Italian submarines in World War Two
Italian Commanders
Gustavo Lovatelli
| Born | 15 Sep 1908 | Venice | |
| Died | 31 Jul 1989 | (80) | Grosseto |
| Ranks
Decorations
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Career information
T.V. Gustavo LovatelliONICE: From 20.03.1939 to 14.06.1940.
SQUALO: From 14.07.1940 to 08.08.1940 (replaced C.C. Migeca who was indisposed).
ONICE: From 14.08.1940 to 10.08.1941. Promoted C.C. in January 1941.
GIOVANNI DA PROCIDA: From 11.08.1941 to 21.01.1942.
FRANCESCO RISMONDO: From 28.01.1942 to 29.03.1942.
SQUALO: From 17.06.1943 to 25.07.1943.
Commands listed for Gustavo Lovatelli
| Submarine | Type | Rank | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squalo (SQ) | Ocean going | T.V. | 14 Jul 1940 | 8 Aug 1940 |
| Onice (OC) | Coastal / Sea going | T.V. | 20 Mar 1939 | 10 Aug 1941 |
| Onice (OC) | Coastal / Sea going | T.V. | 14 Aug 1940 | 10 Aug 1941 |
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | Ocean going | C.C. | 11 Aug 1941 | 21 Jan 1942 |
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | C.C. | 28 Jan 1942 | 29 Mar 1942 | |
| Squalo (SQ) | Ocean going | C.C. | 17 Jun 1943 | 25 Jul 1943 |
Ships hit by Gustavo Lovatelli
No ships hit by this Commander.War patrols listed for Gustavo Lovatelli
| Submarine | Date | Time | Port | Arr. date | Arr. time | Arr. port | Miles | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onice (OC) | 3 Jun 1940 | 1955 | La Spezia | 6 Jun 1940 | 1538 | Taranto | 670 | Passage La Spezia-Taranto. | ||
| Onice (OC) | 8 Jun 1940 | 1230 | Taranto | 11 Jun 1940 | 1250 | Pola | 610 | Passage Taranto-Pola. | ||
| Onice (OC) | 13 Jun 1940 | 0645 | Pola | 13 Jun 1940 | 1200 | Fiume | 60 | Passage Pola-Fiume and refit. | ||
| 1. | Squalo (SQ) | 24 Jul 1940 | 2200 | Leros | 6 Aug 1940 | 0818 | Leros | 846 | Patrolled north of Crete, 5 miles south of Castello Point (Scarpanto) and from 10 miles south of Cape Prassonis to 10 miles east of Kupho Island. Uneventful. | |
| Onice (OC) | 20 Sep 1940 | 0830 | Fiume | 20 Sep 1940 | 1758 | Fiume | 53 | Trials. | ||
| Onice (OC) | 26 Sep 1940 | 1050 | Fiume | 26 Sep 1940 | 1735 | Fiume | 10 | Trials. | ||
| Onice (OC) | 4 Oct 1940 | 1245 | Fiume | 4 Oct 1940 | 1830 | Fiume | 31 | Exercises. | ||
| Onice (OC) | 7 Oct 1940 | 0710 | Fiume | 7 Oct 1940 | 1315 | Pola | 62 | Passage Fiume-Pola. | ||
| Onice (OC) | 8 Oct 1940 | 0635 | Pola | 8 Oct 1940 | 1800 | Pola | 60 | Exercises. | ||
| Onice (OC) | 11 Oct 1940 | 0600 | Pola | 12 Oct 1940 | 1730 | Brindisi | 365 | Passage Pola-Brindisi. | ||
| Onice (OC) | 16 Oct 1940 | 0915 | Brindisi | 16 Oct 1940 | 1250 | Brindisi | 18 | Exercises. | ||
| Onice (OC) | 22 Oct 1940 | 0952 | Brindisi | 27 Oct 1940 | 0730 | Leros | 626 | Passage Brindisi-Leros. | ||
| 2. | Onice (OC) | 17 Nov 1940 | 1540 | Leros | 26 Nov 1940 | 1034 | Leros | 1036 | Patrolled west of Alexandria on a line from 32°20'N, 28°20'E to 33°00'N, 27°40'E. | |
| 20 Nov 1940 | 2000 | (0) South of Crete? | At 2000 hours, an illuminated convoy was sighted and identified as French. | |||||||
| 23 Nov 1940 | 1605-2130 | (0) About 90 miles NW of Alexandria. | At 1605 hours, an aircraft carrier, four cruisers and three destroyers were sighted at a distance of 20,000 metres, steering 330°. These were probably HMS Eagle, the battleships HMS Malaya and HMS Ramillies with cruisers and destroyers. They had sailed from Alexandria to cover the convoy M.W.4, destined for Malta (operation MB.9). Onice remained submerged, going deep to use her hydrophones, occasionally coming to periscope depth with the result that no attack was possible and contact was finally lost at 2130 hours. T.V. Lovatelli was criticised by Admiral Falangola (Head of MARICOSOM) for his cautiousness. | |||||||
| 3. | Onice (OC) | 19 Dec 1940 | 2000 | Leros | 31 Dec 1940 | 0719 | Leros | 1312 | Patrolled in Aegean between 35°20'N and 35°40'N, and between 24°00'E and 26°20'E. Uneventful. | |
| Onice (OC) | 27 Jan 1941 | 1340 | Leros | 27 Jan 1941 | 1430 | Leros | 1,3 | Trials. | ||
| Onice (OC) | 7 Feb 1941 | 0130 | Leros | 7 Feb 1941 | 0630 | Leros | 0 | Running her engines at anchorage. | ||
| Onice (OC) | 20 Feb 1941 | 0855 | Leros | 20 Feb 1941 | 1030 | Leros | 0,8 | Trials. | ||
| Onice (OC) | 24 Feb 1941 | 1519 | Leros | 24 Feb 1941 | 1810 | Leros | 14,5 | Exercises. | ||
| Onice (OC) | 25 Feb 1941 | 1620 | Leros | 25 Feb 1941 | 1920 | Leros | 9 | Defensive patrol (not counted as one). | ||
| 4. | Onice (OC) | 4 Mar 1941 | 1526 | Leros | 4 Mar 1941 | 1940 | Maltezana Bay (Stampalia) | 32,7 | Passage Leros-Maltezana Bay (Stampalia). | |
| 5. | Onice (OC) | 6 Mar 1941 | 1730 | Maltezana Bay (Stampalia) | 9 Mar 1941 | 0826 | Portolago (Leros) | 366,5 | Patrolled north of Crete in 35°40'N, 25°50'E. | |
| 8 Mar 1941 | 0200+ | 35° 36'N, 25° 47'E | At 0200 hours, a shadow was sighted which was believed to be an enemy cruiser. Shortly after, two torpedoes were fired at a range of 2,000 metres. They missed. This was most probably one of the three cruisers of 7th Squadron (HMS Orion, HMS Ajax and HMAS Perth) on passage from Alexandria to Piraeus where they arrived at noon on the same day. The attack was unobserved. | |||||||
| Onice (OC) | 18 Mar 1941 | 1340 | Portolago (Leros) | 18 Mar 1941 | 1402 | Portolago (Leros) | 0 | Engine tests. | ||
| 6. | Onice (OC) | 2 Apr 1941 | 2350 | Portolago (Leros) | 17 Apr 1941 | 0815 | Portolago (Leros) | 1470 | Patrolled on northwest of Alexandria. Within 20 miles from 32°40'N, 28°00'E on a NE-SW axis (north of Mersa Matruh). | |
| 6 Apr 1941 | 0100 | 32° 40'N, 28° 00'E (0) Approximate position. | At 0100 hours, as the submarine was diving, it was realised that torpedo tube no. 6 cap was not properly closed and was leaking. Onice surfaced and rating Michele Piscopo volunteered to dive overboard and after 15 minutes managed to correct the problem and the patrol resumed. | |||||||
| 10 Apr 1941 | 2005 | At 2005 hours, by bright moonlight, a naval formation was sighted. It consisted of two large and two small ships. Onice proceeded at full speed on the surface but appeared to have been spotted by a destroyer. She crash-dived and had reached a depth of 40 metres, when nine depth charges exploded but caused no damage. This was convoy A.S.F.24: the transport Breconshire escorted by the destroyers HMS Hotspur and HMS Havock proceeding from Piraeus to Alexandria. It was HMS Hotspur who sighted the submarine and briefly hunted it for 20 minutes before rejoining the convoy. | ||||||||
| 13 Apr 1941 | 1910 | At 1910 hours, two merchant ships were sighted at 10,000 metres. Onice submerged to intercept but could not close the range to attack. | ||||||||
| 7. | Onice (OC) | 16 May 1941 | 1340 | Portolago (Leros) | 31 May 1941 | 1728 | Portolago (Leros) | 1332,5 | Patrolling in Aegean in 35°08'N, 26°47'E. On 27 May, shifted to 240° - 50 miles in 34°40'N, 25°53'E. | |
| 17 May 1941 | 2018 | (0) Near Scarpanto. | At 2018 hours, information was received of a naval formation sighted at 1455 hours about 60 miles away. As the amplifier of the hydrophones had broken down between 1330 and 1600 hours, nothing was heard. A further signal was received at 2355 hours of a large enemy formation, but this was outside Onice's patrol area. | |||||||
| 19 May 1941 | 2247 | (0) Near Kaso. | At 2247 hours, Onice received a signal from Galatea, reporting a naval formation proceeding toward Kaso Straits about 18 miles from her. C.C. Lovatelli gave up the chase as he believed that this formation was one hour ahead of him and the prospect of catching up were slim. | |||||||
| 21 May 1941 | 0115 0218 (e) | 35° 18'N, 25° 03'E | At 1915 hours on 20th May, noises were heard of a vessel proceeding slowly toward the submarine. As Onice was going up to periscope depth, at a depth of 15 metres a pattern of depth charges exploded very close. More followed at variable distances. At 2200 hours, the submarine surfaced and proceeded toward Skarpanto. At 0112 hours on 21st May, three shadows of destroyers were sighted. At 0115 hours, three torpedoes were fired from the bow tubes at a distance of 2,000 metres. Two hits were claimed. Actually, all torpedoes had missed. The targets were the destroyers HMS Jervis (D.14), HMAS Nizam and HMS Ilex (Force E) sent to bombard the Scarpanto aerodrome. HMAS Nizam reported being missed by a torpedo and explosions were heard at 0221, 0224 and 0227 hours which were most likely caused by torpedoes at the end of their run. The rest of Onice's patrol were punctuated by many H.E. and distant explosions. | |||||||
| Onice (OC) | 23 Jun 1941 | 1130 | Portolago (Leros) | 24 Jun 1941 | 0915 | Corinth | Passage Leros-Corinth. | |||
| Onice (OC) | 24 Jun 1941 | 1530 | Corinth | 25 Jun 1941 | 1026 | Patras | Passage Corinth-Patras. | |||
| Onice (OC) | 25 Jun 1941 | 1230 | Patras | 26 Jun 1941 | 1945 | Messina | 610 | Passage Patras-Messina. | ||
| Onice (OC) | 27 Jun 1941 | 1700 | Messina | 29 Jun 1941 | 1150 | La Spezia | 480 | Passage Messina-La Spezia. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 5 Sep 1941 | 0610 | La Spezia | 5 Sep 1941 | 1128 | La Spezia | 19 | Exercises. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 12 Sep 1941 | 0610 | La Spezia | 12 Sep 1941 | 1345 | La Spezia | 49 | Exercises. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 17 Sep 1941 | 0620 | La Spezia | 17 Sep 1941 | 1635 | La Spezia | 59 | Exercises. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 19 Sep 1941 | 0800 | La Spezia | 19 Sep 1941 | 1132 | La Spezia | 11 | Exercises with the submarines H.1 and H.6, escorted by the auxiliaries S. Antioco, Capodistria, Crotone and Rimini. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 20 Sep 1941 | 0800 | La Spezia | 20 Sep 1941 | 1320 | La Spezia | 32 | Exercises. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 21 Sep 1941 | 0800 | La Spezia | 21 Sep 1941 | 1248 | La Spezia | 28 | Exercises. | ||
| 8. | Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 26 Sep 1941 | 1630 | La Spezia | 29 Sep 1941 | 1125 | S. Margherita | 474 | Defensive patrol southwest of Gulf of Genoa, in 43°54'N, 08°27'E on SE-NW axis, on a patrol line with Beilul, H.6, H.1 and H.4. Uneventful. | |
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 30 Sep 1941 | 0700 | S. Margherita | 30 Sep 1941 | 1125 | La Spezia | 47 | Passage S. Margherita-La Spezia. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 6 Oct 1941 | 1452 | La Spezia | 6 Oct 1941 | 1600 | La Spezia | 3 | Exercises. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 7 Oct 1941 | 0800 | La Spezia | 7 Oct 1941 | 1440 | La Spezia | 20 | Exercises, escorted by the tug Santantioco and escorted back by the tug Rimini. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 8 Oct 1941 | 0800 | La Spezia | 8 Oct 1941 | 1440 | La Spezia | 21 | Exercises. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 10 Oct 1941 | 0758 | La Spezia | 10 Oct 1941 | 1420 | La Spezia | 19,5 | Exercises. | ||
| 9. | Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 18 Oct 1941 | 1146 | La Spezia | 18 Oct 1941 | 1540 | La Spezia | 36 | Sailed for patrol but then ordered back. | |
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 25 Oct 1941 | 0710 | La Spezia | 25 Oct 1941 | 1550 | La Spezia | 62 | Exercises. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 30 Oct 1941 | 0759 | La Spezia | 30 Oct 1941 | 0950 | La Spezia | 18 | Exercises. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 6 Nov 1941 | 0835 | La Spezia | 6 Nov 1941 | 1235 | La Spezia | 28,5 | Exercises. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 13 Nov 1941 | 1117 | La Spezia | 13 Nov 1941 | 1700 | La Spezia | 32 | Exercises with submarine Platino, escorted by the auxiliary Torre Annunziata. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 20 Nov 1941 | 0826 | La Spezia | 20 Nov 1941 | 1445 | La Spezia | 57,5 | Exercises. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 21 Nov 1941 | 0800 | La Spezia | 21 Nov 1941 | 1800 | La Spezia | 60 | Exercises. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 28 Nov 1941 | 0800 | La Spezia | 28 Nov 1941 | 1230 | La Spezia | 25 | Exercises. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 19 Dec 1941 | 0827 | La Spezia | 19 Dec 1941 | 1320 | La Spezia | 32 | Exercises with the submarines Malachite and H.1, escorted by MAS 507, MAS 510 and the auxiliaries Porto Sdobba, Crotone and Capodistria. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 29 Dec 1941 | 1317 | La Spezia | 29 Dec 1941 | 1737 | La Spezia | 28,8 | Exercises. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 3 Jan 1942 | 0830 | La Spezia | 3 Jan 1942 | 1310 | La Spezia | 19 | Exercises. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 10 Jan 1942 | 0830 | La Spezia | 10 Jan 1942 | 1645 | La Spezia | 40,9 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliaries Lero, Crotone and Capodistria. | ||
| Giovanni da Procida (DP) | 15 Jan 1942 | 1242 | La Spezia | 18 Jan 1942 | 1005 | Taranto | 803 | Passage La Spezia-Taranto. Sighted Italian vessels and the German steamer Wachtfels. | ||
| 17 Jan 1942 | 1257 | (0) Off Cape Rizzuto. | The Italian submarine Emo proceeding northward was encountered. | |||||||
| 17 Jan 1942 | 2230 | (0) Off Cape Colonne. | The German transport Wachtfels (8467 GRT, built 1928) escorted by the Italian destroyer Antonio Da Noli proceeding to Messina were observed. | |||||||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 6 Feb 1942 | 0830 | La Spezia | 6 Feb 1942 | 1710 | La Spezia | 49 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Crotone. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 16 Feb 1942 | 1015 | La Spezia | 16 Feb 1942 | 1700 | La Spezia | 45 | Exercises. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 17 Feb 1942 | 0830 | La Spezia | 17 Feb 1942 | 1300 | La Spezia | 39 | Exercises. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 19 Feb 1942 | 0830 | La Spezia | 19 Feb 1942 | 1730 | La Spezia | 44 | Exercises escorted by the auxiliaries Crotone and Porto Sdobba. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 24 Feb 1942 | 0835 | La Spezia | 24 Feb 1942 | 1815 | La Spezia | 40,5 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliaries Zagabria and Crotone. | ||
| 10. | Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 28 Feb 1942 | 2200 | La Spezia | 2 Mar 1942 | 1126 | La Spezia | 159,1 | Defensive patrol in Gulf of Genoa, in 44°11'N, 09°10'E, on a patrol line with H.4 and H.6. | |
| Squalo (SQ) | 17 Jun 1943 | 0920 | Pola | 17 Jun 1943 | 1220 | Pola | 20 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 23 Jun 1943 | 0750 | Pola | 23 Jun 1943 | 1300 | Pola | 20 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 23 Jun 1943 | 1518 | Pola | 23 Jun 1943 | 1845 | Pola | 12 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 24 Jun 1943 | 0820 | Pola | 24 Jun 1943 | 1300 | Pola | 26 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 25 Jun 1943 | 0805 | Pola | 25 Jun 1943 | 1110 | Pola | 15 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 1 Jul 1943 | 0750 | Pola | 1 Jul 1943 | 1130 | Pola | 20 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 2 Jul 1943 | 0815 | Pola | 2 Jul 1943 | 1855 | Pola | 29 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 3 Jul 1943 | 0803 | Pola | 3 Jul 1943 | 1845 | Pola | 49 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 5 Jul 1943 | 0745 | Pola | 5 Jul 1943 | 1850 | Pola | 52 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 6 Jul 1943 | 0800 | Pola | 6 Jul 1943 | 1850 | Pola | 50 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 10 Jul 1943 | 0800 | Pola | 10 Jul 1943 | 1020 | Pola | 15 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 16 Jul 1943 | 2340 | Pola | 18 Jul 1943 | 1425 | Brindisi | 385 | Passage Pola-Brindisi. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 19 Jul 1943 | 1602 | Brindisi | 19 Jul 1943 | 1910 | Brindisi | 11,5 | Exercises. | ||
78 entries. 72 total patrol entries (10 marked as war patrols) and 11 events.