Italian submarines in World War Two

Italian Commanders


Alberto Ginocchio

Born  29 Nov 1901La Spezia
Died  6 Dec 1947(46)Venice

Ranks

  C.F.Capitano di Fregata

Decorations

  Croce al merito di guerra
  Croce al merito di guerra
  Croce al merito di guerra
  Croce al merito di guerra
  Cavaliere dell'ordine della Corona d'Italia
22 May 1939 Medaglia d'argento al valore militare
31 Oct 1941 Medaglia d'argento al valore militare
15 Jan 1942 Medaglia d'argento al valore militare
14 Jan 1943 Croce di guerra al valore militare

Career information

From 07.02.1940, Head of 2° GRUPSOM (Naples).
PIETRO MICCA (C.F. C.O.): From 04.08.1940 to 13.09.1940.
LUIGI TORELLI (C.F. C.O.): From 29.07.1940 to 22.08.1940?
MOCENIGO (C.F. C.O.): From 16.09.940 to 25.10.1940.
From August 1944: Head of COMANDO SUPERIORE SOMMERGIBILI.

Commands listed for Alberto Ginocchio


Submarine Type Rank From To
Luigi Torelli (TI, I.9, UIT.25)Ocean goingC.F.29 Jul 194022 Aug 1940
Pietro Micca (MC)MinelayingC.F.4 Aug 194013 Sep 1940
Mocenigo (MO, I.19)Ocean goingC.F.16 Sep 194025 Oct 1940

Ships hit by Alberto Ginocchio

No ships hit by this Commander.

War patrols listed for Alberto Ginocchio

 SubmarineDateTimePortArr. dateArr. timeArr. portMilesDescription
1.Pietro Micca (MC)4 Aug 19401700Taranto21 Aug 19401325Taranto2123Laid 40 mines from 31°22'N, 29°27'E, northwest of Alexandria, then patrolled in area between 32°00'N and 32°40'N and 28°20'E and 29°20'E.
  12 Aug 1940002531° 22'N, 29° 42'E
(0) Approximately.
Between 0025 and 0055 hours, Micca laid 40 mines on a line 3.6 km in length eastward from 31°22' N, 29°42' E at a depth of 322 fathoms.

Eight mines were swept on 12th August in 320° - Ras-El-Tin (Alexandria) -14 miles, seven on 13th August and four on 14th August. Admiral Cunningham reported that a mine was recovered on 13th August 1940, which showed a sinker with 51 fathoms of mooring wire and another 207 fathoms when she was laid. Another 26 mines were destroyed (two were floating and two were found ashore) from this field between 12-14th August 1940, in time when the Mediterranean Fleet sailed on 16th August for operation M.B.2 (bombardment of Bardia) and crossed this area.

On 21st August, a mine was recovered with 250 fathoms of 3/4" mooring rope. The next day, at 1415 hours, HMS Loch Melfort believed she was in contact with a submarine, which was later thought to be one of the mines from this field, as the position was 320° - Ras El Tin - 13 miles. Four mines were found in 220 fathoms on 3rd September 1940. On 16th May 1941, Loch Melfort destroyed a mine, perhaps belonging to this field in 31°55' N, 29°31' E (which was much farther north than position reported). There also were mines laid from the air, but usually these were ground mines. Following the discovery of this minefield, British submarines were usually ordered to remain outside the 200 fathom line in Italian-controlled waters. The order remained in effect at least until December 1940, greatly reducing their effectiveness.
  14 Aug 19401358
1500 (e)
31° 59'N, 28° 32'EToward noon, the hydrophones picked up noises believed to be from a destroyer.

At 1340 hours, a destroyer was sighted and shortly after, a second one.

At 1358 hours, a single torpedo (533mm, S.I. H type) was fired from a stern tube at a distance of 800 metres, aimed at the first of the two destroyers. A violent explosion was heard after 40 seconds. The torpedo actually missed.

This was a squadron consisting of the light cruisers HMAS Sydney and HMS Neptune, escorted by the destroyers HMS Nubian, HMS Mohawk, HMS Hostile and HMS Imperial. HMS Nubian sighted a torpedo approaching and avoided it. Nubian and Hostile were left behind to hunt the submarine, but made no ASDIC contact.

Luigi Torelli (TI, I.9, UIT.25)12 Aug 19400800La Spezia12 Aug 19401230La Spezia18Exercises.

Luigi Torelli (TI, I.9, UIT.25)19 Aug 19400800La Spezia19 Aug 19401900La Spezia42Trials.

Luigi Torelli (TI, I.9, UIT.25)21 Aug 19400700La Spezia21 Aug 19401200La Spezia16Trials.

Luigi Torelli (TI, I.9, UIT.25)22 Aug 19400800La Spezia22 Aug 19401700La Spezia42Trials.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)19 Oct 19400800La Spezia19 Oct 19401700La Spezia53Exercises.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)21 Oct 19400826La Spezia21 Oct 19401655La Spezia49,5Exercises.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)22 Oct 19401522La Spezia22 Oct 19401552La Spezia0,5Changed moorings?

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)24 Oct 19400748La Spezia24 Oct 19401130La Spezia26,4Exercises.

Mocenigo (MO, I.19)25 Oct 19401630La Spezia25 Oct 19401645La Spezia0,1Changed moorings?

11 entries. 10 total patrol entries (1 marked as war patrols) and 2 events.

Italian Commanders

Italian Submarines