Italian submarines in World War Two
Italian Commanders
Ugo Giudice
| Born | 15 May 1909 | Rome | |
| Died | 28 Dec 1959 | (50) | Rome |
| Ranks
Decorations
|
Career information
From 25.02.1940, had been in command of the torpedo-boat ALCIONE.H.6 (T.V. C.O.): From 26.06.1940 to 27.08.1940.
GIUSEPPE FINZI (T.V. C.O.): From 20.04.1941 to 04.10.1942.
Promoted to C.C. in April 1941? From 06.10.1942, served at MARINACCAD.
Commands listed for Ugo Giudice
| Submarine | Type | Rank | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H 6 (H6) | Coastal | T.V. | 26 Jun 1940 | 27 Aug 1940 |
| Giuseppe Finzi (FZ, I.2) | Ocean going | C.C. | 20 Apr 1941 | 4 Oct 1942 |
Ships hit by Ugo Giudice
| Date | Submarine | Ship hit | Type | GRT | Nat. | Loss type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 6 Mar 1942 | Giuseppe Finzi | Melpomene | Cargo ship | 7,011 |  | Sunk |
| 2. | 7 Mar 1942 | Giuseppe Finzi | Skåne | Cargo ship | 4,528 |  | Sunk |
| 3. | 10 Mar 1942 | Giuseppe Finzi | Charles Racine | Tanker | 9,957 |  | Sunk |
War patrols listed for Ugo Giudice
| Submarine | Date | Time | Port | Arr. date | Arr. time | Arr. port | Miles | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H 6 (H6) | 29 Jun 1940 | 0510 | La Spezia | 29 Jun 1940 | 1210 | La Spezia | 59,9 | Exercises. | ||
| 1. | H 6 (H6) | 1 Jul 1940 | 2155 | La Spezia | 6 Jul 1940 | 0830 | La Spezia | 288,7 | Patrolled 110° - Cape Noli - 30 miles (Gulf of Genoa). | |
| H 6 (H6) | 9 Jul 1940 | 0800 | La Spezia | 9 Jul 1940 | 1530 | La Spezia | 59,5 | Exercises. | ||
| H 6 (H6) | 18 Jul 1940 | 1430 | La Spezia | 18 Jul 1940 | 1834 | La Spezia | 2,5 | Exercises? | ||
| H 6 (H6) | 22 Jul 1940 | 0805 | La Spezia | 22 Jul 1940 | 1747 | La Spezia | 50,1 | Exercises. | ||
| 2. | H 6 (H6) | 6 Aug 1940 | 1500 | La Spezia | 10 Aug 1940 | 0804 | La Spezia | 213,5 | Defensive patrol in Ligurian Gulf. Uneventful. Then refit at La Spezia. | |
| H 6 (H6) | 16 Aug 1940 | 0700 | La Spezia | 16 Aug 1940 | 1045 | La Spezia | 15,5 | Exercises. | ||
| Giuseppe Finzi (FZ, I.2) | 27 Jun 1941 | 0840 | Bordeaux | 27 Jun 1941 | 2143 | Le Verdon | 55 | Passage Bordeaux-Le Verdon. | ||
| Giuseppe Finzi (FZ, I.2) | 29 Jun 1941 | 2223 | Le Verdon | 29 Jun 1941 | 1555 | La Pallice | 87 | Passage Le Verdon-La Pallice. | ||
| 3. | Giuseppe Finzi (FZ, I.2) | 3 Aug 1941 | 1301 | La Pallice | 11 Sep 1941 | 1150 | Bordeaux | 7119 | Sailed for Atlantic patrol via 45°00'N, 23°30'W to ca. 39°00'N, 14°00'W. | |
| 5 Aug 1941 | 2100 | 45° 12'N, 12° 26'W | A derelict mine was sighted. The submarine attempted to destroy it with machine gun fire but was unsuccessful because of the heavy seas. At 0800 hours on the 6th, following orders from BETASOM, the submarine proceeded at 10 knots to 37°45' N, 11°15' W. | |||||||
| 7 Aug 1941 | 1615 | 40° 34'N, 12° 33'W | An unknown steamer was sighted but left alone as GIUDICE did not wish to disclose his position and resumed proceeding to intercept a convoy. | |||||||
| 9 Aug 1941 | 2300 | 38° 12'N, 11° 25'W (0) Approximately. | Giuseppe Finzi was informed by BETASOM that a convoy had sailed from Gibraltar.She was ordered to intercept it in 33°55' N, 09°15' W at 2000 hours on the 10th. The submarine altered course at 12 knots, but later engine defects slowed her down and were repaired. At 1735 hours on the 10th, Finzi received another order to proceed to 36°45' N, 10°15' W, the convoy was in 36°25' N, 08°25' W at 1500 hours on the 10th. A signal from BETASOM, received at 2330 hours on the 10th, ordered her to 36°15' N, 11°15' W. This location was reached at 0715 hours on the 11th with several more signals following until 12th August. | |||||||
| 12 Aug 1941 | 1640 | 38° 35'N, 12° 55'W (0) Italian Grid 9502/64. | The enemy convoy was sighted at a distance of 8,000 metres. The submarine was forced to submerge at 1645 hours as one of the escorting destroyers turned toward her. At 2045 hours, she surfaced and tried to catch up with the convoy. At 2235 hours on the 12th, a signal was received from BETASOM reporting the convoy in 38°55' N, 13°25' W and ordering Finzi, Marconi and Veniero to attack it, but Finzi sighted nothing. | |||||||
| 13 Aug 1941 | 0230 | 39° 11'N, 14° 02'W | An enemy destroyer was sighted at a distance of 3,000 metres and the submarine maneuvered to gain a more favourable position. | |||||||
| 13 Aug 1941 | 0245 | 39° 11'N, 14° 02'W | A second enemy destroyer was sighted at a distance of 2-3,000 metres and GIUDICE elected to go deep. | |||||||
| 13 Aug 1941 | 0745 | 39° 24'N, 14° 30'W | An enemy destroyer was sighted at a distance of 4,000 metres and the submarine was forced to submerge. | |||||||
| 13 Aug 1941 | 1515 | 39° 24'N, 14° 30'W (0) Approximately. | A submarine was sighted. This was probably Marconi, but is not identified in the patrol report. Recognition signals were exchanged but at 1520 hours, Giuseppe Finzi was forced to submerge by an aircraft. | |||||||
| 13 Aug 1941 | 2000-2045 1755 zone-1 (e) | 39° 54'N, 15° 36'W (e) 40° 19'N, 15° 46'W (0) Italian Grid 5142/46. | Two destroyers were observed to be depth-charging a submarine. These were HMS Faulknor and HMS Wild Swan. Giuseppe Finzi moved away. | |||||||
| 14 Aug 1941 | 0047 | 40° 42'N, 15° 46'W | Giuseppe Finzi was cruising on the surface, when a destroyer was sighted. The submarine submerged at 0050 hours. Later, the convoy was heard with her hydrophones but she could not get within sighting range. | |||||||
| 14 Aug 1941 | 0805 | 40° 48'N, 16° 41'W (0) Approximately. | Two destroyers were sighted in the mist, at a distance of 7-8,000 metres. Giuseppe Finzi submerged and heard depth-charge explosions at 0845, 0858 and 0958 hours but at a distance. | |||||||
| 14 Aug 1941 | 1830 | The submarine had just surfaced when a destroyer was sighted at a distance of 4,000 metres. She was forced to submerge again and, heard three depth-charges at a distance. | ||||||||
| 19 Aug 1941 | 1130-1520 | 37° 37'N, 19° 10'W (0) Approximately. | A smoke was sighted on the horizon. Finzi gave chase but at 1520 hours, the vessel was identified as Spanish and the submarine turned away. | |||||||
| 21 Aug 1941 | 1405 | 37° 08'N, 15° 14'W | A steamer was sighted but she turned out to be Portuguese. | |||||||
| 26 Aug 1941 | 0140 | 32° 02'N, 13° 46'W | A Spanish vessel was sighted steering 020° and no action was taken. | |||||||
| 26 Aug 1941 | 0715 | 31° 15'N, 13° 56'W | A Spanish vessel was sighted on a northerly course and she was left alone. | |||||||
| 26 Aug 1941 | 1025 | 31° 02'N, 14° 00'W | An unidentified ship was sighted and the submarine gave chase, but the vessel was fast and escaped. | |||||||
| 29 Aug 1941 | 1745 | 29° 26'N, 12° 33'W | An unidentified ship was sighted and the submarine gave chase, but lost her in the mist. In the next days, the submarine sighted other ships but they turned out to be either Spanish or Portuguese. | |||||||
| Giuseppe Finzi (FZ, I.2) | 5 Dec 1941 | 0850 | Bordeaux | 5 Dec 1941 | 1255 | Le Verdon | 60 | Passage Bordeaux-Le Verdon. | ||
| 4. | Giuseppe Finzi (FZ, I.2) | 5 Dec 1941 | 1748 | Le Verdon | 26 Dec 1941 | 1149 | St. Nazaire | 5273 | Sailed on a mission to rescue the survivors from the German raider Atlantis and her supply ship Python, northwest of Cape Verde (took 70 men from U-129). Four submarines participated in the operation: Finzi, Calvi, Torelli and Tazzoli. The four commanders were decorated by Admiral Doenitz. | |
| 11 Dec 1941 | 0825 | 35° 27'N, 18° 25'W | An unknown illuminated steamer was sighted steering 000°-020°. She was probably neutral and C.C. Giudice did not attempt to investigate as his submarine was on a rescue mission. | |||||||
| 16 Dec 1941 | 1315-1540 | 14° 30'N, 28° 30'W | Giuseppe Finzi met with U-129 (KL Nicolai Claussen) carrying survivors from Atlantis and Python and took off seventy survivors and brought them to St. Nazaire. | |||||||
| Giuseppe Finzi (FZ, I.2) | 26 Dec 1941 | 1430 | St. Nazaire | 27 Dec 1941 | 1112 | Le Verdon | 148 | Passage St. Nazaire-Le Verdon. | ||
| Giuseppe Finzi (FZ, I.2) | 27 Dec 1941 | 1112 | Le Verdon | 27 Dec 1941 | 1550 | Bordeaux | 60 | Passage Le Verdon-Bordeaux. | ||
| 5. | Giuseppe Finzi (FZ, I.2) | 5 Feb 1942 | 0950 | Bordeaux | 31 Mar 1942 | 1759 | Le Verdon | 8286 | Patrolled in Caribbean, carried nineteen torpedoes. On 2nd February, BETASOM had issued an order to bombard Atlantic City (New Jersey) but three days later the order was countermanded by Admiral Legnani who warned them not to entertain similar ideas. | |
| 10 Feb 1942 | 1205 | 40° 43'N, 14° 11'W | Giuseppe Finzi sighted two destroyers at a distance of 10,000 metres proceeding on a NW course. One of them turned toward the submarine and the submarine dived. Only two depth-charges were heard, one at 1235 hours and the other at 1247 hours but the destroyer remained in the area for several hours. Apparently she was keeping down the submarine as a convoy was heard at 1700 hours in 40°43' N, 14°18' W. The submarine finally surfaced at 1910 hours. | |||||||
| 3 Mar 1942 | 1330 | 22° 06'N, 62° 54'W | An unknown aircraft was sighted at 15,000 metres and the submarine dived. | |||||||
| 4 Mar 1942 | 2022 | 23° 40'N, 62° 22'W | An unidentified tanker was sighted at 10,000 metres steering 160°. The submarine maneuvered to carry out a night attack, but engine defects delayed her and she could not renew contact. | |||||||
| 5 Mar 1942 | 1138 | 24° 11'N, 61° 33'W | An illuminated steamer was sighted on a SE course at a distance of 8,000 metres. The submarine gave up the chase as she appeared to be neutral. | |||||||
| 6 Mar 1942 | 0308 2110/5 (e) | 23° 36'N, 62° 28'W (e) 23° 35'N, 62° 39'W | At 2055 hours on 5th March 1942, a smoke was sighted on the horizon at a range of 10,000 meters in 24°00' N, 61°42' W. It turned out to be a tanker steering 265°. At 0308 hours on the 6th, Giuseppe Finzi closed to 1,200 metres and , she fired a pair of torpedoes (533mm) from her bow tubes. One torpedo apparently hit amidship and another hit the stern. However, survivors later reported that only one torpedo hit under the bridge. This was the British Melpomene (ex-French, 7,011 GRT, built 1923) bound from Belfast to New Orleans in convoy O.S.19. The crew began to abandon ship. At 0337 hours, the submarine fired a third torpedo from a bow tube at Melpomene and hit her again, but she failed to sink. At 0402 hours, a fourth torpedo was fired and squarely hit Melpomene which finally sank at 0423 hours. The forty-nine men of her crew had taken to three lifeboats and made for San Juan (Puerto Rico). They were all rescued (including three seriously wounded) by the American steamer Idaho. | |||||||
| 7 Mar 1942 | 0150 1945/6 (e) | 22° 42'N, 60° 07'W (e) 22° 50'N, 62° 10'W | At 1435 hours on 6th March 1942, Giudice sighted a vessel from a distance of 8,000 metres and trailed her with the intention of attacking after dusk. The attack finally occurred at 0150 hours on the 7th, Giuseppe Finzi firing two bow torpedoes (533mm) and both hit. This was the Swedish Skåne (4528 GRT, built 1921) steering 163° at 9 knots [also reported as Boren, ex Skåne]. She was on a trip from New York to Bombay, carrying 7,500 tons of general cargo and some trucks and armoured cars on deck. The vessel was only damaged and Captain Cronberg and his crew began to abandon ship. At 0254 hours, a third torpedo was fired and again hit the Swedish Skåne. She was sinking very slowly and the submarine fired 7 rounds to finish her off. At 0502 hours, gunfire was resumed with another 18 rounds, pumped into her hull rendering the ship in a sinking condition. At 0620 hours, the submarine was forced to dive because of an aircraft with lights on (which was probably a commercial one). An explosion was heard at 0700 hours and Skåne must have sunk at this time. The crew of thirty-four (including two women) had taken to two lifeboats and were all picked up the next day by the American freighter Ipswich. The survivors believed that they had been attacked by two submarines, one of them of the PIETRO MICCA type, the confusion certainly arose from Finzi carrying attacks from both sides. It was suspected that the vessel may have been boarded by the Italian submarine (this was not the case) but the American authorities were relieved to note that no US Navy codes were carried. On 8th March, between 1130 and 1700 hours, the submarine reloaded her forward tubes with three torpedoes which were carried on deck. | |||||||
| 8 Mar 1942 | 1730 | 22° 42'N, 60° 07'W | The submarine was instructed by BETASOM to cede 50 tons of fuel to Morosini. GIUDICE replied that this would significantly curtail the autonomy of Giuseppe Finzi and BETASOM instructed him to cede only 30 tons. | |||||||
| 10 Mar 1942 | 23° 49'N, 59° 58'W (e) 23° 33'N, 60° 10'W | At 2349 hours on 9th March 1942, Giuseppe Finzi sighted a vessel at a range of 10,000 metres in 23°49' N, 59°58' W. It appeared to be a tanker steering 250° at 10-11 knots.
She was the Norwegian motor tanker Charles Racine (9,957 GRT, built 1937) and she was actually steering 245° at 12 knots. At 0124 hours on 10th March, two bow torpedoes (probably 533mm) were fired at 1,300 metres and claimed one hit. In fact, none had hit and her survivors later reported that one torpedo had missed 10 metres ahead. Guidice noted that the tanker did not make an SOS. At 0511 hours, another pair of torpedoes were fired from the bow tubes at a distance of 1,500 metres. This time both hit, one amidships and the other the stern section. The ship made an SOS and was abandoned. At 0540 hours, a third pair of torpedoes were fired and again both hit, but the ship still refused to sink. At 0719 hours, one torpedo was fired from a stern tube and hit the tanker Charles Racine who finally sank. Her crew of forty-one were all saved. They had been sighted by a plane and then by the destroyer USS Moffett (DD-362), who found three boats with thirty-four survivors and brought them to San Juan. The remaining seven men in the fourth lifeboat were picked up by an Argentine steamer and landed in Trinidad. | ||||||||
| 11 Mar 1942 | 1230 | 23° 12'N, 56° 22'W | The Italian submarine Morosini was sighted and recognition signals were exchanged. However, at 1250 hours, Morosini sighted a ship in 23°12' N, 56°42' W steering 240° and Giuseppe Finzi turned away to let her carry out an attack. | |||||||
| 11 Mar 1942 | 1655 | 23° 03'N, 56° 46'W | An unknown steamer was sighted on a 250° course. (possibly Manaqui?). Giuseppe Finzi closed to attack, but then sighted another ship at 1925 hours. | |||||||
| 11 Mar 1942 | 1925 | 22° 35'N, 57° 25'W | Finzi closed to attack but then sighted Morosini at 2010 and told her of the sightings. | |||||||
| 12 Mar 1942 | 0149 | A steamer had been sighted at dusk on 11th March and Giuseppe Finzi closed to attack. Giudice opted for a stern shot, as he only had one torpedo left in the bow tubes. However, he was beaten to the race by Morosini which torpedoed the steamer first. The target was probably Manaqui (2802 GRT, built 1921) who disappeared without a trace at that time. | ||||||||
| 12 Mar 1942 | 1305 | Giuseppe Finzi closed Morosini to refuel her, as instructed by BETASOM. At 1516 hours, she took her in tow to start the refuelling process and eventually 24 tons were transferred. Finzi then returned home. | ||||||||
| Giuseppe Finzi (FZ, I.2) | 1 Apr 1942 | 1400 | Le Verdon | 1 Apr 1942 | 2015 | Bordeaux | 58 | Passage Le Verdon-Bordeaux. | ||
| Giuseppe Finzi (FZ, I.2) | 5 Jun 1942 | 1100 | Le Verdon | 5 Jun 1942 | 1635 | Bordeaux | 58 | Passage Bordeaux-Le Verdon. | ||
| 6. | Giuseppe Finzi (FZ, I.2) | 6 Jun 1942 | 2200 | Le Verdon | 17 Aug 1942 | 1515 | Bordeaux | 14381 | Patrolled in Caribbean through Crooked Passage and Windward Passage between Haiti and Jamaica near Roncador. Carried nineteen torpedoes (eight forward, eight aft and three in outside containers and 330 rounds of 10 cm). Appears to have been used as a supply vessel for the other submarines (Da Vinci, Giuliani and Morosini). | |
| 20 Jun 1942 | 1935-2245 | 25° 15'N, 29° 50'W (0) Italian Grid 2639/26. | Italian submarine Leonardo Da Vinci was first sighted at 1500 hours in 25°15' N, 29°50' W (the actual rendezvous point was 25°05' N, 30°05' W). From 1935 to 2245 hours, Giuseppe Finzi ceded 11 tons of fuel to her. | |||||||
| 1 Jul 1942 | 1231 | 23° 30'N, 55° 45'W (0) Italian Grid 7373/15. | The submarine Morosini was encountered and she was to take some fuel from Finzi. At 1231 hours, in heavy seas. the two submarines had a minor collision. The refuelling was postponed to 3 July 1942 and again to 4 July 1942 but the bad weather persisted and it was cancelled. | |||||||
| 12 Jul 1942 | 2334 | 18° 05'N, 74° 48'W (0) Italian Grid 4919/15. | A corvette was sighted at 4,000 metres, the submarine took no action. | |||||||
| 13 Jul 1942 | 0515 | 17° 35'N, 74° 35'W (0) Italian Grid 3419/44. | A large steamer was sighted on northerly course. The submarine then heard H.E. of three ships. The submarine was too far to intercept but made an enemy report at 0615 hours. | |||||||
| 13 Jul 1942 | 2050 | 16° 05'N, 75° 55'W | Two aircraft were observed through the periscope but no special action taken. | |||||||
| 17 Jul 1942 | 1825 | 19° 56'N, 74° 00'W | Two corvettes were sighted on westerly course at a distance of 6-7,000 metres. | |||||||
| 20 Jul 1942 | 1100 | 23° 35'N, 69° 55'W (0) Italian Grid 2123/46. | A tanker escorted by three destroyers was observed steering 250° at about 15 knots, however Giuseppe Finzi was not in a favourable position to attack and they passed out of range. | |||||||
| 23 Jul 1942 | 1720-0041/24 | 23° 05'N, 60° 45'W (0) Approximately. | The Italian submarine Reginaldo Giuliani was encountered and Giuseppe Finzi supplied her with 49 tons of fuel and 5 tons of drinking water. | |||||||
| 27 Jul 1942 | 1050 | 30° 45'N, 52° 25'W | The Italian submarine Morosini was encountered and Giuseppe Finzi supplied her with 25 tons of fuel and one ton of lubricating oil. At 0415 hours on 28th July, Finzi was ordered to a new area between 30°05' N, 55°55' W and 30°55' N, 50°05' W. | |||||||
| 29 Jul 1942 | 0536+ | 29° 45'N, 54° 45'W | A large two-funnel liner was sighted first at 0440 hours, then at 0536 hours. Giuseppe Finzi closed to 2,500 metres and fired three torpedoes (probably 533mm) from the bow tubes, but missed. At 1000-1200 hours on 12th July, the three torpedoes stored on deck containers were transferred to the forward torpedo room. | |||||||
| 7 Aug 1942 | 1825 | 43° 00'N, 53° 00'W | A smoke was observed on the horizon. The submarine could not close to identify it. | |||||||
| 11 Aug 1942 | 1504 | 45° 15'N, 16° 05'W | An enemy bomber was sighted at 3,000 metres and the submarine dived. | |||||||
| 12 Aug 1942 | 0855 | 44° 57'N, 12° 40'W | An aircraft was sighted and the submarine dived. | |||||||
| 12 Aug 1942 | 1232 | 44° 50'N, 12° 08'W | An aircraft was sighted and the submarine dived. | |||||||
| 13 Aug 1942 | 1705 | 44° 20'N, 9° 20'W (0) Approximately. | Six or seven aircraft were sighted, but no action was taken as they flew at high altitude. | |||||||
| 14 Aug 1942 | 1217 | 44° 26'N, 8° 54'W | An aircraft was sighted and the submarine dived. | |||||||
| 15 Aug 1942 | 1435 | 44° 25'N, 5° 00'W | An aircraft was sighted and the submarine dived. | |||||||
| 7. | Giuseppe Finzi (FZ, I.2) | 26 Nov 1942 | 1000 | La Pallice | 22 Dec 1942 | 1745 | Bordeaux | 4329,5 | Sailed for patrol off Brazil, but returned due to defects. She carried nineteen torpedoes (eight forward, eight aft and three in external containers) and 314 rounds of 102 mm. At the issue of this patrol, T.V. Arendolia complained that the binoculars on the submarine were old and inadequate and had been repaired frequently. | |
| 3 Dec 1942 | 0638 | 37° 01'N, 15° 58'W | An illuminated steamer was observed on 095° course. The submarine chased it but finally gave up at 0815 hours. | |||||||
| 4 Dec 1942 | 1408 | 35° 25'N, 17° 38'W | A vessel was sighted at distance of 6,000 metres. The submarine closed to 1,000 metres before identifying her as a Spanish tanker of the PLUTON class proceeding on 75° course at 11 knots. The attack was aborted. | |||||||
| 9 Dec 1942 | 1545 | 25° 25'N, 29° 14'W | A vessel was sighted at distance of 15,000 metres and the submarine closed to attack. She was identified as the Spanish tanker Campuzano (6,320 GRT, built 1932), and the attack was aborted. | |||||||
| 21 Dec 1942 | 1035 | (0) 183° - Le Verdon - 3.8 miles. | The Sperrerbrecher, which was leading the submarine, detonated a mine and appeared to be sinking until an M-Boot took her in tow. The submarine was later taken in charge from Le Verdon to Pauillac by a minesweeper and two M-Boats. | |||||||
68 entries. 19 total patrol entries (7 marked as war patrols) and 54 events.