella, Alberto | 10 Jan 1941 | 0850 | Taranto | 10 Jan 1941 | 1645 | Taranto | 45,6 | Exercises. | ||
Campanella, Alberto | 13 Jan 1941 | 0855 | Taranto | 13 Jan 1941 | 1430 | Taranto | 19,75 | Exercises. | ||
Campanella, Alberto | 18 Jan 1941 | 0801 | Taranto | 18 Jan 1941 | 1550 | Taranto | 31,5 | Exercises. | ||
Campanella, Alberto | 21 Jan 1941 | 0813 | Taranto | 21 Jan 1941 | 1540 | Taranto | 33,8 | Exercises. | ||
Campanella, Alberto | 23 Jan 1941 | 0905 | Taranto | 23 Jan 1941 | 1145 | Taranto | 19 | Trials, escorted by the minesweeper R.D.24. | ||
3 | Campanella, Alberto | 23 Jan 1941 | 1705 | Taranto | 24 Jan 1941 | 2204 | Taranto | 159,5 | Hydrophone watch. Uneventful. | |
4 | Campanella, Alberto | 25 Jan 1941 | 1945 | Taranto | 26 Jan 1941 | 1710 | Taranto | 116,6 | Hydrophone watch. Uneventful, except for sinking a derelict mine. | |
Campanella, Alberto | 27 Jan 1941 | 0710 | Taranto | 27 Jan 1941 | 1301 | Taranto | 28,9 | Exercises. | ||
5 | Campanella, Alberto | 31 Jan 1941 | 0700 | Taranto | 12 Feb 1941 | 1400 | Taranto | 873 | Patrolled south of Otranto Straits within 10 miles from 38°40'N, 19°40'E. Uneventful. | |
Campanella, Alberto | 28 Feb 1941 | 0930 | Taranto | 28 Feb 1941 | 1004 | Taranto | 0,5 | Entered dock. | ||
Campanella, Alberto | 3 Mar 1941 | 1030 | Taranto | 3 Mar 1941 | 1130 | Taranto | 0,3 | Entered dock. | ||
Campanella, Alberto | 5 Mar 1941 | 0820 | Taranto | 5 Mar 1941 | 1220 | Taranto | 23 | Exercises escorted by the minesweeper R.D.30. | ||
6 | Campanella, Alberto | 6 Mar 1941 | 1057 | Taranto | 18 Mar 1941 | 1225 | Taranto | 927 | Patrolled south of Otranto Straits within 10 miles from 38°40'N, 19°40'E. Uneventful. | |
Campanella, Alberto | 25 Mar 1941 | 0930 | Taranto | 25 Mar 1941 | 1000 | Taranto | 0,5 | Entered dock. | ||
Campanella, Alberto | 4 Apr 1941 | 1015 | Taranto | 4 Apr 1941 | 1540 | Taranto | 34 | Exercises with the tug Littoria. | ||
Campanella, Alberto | 9 Apr 1941 | 0930 | Taranto | 9 Apr 1941 | 1600 | Taranto | 35,8 | Exercises. | ||
Campanella, Alberto | 15 Apr 1941 | 0804 | Taranto | 15 Apr 1941 | 1600 | Taranto | 42,9 | Exercises, escorted by the pilot vessel Limbara. | ||
Campanella, Alberto | 19 Apr 1941 | 0704 | Taranto | 19 Apr 1941 | 0808 | Taranto | 1,5 | Exercises? | ||
Campanella, Alberto | 20 Apr 1941 | 0810 | Taranto | 20 Apr 1941 | 1355 | Taranto | 28,8 | Exercises escorted by the fishing vessel Sparviero. | ||
7 | Campanella, Alberto | 21 Apr 1941 | 1230 | Taranto | 30 Apr 1941 | 1130 | Taranto | 870 | Patrolled south of Otranto Straits between 39°00'N and 39°40'N, and between 19°10'E and 19°50'E. Uneventful. | |
Campanella, Alberto | 12 May 1941 | 0845 | Taranto | 12 May 1941 | Time? | Taranto | 27,8 | Exercises with the submarine Menotti. | ||
8 | Campanella, Alberto | 13 May 1941 | 2255 | Taranto | 30 May 1941 | 1800 | Taranto | 1933 | Patrolled off Egyptian coast, between 31°40'N and 32°10'N, and between 26°20'E and 27°00'E, between Sidi Barrani and Mersa Matruh. Sighted fishing vessels twice and may have been hunted by one of them on 22nd May. | |
21 May 1941 | 0800-1940 | (0) Near Mersa Matruh? | At 0450 hours, the hydrophones picked up the sounds of three vessels. At 0800 hours, the noises intensified and until 1940 hours, Uarsciek was subjected to prolonged depth-charging, but escaped. | |||||||
22 May 1941 | 1000-1100 | (0) Near Mersa Matruh? | At 0430 hours, a vessel was detected with the hydrophones. From 1000 to 1100 hours, Uarsciek was depth-charged by the vessel but managed to escape. She was again depth-charged very closely at 1600 hours, and the A/S hunt went on until 0010 hours on the 23rd. At 0040 hours, the submarine surfaced after having spent 20 hours and 30 minutes submerged. | |||||||
23 May 1941 | 0530-1800 | (0) Near Mersa Matruh? | From 0530 to 1800 hours, the submarine was hunted and heard 40 depth charge explosions. | |||||||
Allegri, Raffaello | 17 Jun 1941 | 0530 | Taranto | 17 Jun 1941 | Time? | Leros | 31 | Exercises, escorted by the pilot vessel Limbara. | ||
9 | Allegri, Raffaello | 18 Jun 1941 | 1525 | Taranto | 4 Jul 1941 | 1430 | Leros | 1738 | Sailed for patrol through 34°40'N, 22°20'E and 33°20'N, 25°10'E and patrolled between 32°40'N and 32°54'N, 25°00'E and 25°20'E (or 31°45'N and Egyptian coast, 27°00'E and 27°20'E) off Mersa Matruh. | |
24 Jun 1941 | 0313 | (0) North of Mersa Matruh. | At 0313 hours, a dark vessel was sighted. The attack was aborted as the vessel may have been an Italian submarine. | |||||||
29 Jun 1941 | 1445 | (0) Off Marsa Matruh. | At 1445 hours, two vessels were sighted at a distance of 10,000 metres. It was believed they might be a cruiser and a steamer apparently waiting for other ships. The attack was aborted as the submarine could not close the range. These were probably the sloop HMS Flamingo, the gunboat HMS Cricket and the armed whaler HMSAS Southern Isles about to escort the Greek steamers Antiklia (1,014 GRT, built 1892) and Miranda (278 GRT, built 1919) from Mersa Matruh to Tobruk. | |||||||
1 Jul 1941 | 1445 | (0) Off Marsa Matruh. | At 1445 hours, two cruisers of the DANAE class were sighted at 10,000 metres. The submarine could not close to less than 8,000 meters. | |||||||
10 | Allegri, Raffaello | 22 Jul 1941 | 2230 | Leros | 1 Aug 1941 | 0002 | Taranto | 1242 | Patrolled north of Ras Haleima (31°38'N, 25°54'E) from 25-29.7.41, between 31°40'N and 32°20'N, and between 26°00'E and 26°20'E. | |
28 Jul 1941 | 1725 | 31° 38'N, 25° 54'E (0) Approximately. | At 1725 hours, the noises of a vessel were picked up with the hydrophones. The submarine came to periscope depth and observed a destroyer at a distance of 13,000 metres. It passed out of range. | |||||||
29 Jul 1941 | 1630 1706 or 1406 GMT (e) | At 1630 hours, an enemy twin-engine bomber was sighted and attacked from the stern flying at a height of 500 metres. Uarsciek opened fire with her machine-guns. The aircraft dropped four bombs which fell 150 metres astern. After about 15 minutes , the aircraft flew away. This was Blenheim 'Y' (Z.6445) of 203 Squadron piloted by Flying Officer Coates. It had sighted a submarine flying the Italian flag, steering 320° at 12 knots. The aircraft dived from 1,400 feet and dropped four 250lb SAP bombs. The submarine made an evasive turn and the nearest bomb fell 30 yards astern. | ||||||||
29 Jul 1941 | 1745 1845 (e) | At 1745 hours, a three-engine (sic) Bristol Blenheim bomber was sighted flying toward the submarine. Uarsciek opened accurate fire with her machine-guns, which kept the aircraft at bay for 30 minutes. As the submarine submerged, the aircraft dived to the attack and was seen to drop two groups of three bombs, which fell about 200 metres ahead. This was Blenheim 'N' (Z.6431) of 203 Squadron piloted by Sergeant E. Langston. The aircraft must have suffered some damage as the undercarriage collapsed when it landed at the Mersa Matruh airstrip. The crew was uninjured, but the aircraft was written off. | ||||||||
Allegri, Raffaello | 6 Sep 1941 | 0835 | Taranto | 6 Sep 1941 | 1456 | Taranto | 35 | Exercises. | ||
Allegri, Raffaello | 10 Sep 1941 | 1325 | Taranto | 10 Sep 1941 | 1820 | Taranto | 28,5 | Exercises with the torpedo boat Prestinari. | ||
Allegri, Raffaello | 13 Sep 1941 | 0823 | Taranto | 13 Sep 1941 | 1627 | Taranto | 51,8 | Exercises, escorted by MAS 4/D. | ||
Allegri, Raffaello | 15 Sep 1941 | 0820 | Taranto | 15 Sep 1941 | 1654 | Taranto | 41,5 | Exercises, escorted by MAS 4/D. | ||
Allegri, Raffaello | 24 Sep 1941 | 0600 | Taranto | 24 Sep 1941 | 1410 | Taranto | 21,8 | Exercises with the torpedo boat Altair. | ||
Allegri, Raffaello | 29 Sep 1941 | 0800 | Taranto | 29 Sep 1941 | 1420 | Taranto | 34,2 | Exercises with the torpedo boat Aretusa. | ||
Allegri, Raffaello | 5 Oct 1941 | 0740 | Taranto | 6 Oct 1941 | 1515 | Taranto | 43,1 | Exercises, escorted by MAS 3/D and R.1440. | ||
Allegri, Raffaello | 18 Oct 1941 | 0942 | Taranto | 18 Oct 1941 | 1720 | Taranto | 27,8 | Exercises with the submarine Menotti, escorted by MAS 3/D. | ||
11 | Allegri, Raffaello | 19 Oct 1941 | 2055 | Taranto | 1 Nov 1941 | 1415 | Taranto | 1533 | Patrolled 30 miles north of Ras Amer [32°56'N, 21°42'E]. Uneventful. Heard only H.E. Returned via 33°38'N, 21°40'E. | |
Allegri, Raffaello | 9 Nov 1941 | 0748 | Taranto | 11 Nov 1941 | 1139 | Pola | 565 | Passage Taranto-Pola. | ||
Fiorini, Mario | 12 Dec 1941 | Pola | 25 Dec 1941 | Pola | Refit at Pola. | |||||
Scarpellini, Pietro | 25 Dec 1941 | Pola | 31 Dec 1941 | Pola | Refit at Pola. | |||||
Allegri, Raffaello | 27 Feb 1942 | 0825 | Pola | 27 Feb 1942 | 1600 | Pola | 35 | Exercises. | ||
Allegri, Raffaello | 3 Mar 1942 | 0805 | Pola | 3 Mar 1942 | 1610 | Pola | 9 | Exercises. | ||
Allegri, Raffaello | 5 Mar 1942 | 1240 | Pola | 5 Mar 1942 | 1850 | Pola | 39 | Exercises. | ||
Allegri, Raffaello | 7 Mar 1942 | 0906 | Pola | 7 Mar 1942 | 1050 | Pola | 6 | Exercises. | ||
Allegri, Raffaello | 8 Mar 1942 | 0330 | Pola | 10 Mar 1942 | 1620 | Messina | 634 | Passage Pola-Messina. | ||
8 Mar 1942 | 1515 | At 1515 hours, a derelict mine was sighted and sunk by machine-gun fire. | ||||||||
12 | Allegri, Raffaello | 11 Mar 1942 | 0040 | Messina | 13 Mar 1942 | 0939 | Messina | 382,8 | Patrolled east of Malta, between 35°20' and 35°40'N, and between 16°20'E and 17°00'E. Uneventful. | |
Allegri, Raffaello | 25 Mar 1942 | 0855 | Messina | 25 Mar 1942 | 1150 | Messina | 17,6 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Marras. | ||
Allegri, Raffaello | 26 Mar 1942 | 1408 | Messina | 26 Mar 1942 | 1715 | Messina | 22,8 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Marras. | ||
Allegri, Raffaello | 29 Mar 1942 | 1355 | Messina | 29 Mar 1942 | 1655 | Messina | 17,8 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliaries Marzano and Marras. | ||
13 | Allegri, Raffaello | 6 Apr 1942 | 1945 | Messina | 24 Apr 1942 | 0650 | Messina | 1970 | Patrolled north of Cyrenaica, between 33°55'N and 34°05'N, and between 22°50'E and 23°50'E. Uneventful. | |
9 Apr 1942 | 1308 | At 1308 hours, four aircraft were sighted and the submarine dived. | ||||||||
10 Apr 1942 | 1341 | At 1341 hours, five aircraft were sighted and the submarine dived. | ||||||||
11 Apr 1942 | 1355 | At 1355 hours, five aircraft were sighted and the submarine dived. | ||||||||
Allegri, Raffaello | 8 May 1942 | 0400 | Messina | 9 May 1942 | 1710 | Cagliari | 375 | Exercises, escorted by the torpedo boat Dezza, then proceeded to Cagliari. | ||
14 | Allegri, Raffaello | 10 May 1942 | 2020 | Cagliari | 26 May 1942 | 0810 | Cagliari | 1558 | Patrolled north of Tunisia, between 37°20'N and 38°00'N, and between 09°20'E and 09°40'E. From 14 May, between 37°20'N and 38°00'N, and between 06°20'E and 06°40'E. From 17 May, between 37°20'N and 37°45'N, and between 09°00'E and 09°40'E. Uneventful. Heard only H.E. and distant explosions. | |
Allegri, Raffaello | 12 Jun 1942 | 0813 | Cagliari | 12 Jun 1942 | 1013 | Cagliari | 15 | Exercises. | ||
15 | Allegri, Raffaello | 12 Jun 1942 | 1530 | Cagliari | 17 Jun 1942 | 2145 | Cagliari | 585 | Patrolled with the submarines Bronzo, Giada, Otaria and Acciaio in Grid 4025 (38°10'N, 05°10'E), between 38°00'N and 38°20'N, and between 05°20'E and 05°40'E to intercept enemy convoy to Malta. On 14th June, ordered to Grid 9054, between 37°20'N and 37°40'N, and between 06°00'E and 06°20'E. | |
14 Jun 1942 | 0152 0255 (e) | 38° 02'N, 5° 06'E | At 0140 hours, Uarsciek was proceeding on the surface when a shadow was sighted on the starboard bow. The submarine closed to 3,000 metres on her diesels before switching to the electric motors to avoid being seen. This was the enemy convoy. At 0152 hours, the range had closed to 2,500 metres when two larger vessels were seen and, though the outline could not be determined with certainty, C.C. Raffaelo Allegri guessed they were aircraft carriers. Two torpedoes (533mm) were fired from the bow tubes. A third misfired, so he ordered the firing of a fourth torpedo (450mm, W.200 type). The submarine remained on the surface so results could be observed. About 90 seconds later, a destroyer was seen approaching so Uarsciek crash-dived. The submarine had reached a depth of 35 metres when a loud explosion was heard 135 seconds after the first torpedo was fired and another 15 seconds later. Expecting a depth charging to follow, Uarsciek was taken down to 120 metres. The targets were the aircraft carriers HMS Eagle and HMS Argus (operation HARPOON). They were missed. They reported underwater explosions at 0255 hours but it is not clear if these were related to this attack. | |||||||
15 Jun 1942 | 0845 | 37° 16'N, 6° 16'E | At 0845 hours, an enemy naval force including an aircraft carrier, a battleship, several cruisers and destroyers was sighted. These were probably the aircraft carriers HMS Eagle and HMS Argus, the battleship HMS Malaya, the light cruisers HMS Kenya, HMS Liverpool and HMS Charybdis and escorting destroyers (operation HARPOON). The submarine could not close but, at 0935 hours, sighted an enemy destroyer and attempted, in vain, to close to attack. At 1015 hours, Uarsciek surfaced and made an enemy report only to be forced down by an aircraft at 1018 hours. | |||||||
Allegri, Raffaello | 19 Jun 1942 | 0801 | Cagliari | 19 Jun 1942 | 1515 | Cagliari | 27 | Exercises. | ||
16 | Arezzo Della Targia, Gaetano | 23 Jun 1942 | 0600 | Cagliari | 24 Jun 1942 | 0715 | Cagliari | 209 | Sailed to form a patrol line with Velella, Malachite and Giada off Cape Blanc, between 37°20'N and 37°50'N, and between 09°20'E and 09°40'E, but then recalled at 2010 hours on the 23rd. | |
Arezzo Della Targia, Gaetano | 1 Jul 1942 | 1600 | Cagliari | 2 Jul 1942 | 1110 | La Maddalena | 200 | Passage Cagliari-La Maddalena. | ||
Arezzo Della Targia, Gaetano | 25 Jul 1942 | 0728 | La Maddalena | 25 Jul 1942 | 1312 | La Maddalena | 44 | Exercises. | ||
17 | Arezzo Della Targia, Gaetano | 4 Aug 1942 | 0404 | La Maddalena | 17 Aug 1942 | 0818 | La Maddalena | 889 | Sailed with Giada for a patrol north-west of Cape Caxine, between 37°40'N and 38°00'N, and between 01°40'E and 02°00'E. | |
11 Aug 1942 | 0442 0431 (e) | 37° 52'N, 1° 48'E | At 0340 hours, the hydrophones picked up vessel noises to the west. The submarine surfaced at 0400 hours and proceeded toward them in low visibility. At 0438 hours, a shadow was sighted and soon recognised as an aircraft carrier of the SARATOGA class (but later believed to have been perhaps HMS Furious) steering 090° at 16 knots on opposite course. At 0442 hours, three torpedoes (533mm) were fired from the bow tubes at a range of 1,000 metres. However the phosphorescence of the tracks must have been observed and T.V. Gaetano Arezzo Della Targia decided to dive before firing the fourth torpedo (450mm). He had barely slid down to the control room when two loud explosions were heard about 50 seconds after firing. At 0447 hours, the first depth charges exploded, followed by several more. The targets were vessels of Force "R": Fleet oil tankers Brown Ranger (3,417 GRT, built 1941) and Dingledale (8,145 GRT, built 1941) with the tugs HMS Jaunty and HMS Salvonia screened by the corvettes HMS Jonquil, HMS Coltsfoot, HMS Geranium and HMS Spiraea (operation PEDESTAL). All the torpedoes missed. HMS Coltsfoot, screening force "R", reported two torpedoes breaking surface and dropped five depth charges at 0447 hours. This was followed by three patterns of five, five and ten depth-charges. | |||||||
13 Aug 1942 | 0605 | 37° 14'N, 0° 31'E | At 0605 hours, the submarine submerged and in the next hours heard several explosions, some distant and some quite near, attributed to aircraft bombs. | |||||||
Arezzo Della Targia, Gaetano | 2 Sep 1942 | 2050 | La Maddalena | 4 Sep 1942 | 0900 | Messina | 368 | Passage La Maddalena-Messina. Slightly damaged while docking upon arrival. | ||
3 Sep 1942 | 1030 | 40° 17'N, 12° 02'E | At 1030 hours, two German sumarines were sighted on opposite course (probably U-565 and U-83 on passage from Messina to La Spezia). | |||||||
Arezzo Della Targia, Gaetano | 15 Sep 1942 | 1105 | Messina | 15 Sep 1942 | 1340 | Messina | 12,6 | Trials, escorted by AS.45. | ||
Arezzo Della Targia, Gaetano | 16 Sep 1942 | 0907 | Messina | 16 Sep 1942 | 1130 | Messina | 13 | Trials. | ||
Arezzo Della Targia, Gaetano | 5 Oct 1942 | 0830 | Messina | 5 Oct 1942 | 1209 | Messina | 24 | Exercises. | ||
Arezzo Della Targia, Gaetano | 17 Oct 1942 | 0843 | Messina | 17 Oct 1942 | 1134 | Messina | 16 | Exercises. | ||
Arezzo Della Targia, Gaetano | 22 Oct 1942 | 0842 | Messina | 22 Oct 1942 | 1142 | Messina | 1 | Exercises. | ||
18 | Arezzo Della Targia, Gaetano | 31 Oct 1942 | 1833 | Messina | 4 Nov 1942 | 1310 | Tobruk | Transport mission to Tobruk (19 tons of ammunition). | ||
2 Nov 1942 | 0808 | 35° 18'N, 21° 54'E | At 0808 hours, an aircraft was seen and the submarine dived. Numerous Italian aircraft were also seen during the forenoon. | |||||||
2 Nov 1942 | 1252 | 34° 54'N, 22° 31'E | At 1252 hours, three aircraft were seen and the submarine dived. | |||||||
3 Nov 1942 | 0124 | 33° 11'N, 23° 31'E | At 0124 hours, an Axis barge convoy was seen. Uarsciek turned away. | |||||||
18b | Arezzo Della Targia, Gaetano | 4 Nov 1942 | 1830 | Tobruk | 9 Nov 1942 | 0134 | Tripoli | Return trip. Ordered to intercept an enemy convoy, but developed engine defects and had to be diverted to Tripoli. | ||
5 Nov 1942 | 0530 | 32° 34'N, 23° 28'E | At 0530 hours, a vessel initially believed to be a submarine was sighted. Since an enemy submarine had been reported in the area, Uarsciek investigated it but discovered that it was actually a minesweeper. | |||||||
6 Nov 1942 | 0915 | 34° 22'N, 21° 23'E | At 0915 hours, an aircraft was seen and the submarine dived. She later sighted several aircraft, a convoy and sailing vessels. | |||||||
6 Nov 1942 | 1317 | 34° 56'N, 20° 58'E | At 1317 hours, a German aircraft was seen and exchanged recognition signals. At 1815 hours, the submarine was informed of the passage of an enemy convoy and proceeded to intercept, but engine defects forced her to be diverted to Tripoli for repairs. | |||||||
7 Nov 1942 | 1445 | 34° 44'N, 16° 28'E | At 1445 hours, an aircraft was seen and the submarine dived. | |||||||
18c | Arezzo Della Targia, Gaetano | 14 Nov 1942 | 1300 | Tripoli | 16 Nov 1942 | 1434 | Messina | 1906 | Passage Tripoli-Messina. | |
15 Nov 1942 | 1351 | 34° 59'N, 16° 20'E | At 1351 hours, two aircraft were seen and the submarine dived. | |||||||
Arezzo Della Targia, Gaetano | 30 Nov 1942 | 1430 | Messina | 30 Nov 1942 | 1830 | Messina | 27 | Trials. | ||
Arezzo Della Targia, Gaetano | 1 Dec 1942 | 1700 | Messina | 2 Dec 1942 | 1207 | Naples | 195 | Passage Messina-Naples, transporting four G7e torpedoes. | ||
Arezzo Della Targia, Gaetano | 8 Dec 1942 | 1700 | Naples | 9 Dec 1942 | 1904 | Augusta | 255 | Passage Naples-Augusta. | ||
19 | Arezzo Della Targia, Gaetano | 11 Dec 1942 | 1725 | Augusta | 15 Dec 1942 | 1133 | Sunk | Sailed for patrol between 35°00'N and 35°20'N, and between 14°30'E and 14°50'E (or 35°00'N and 35°10'N, 14°20'E and 14°40'E) via 37°00'N, 15°40'E, this was to cover, with Topazio, the passage of convoy Foscolo escorted by the destroyer Freccia. Sunk south of Malta by the destroyers HMS Petard and RHS Vasilissa Olga. Two officers and fifteen ratings were killed, thirty were rescued. | ||
15 Dec 1942 | 0305 (e) | (e) 35° 08'N, 14° 22'E | At 0305 hours, Lieutenant Dunbar Nasmith, Officer of the Watch of the destroyer HMS Petard, sighted a vessel at 3,000 yards on the port bow. This was soon recognised to be a surfaced submarine. As there was a possibility that the British submarine HMS P 35 was in the area, a challenge was made. The submarine did not reply and dived. The destroyer turned to the attack and dropped a single depth charge. This was Uarsciek and she fired her two stern torpedoes at the destroyer. The depth charge explosion was mistaken for a torpedo hit. The British destroyer was soon joined in the hunt by the Hellenic destroyer RHS Vasilissa Olga (aka Queen Olga) who dropped a pattern of six depth charges. The submarine was seen to break surface on the port bow of HMS Petard and she opened fire with her 4.7" guns. In a short span of time, ten rounds were fired of which four were direct hits. The submarine crew was observed to abandon ship and the British destroyer tried to come alongside but she came too fast and collided with Uarsciek. During this time, the smaller weapons were raking the unfortunate submarine, killing a number of men. A whaler was lowered and Lieutenant Nasmith managed to board the submarine and recover a number of books (among them the SM45S Codice Operativo Sommergibili and Meteo Marina Code S.M.502S Allegato no.5). An attempt was made to take the U-boat in tow and bring her to Malta but, at 1133 hours, she sank rapidly in 35°18'N, 14°25'E. T.V. Gaetano Arezzo Della Targia, another officer and fifteen ratings were killed. Thirty men were rescued. |
95 entries. 80 total patrol entries (19 marked as war patrols) and 28 events.