Italian submarines in World War Two
Tricheco (TR)
Tricheco
Type | Ocean going | |
Class | Squalo (6) | |
Laid down | 10 Nov 1928 | Cantiere Navale Triestino, Monfalcone |
Launched | 11 Sep 1930 | |
Commissioned | 25 Jun 1931 | |
End service | ||
Stricken | ||
Loss date | 18 Mar 1942 | |
Loss position | 40° 42'N, 17° 57'E | |
History | ||
Fate | Torpedoed and sunk in the Adriatic, north of Brindisi, in position 40°42'N, 17°57'E by the British submarine HMS Upholder. |
Commands
Commander | Date from | Date to | Command notes |
---|---|---|---|
C.C. Alberto Avogadro di Cerrione | 5 Jan 1940 | 14 Nov 1940 | |
C.C. Giuseppe Aicardi | 14 Nov 1940 | 28 Dec 1940 | |
S.T.V. Francesco Agostini | 31 Dec 1940 | 21 Mar 1941 | |
T.V. Carlo Gandolfo | 21 Mar 1941 | 15 Nov 1941 | |
T.V. Alberto Campanella | 16 Nov 1941 | 31 Dec 1941 | |
S.T.V. Ermanno Tonti | 1 Jan 1942 | 14 Jan 1942 | |
C.C. Alberto Avogadro di Cerrione | 15 Jan 1942 | 25 Jan 1942 | |
S.T.V. Ermanno Tonti | 26 Jan 1942 | 31 Jan 1942 | |
C.C. Giovanni Cunsolo | 1 Feb 1942 | 18 Mar 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 | Avogadro di Cerrione, Alberto | 9 Jun 1940 | 1130 | Leros | 14 Jun 1940 | 0815 | Leros | 421 | Patrolled within 10 miles from 075° - Punta Castello (Scarpanto) - 18 miles. Uneventful. | |
2 | Avogadro di Cerrione, Alberto | 18 Jun 1940 | 1435 | Leros | 24 Jun 1940 | 1415 | Leros | 464,5 | Patrolled off north coast of Crete in 35°40'N, 24°50'E. | |
3 | Avogadro di Cerrione, Alberto | 3 Jul 1940 | 1950 | Leros | 16 Jul 1940 | 0630 | Leros | 1224 | Patrolled on Alexandria-Crete route in 32°54'N, 28°28'E on a line with Beilul and Velella. | |
4 | Avogadro di Cerrione, Alberto | 5 Aug 1940 | 2055 | Leros | 17 Aug 1940 | 0520 | Leros | 853 | Patrolled in Doro Channel. Sighted only neutral vessels. | |
5 | Avogadro di Cerrione, Alberto | 30 Sep 1940 | 1600 | Leros | 8 Oct 1940 | 1530 | Leros | 959 | Patrolled south of Kaso Straits for Operation C.V. (reinforcements for the Dodecanese). | |
7 Oct 1940 | 1800 | (0) Kaso Straits | During dinner, there was a fight between two ratings and one was severely injured. C.C. Alberto Avogrado di Cerrione Trotti Bentivoglio decided to abort patrol and return to base. | |||||||
8 Oct 1940 | 0121 | 35° 30'N, 27° 18'E | An unknown submarine was sighted and Tricheco fired two torpedoes from her bow tubes in quick succession at a distance of just 600 metres. The first missed but the second was a direct hit. Unfortunately the target was the submarine Gemma who was returning from patrol and C.C. Avogrado Di Cerione was unaware of her presence. Of her crew, none survived, five officer and forty ratings perished. | |||||||
Avogadro di Cerrione, Alberto | 22 Oct 1940 | 0805 | Leros | 22 Oct 1940 | 1202 | Leros | 27 | Exercises. | ||
Avogadro di Cerrione, Alberto | 26 Oct 1940 | 0955 | Leros | 26 Oct 1940 | 1210 | Leros | 6 | Exercises. | ||
Avogadro di Cerrione, Alberto | 27 Oct 1940 | 0740 | Leros | 27 Oct 1940 | 0930 | Leros | 4,5 | Exercises. | ||
6 | Avogadro di Cerrione, Alberto | 27 Oct 1940 | 1145 | Leros | 7 Nov 1940 | 0748 | Leros | 1176 | Patrolled between 32°20'N and 33°00'N, and between 27°00'E and 28°00'E. Uneventful, heard only distant explosions. | |
Aicardi, Giuseppe | 16 Nov 1940 | 0928 | Leros | 16 Nov 1940 | 1118 | Leros | 8 | Exercises. | ||
Aicardi, Giuseppe | 18 Nov 1940 | 2200 | Leros | 20 Nov 1940 | 2200 | Leros | 143 | Sailed for Taranto, returned because of defects. | ||
Aicardi, Giuseppe | 22 Nov 1940 | 1614 | Leros | 22 Nov 1940 | 1730 | Leros | 6 | Exercises. | ||
7 | Aicardi, Giuseppe | 28 Nov 1940 | 0923 | Leros | 3 Dec 1940 | 0830 | Naples | 885 | Passage Leros-Naples for repairs. Uneventful. British Intelligence had been informed that an Italian submarine was to leave the Aegean on 27th November 1940 for Italy via 36°00'N, 21°08'E and another would follow. Then refit in Naples. | |
Agostini, Francesco | 31 Dec 1940 | Naples | 21 Mar 1941 | Naples | Refit in Naples. Change in command. | |||||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 23 Mar 1941 | 0935 | Naples | 23 Mar 1941 | 1745 | Naples | 29 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 26 Mar 1941 | 1352 | Naples | 26 Mar 1941 | 1747 | Naples | 32 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 29 Mar 1941 | 0910 | Naples | 29 Mar 1941 | 1945 | Naples | 70 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 5 Apr 1941 | 0846 | Naples | 5 Apr 1941 | 1545 | Naples | 69 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 7 Apr 1941 | 0855 | Naples | 7 Apr 1941 | 1700 | Naples | 41 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 10 Apr 1941 | 0720 | Naples | 10 Apr 1941 | 1800 | Naples | 62,5 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 12 Apr 1941 | 0810 | Naples | 12 Apr 1941 | 1610 | Naples | 44 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 14 Apr 1941 | 0825 | Naples | 14 Apr 1941 | 1500 | Naples | 31,5 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 19 Apr 1941 | 0820 | Naples | 19 Apr 1941 | 1550 | Naples | 46,5 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 21 Apr 1941 | 1045 | Naples | 21 Apr 1941 | 1720 | Naples | 40 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 23 Apr 1941 | 1213 | Naples | 23 Apr 1941 | 1848 | Naples | 45 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 26 Apr 1941 | 0816 | Naples | 26 Apr 1941 | 1240 | Naples | 35 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 28 Apr 1941 | 1215 | Naples | 30 Apr 1941 | 0848 | Taranto | 488 | Passage Naples-Taranto. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 6 May 1941 | 0735 | Taranto | 6 May 1941 | 1715 | Taranto | 75 | Exercises. | ||
8 | Gandolfo, Carlo | 7 May 1941 | 2110 | Taranto | 8 May 1941 | 1000 | Taranto | 93 | Defensive patrol (hydrophone watch) in Gulf of Taranto. Uneventful. | |
Gandolfo, Carlo | 9 May 1941 | 1032 | Taranto | 10 May 1941 | 1450 | Augusta | 317,5 | Passage Augusta-Taranto. | ||
9 | Gandolfo, Carlo | 13 May 1941 | 2130 | Augusta | 29 May 1941 | 0816 | Messina | 1576 | Patrolled north of Sollum between 31°50'N and 32°20'N, and between 25°20'E and 26°00'E. Uneventful except for H.E. | |
Gandolfo, Carlo | 22 Jun 1941 | 0820 | Messina | 22 Jun 1941 | 1210 | Messina | 26 | Trials escorted by MAS 524 and Castiglia. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 28 Jun 1941 | 0820 | Messina | 28 Jun 1941 | 1540 | Messina | 40,5 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 9 Jul 1941 | 0800 | Messina | 9 Jul 1941 | 0900 | Messina | 6 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 11 Jul 1941 | 1240 | Messina | 11 Jul 1941 | 1750 | Messina | 38 | Exercises | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 15 Jul 1941 | 0805 | Messina | 15 Jul 1941 | 1600 | Messina | 158,5 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 28 Jul 1941 | 0845 | Messina | 28 Jul 1941 | 1235 | Messina | 18 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 6 Aug 1941 | 1050 | Messina | 6 Aug 1941 | 1723 | Messina | 43 | Exercises escorted by the auxiliary Castiglia. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 7 Aug 1941 | 0843 | Messina | 7 Aug 1941 | 1840 | Messina | 61 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Castiglia. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 8 Aug 1941 | 0910 | Messina | 8 Aug 1941 | 1638 | Messina | 44,5 | Exercises. | ||
10 | Gandolfo, Carlo | 13 Aug 1941 | 1218 | Messina | 15 Aug 1941 | 1248 | Messina | 353,1 | Patrolled east of Malta, within 10 miles from 35°46'N, 16°04'E on the meridian. Uneventful. | |
Gandolfo, Carlo | 19 Aug 1941 | 0830 | Messina | 19 Aug 1941 | 1805 | Messina | 59 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 20 Aug 1941 | 0705 | Messina | 20 Aug 1941 | 1720 | Messina | 60 | Exercises. | ||
11 | Gandolfo, Carlo | 23 Aug 1941 | 0748 | Messina | 27 Aug 1941 | 1834 | Messina | 628,9 | Patrolled between Pantelleria and Malta, within 10 miles from 36°46'N, 12°52'E on a SE-NW axis. Uneventful. | |
Gandolfo, Carlo | 2 Sep 1941 | 0900 | Messina | 2 Sep 1941 | 1100 | Messina | 18 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 19 Sep 1941 | 0809 | Messina | 19 Sep 1941 | 1545 | Messina | 55 | Exercises escorted by the auxiliary Marzano. | ||
12 | Gandolfo, Carlo | 22 Sep 1941 | 2215 | Messina | 7 Oct 1941 | 1900 | Augusta | 1713 | Patrolled 60 miles north of Ras Amer. No ship sighted during this patrol. | |
7 Oct 1941 | 0855 0700 (e) | 36° 45'N, 15° 34'E | An aircraft identified as a Blenheim bomber (it was actually Maryland B.S.762 of 69 Squadron piloted by Sergeant G.W. Bates) was observed arriving from the northwest. Tricheco put up an accurate antiaircraft fire at a range of 1,500 metres and the aircraft attempted to strafe her without success. At 0936 hours, before an attack could be renewed, the submarine dived. | |||||||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 22 Oct 1941 | 0745 | Augusta | 22 Oct 1941 | 1106 | Augusta | 17,3 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 28 Oct 1941 | 0822 | Augusta | 28 Oct 1941 | 1210 | Augusta | 24,2 | Exercises escorted by the auxiliary minesweeper 204. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 7 Nov 1941 | 0818 | Augusta | 7 Nov 1941 | 1210 | Augusta | 19,2 | Exercises. | ||
Gandolfo, Carlo | 18 Nov 1941 | 0830 | Augusta | 18 Nov 1941 | 1115 | Augusta | 10,1 | Exercises. | ||
13 | Campanella, Alberto | 21 Nov 1941 | 1455 | Augusta | 5 Dec 1941 | 1115 | Augusta | 1287,6 | Patrolled southeast of Malta between 34°20'N and 34°40'N, and between 16°00'E and 16°40'E (or and between 15°40'E and 16°00'E?). On a patrol line with Delfino and Settembrini. | |
30 Nov 1941 | 1147 | 34° 23'N, 15° 46'E | An enemy squadron was first detected by hydrophones at 1045 hours. They came into view and the submarine fired thee torpedoes (533mm) from her bow tubes at a range of 1,500 metres at a target described as a cruiser of the FROBISHER class, one of four cruisers and two destroyers steering 085° at 18 knots. These were actually Force B (the light cruisers HMS Ajax and HMS Neptune of the 7th C.S. with the destroyers HMS Kimberley and HMS Kingston) and Force K (the light cruiser HMS Aurora and HMS Penelope with destroyer HMS Lively). One hit was heard after 75 seconds, but this was not confirmed and the attack does not appear to have been observed. The British squadron only reported a CANT float plane sighted to the SW in position 34°24' N, 15°37' E at 1123 hours. | |||||||
Campanella, Alberto | 28 Dec 1941 | 0855 | Augusta | 28 Dec 1941 | 1220 | Augusta | 26,3 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary minesweeper Tea. | ||
Tonti, Ermanno | 1 Jan 1942 | Date? | Augusta | 14 Jan 1942 | Date? | Augusta | Change in command during refit at Augusta. | |||
Avogadro di Cerrione, Alberto | 17 Jan 1942 | 0930 | Augusta | 17 Jan 1942 | 1200 | Augusta | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Trau. | |||
Avogadro di Cerrione, Alberto | 18 Jan 1942 | 0910 | Augusta | 18 Jan 1942 | 1045 | Augusta | Exercises. | |||
Avogadro di Cerrione, Alberto | 23 Jan 1942 | 0945 | Augusta | 23 Jan 1942 | 1630 | Messina | Passage Augusta-Messina. | |||
Tonti, Ermanno | 26 Jan 1942 | Date? | Augusta | 31 Jan 1942 | Date? | Augusta | Change in command during refit at Augusta. | |||
Cunsolo, Giovanni | 6 Feb 1942 | 1440 | Messina | 6 Feb 1942 | 1800 | Messina | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Marras. | |||
Cunsolo, Giovanni | 7 Feb 1942 | 0820 | Messina | 7 Feb 1942 | 1440 | Messina | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Marras. | |||
14 | Cunsolo, Giovanni | 9 Feb 1942 | 1700 | Messina | 25 Feb 1942 | 1400 | Augusta | ? | Patrolled north of Cyrenaica, within 8 miles from 34°20'N, 19°50'E on the meridian, with Topazio, Malachite and Perla. On the evening of 13th February, patrol was shifted 20 miles south and then returned to original position. On 15th February, she was ordered to shift her area to 098° - 148 miles. | |
23 Feb 1942 | 0030 | 35° 33'N, 18° 55'E | A sudden wave shook the submarine, which nearly capsized to port with a roll of 60-70 degrees. The diesel engines were stopped and for a short while the submarine proceeded on her electric motors, but acid from the batteries had spilled over forcing the personnel to don gas masks. | |||||||
23 Feb 1942 | 0620 | 35° 33'N, 18° 55'E | As the submarine was in difficulty and heavy forward, the four forward tubes were discharged for safety reasons. At 0720 hours on the 24th, Dandolo joined her for assistance and they proceeded in company to Augusta. | |||||||
Cunsolo, Giovanni | 16 Mar 1942 | 1910 | Augusta | 18 Mar 1942 | 1745 | Sunk | On passage Augusta-Brindisi. Sunk by HMS Upholder. | |||
18 Mar 1942 | 1745 1726+ (e) | 40° 41'N, 17° 59'E (e) 40° 41'N, 17° 57'E (0) 2 miles off entrance of Brindisi Harbour. | As the submarine was about to enter Brindisi, she was struck by two torpedoes from a salvo of four, fired by the submarine HMS Upholder and sank rapidly. One officer and thirty-seven ratings were killed, four officers (including Cunsolo.) and seven ratings survived and were picked up by the freighter Nazario Sauro and the sailing vessel S. Spiridione. |
64 entries. 62 total patrol entries (14 marked as war patrols) and 7 events.