Italian submarines in World War Two

Italian Commanders


Gustavo Miniero

Born  14 Oct 1906Gragnano (Naples)
Died  5 Jan 1942(35)Killed in action

Ranks

  C.C.Capitano di Corvetta

Decorations

17 Aug 1942 Medaglia di bronzo al valore militare (posthumous)
28 Jul 1948 Medaglia di bronzo al valore militare (posthumous)

Career information

TURCHESE (C.C. C.O.): from 01.01.1940 to 05.12.1940.
JALEA (C.C. C.O.): from 28.02.1941 to 16.05.1941.
AMMIRAGLIO SAINT BON (C.C. C.O.): from 16.05.1941 to 05.01.1942 (sunk, Miniero was killed).

Commands listed for Gustavo Miniero


Submarine Type Rank From To
Turchese (TC)Coastal / Sea goingC.C.1 Jan 19405 Dec 1940
Jalea (IA)Coastal / Sea goingC.C.28 Feb 194116 May 1941
Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)Ocean goingC.C.16 May 19415 Jan 1942

Ships hit by Gustavo Miniero

No ships hit by this Commander.

War patrols listed for Gustavo Miniero

 SubmarineDateTimePortArr. dateArr. timeArr. portMilesDescription
1.Turchese (TC)9 Jun 19402002Cagliari21 Jun 19402005Cagliari1052Sailed to form a patrol line (S2) on the Cape Teulada meridian:

Axum - 15 miles south of the Cape.
Turchese - 35 miles south of the Cape.
Adua - 55 miles south of the Cape.
Aradam - 75 miles south of the Cape.

On 13th June, ordered to Gulf of Lyons and patrolled 15 miles east of Cape Creus until the evening of 19th June.
  21 Jun 19401015
(0) Italian Grid 0261 or northeast of Balearic Islands.
At 1015 hours, three small warships were sighted at a distance of 20,000 metres. Turchese closed to 14,000 metres and identified them as a large enemy force. She gave up the chase at 1148 hours.

The were probably the large destroyers of the French 8th DCT (Division de Contre-Torpilleurs), which at that time, were the fastest warships in the World.

2.Turchese (TC)3 Jul 19401416Cagliari6 Jul 19401200Cagliari262Sailed with Aradam and patrolled between Bone and Cape de Fer in 37°54'N, 07°40'E, on a patrol line with Aradam, Axum and Alagi.

3.Turchese (TC)9 Jul 19400057Cagliari12 Jul 19401105Cagliari354Patrolled between La Galite and Tunisia in 37°50'N, 09°40'E.
  12 Jul 1940032538° 24'N, 9° 19'EAt 0225 hours, an illuminated vessel was sighted by the First Officer who was Officer of the Watch. Turchese closed on her electric motors to avoid revealing her presence. It was thought that the vessel behaved strangely and was perhaps an enemy vessel on a minelaying mission.

At 0325 hours, one torpedo (533mm) was fired from a bow tube at a range of 500 metres. The phosphorescent wake appeared to hit amidships but it passed under the target.

At 0326 hours, a second torpedo (533mm) was fired from a bow tube at the same range with the same result. C.C. Gustavo Miniero intended to renew the action with a third torpedo and gunfire. However, at 0335 hours, the submarine had a violent shock with a metallic object, followed three minutes later by a second one more violent than the first. At 0410 hours, the action was broken off.

No British warships appear to have operated in the area at the time. The target was probably a neutral vessel.

4.Turchese (TC)1 Aug 19400100Cagliari9 Aug 19401140La Maddalena1342Patrolled south of Balearic Islands in 37°25'N, 06°30'E. Uneventful.

Turchese (TC)23 Aug 19400100La Maddalena28 Aug 19401140Pola1054Passage La Maddalena-Pola.

Turchese (TC)30 Aug 19400545Pola30 Aug 19401230Monfalcone74Passage Pola-Monfalcone.

Turchese (TC)9 Nov 19400918Monfalcone9 Nov 19401610Monfalcone40Exercises.

Turchese (TC)22 Nov 19400930Monfalcone22 Nov 19401550Monfalcone44Exercises.

Turchese (TC)24 Nov 19400933Monfalcone24 Nov 19401640Pola74Passage Monfalcone-Pola.

Turchese (TC)29 Nov 19400903Pola29 Nov 19400953Pola5Exercises?

Turchese (TC)2 Dec 19400910Pola2 Dec 19401745Fiume63Passage Pola-Fiume, diving exercises to 60 meters, escorted by submarine Galatea.

Jalea (IA)6 Mar 19410840Taranto6 Mar 19411710Taranto44Exercises, escorted by the minesweeper R.D.30.

5.Jalea (IA)10 Mar 19412125Taranto11 Mar 19411045Taranto87Defensive patrol in Gulf of Taranto. Uneventful.

Jalea (IA)15 Mar 19411515Taranto15 Mar 19411646Taranto4Exercises.

Jalea (IA)16 Mar 19410910Taranto18 Mar 19411048Pola534Passage Taranto-Pola. Sighted only an Italian convoy.

Jalea (IA)25 Mar 19410810Pola25 Mar 19411550Pola50Exercises.

Jalea (IA)27 Mar 19410817Pola27 Mar 19411929Pola71Exercises with the submarines Bragadino, Medusa and Des Geneys, escorted by the auxiliaries San Giorgio and Jadera.

Jalea (IA)28 Mar 19410951Pola28 Mar 19411650Pola29Exercises.

Jalea (IA)31 Mar 19411328Pola1 Apr 19410015Pola71Trials.

6.Jalea (IA)4 Apr 19411610Pola13 Apr 19411325Pola827Patrolled in 43°24'N, 15°48'E on a line 15 miles NW/SE (or in 41°50'N, 18°25'E?), off Punta Planca and Sebenico. Uneventful. Replaced Medusa who had returned due to defects.

Jalea (IA)15 Apr 19410850Pola15 Apr 19410915Pola2Exercises.

Jalea (IA)4 May 19411000Pola4 May 19411025Pola0,5Docked.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)23 Jun 19411040Monfalcone23 Jun 19411850Pola67Passage Monfalcone-Pola.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)26 Jun 19410623Pola26 Jun 19412250Pola158Sailed with the submarine Bausan for exercises.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)3 Jul 19410815Pola3 Jul 19411800Pola50Exercises with the torpedo boat Audace.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)8 Jul 19410902Pola8 Jul 19411940Pola24Trials, escorted by MAS 552.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)16 Jul 19410853Pola16 Jul 19411547Fiume57Passage Pola-Fiume.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)18 Jul 19410740Fiume18 Jul 19411333Fiume10Trials.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)19 Jul 19411340Fiume19 Jul 19411630Fiume4Trials.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)27 Jul 19410900Fiume27 Jul 19411428Pola57Passage Fiume-Pola.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)29 Jul 19410800Pola29 Jul 19411800Pola56Exercises with the submarine Ammiraglio Cagni, escorted by the auxiliary Jadera and the torpedo boat Audace.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)2 Aug 19410900Pola2 Aug 19411409Monfalcone67Passage Pola-Monfalcone.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)24 Aug 19411015Monfalcone24 Aug 19411440Pola67Passage Monfalcone-Pola.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)28 Aug 19410750Pola28 Aug 19411833Pola37Exercises with the auxiliary Salvore.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)29 Aug 19410500Pola29 Aug 19411945Pola152Sailed for exercises with the submarine Ammiraglio Cagni.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)30 Aug 19411030Pola30 Aug 19411900Pola42Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Jadera.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)3 Sep 19410713Pola3 Sep 19411740Pola59Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Jadera for exercises with the torpedo boat Audace.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)4 Sep 19410740Pola4 Sep 19412252Pola51Exercises.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)5 Sep 19410510Pola5 Sep 19411610Pola40Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Salvore.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)7 Sep 19411218Pola7 Sep 19412210Pola15Exercises.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)8 Sep 19410915Pola8 Sep 19411754Pola13Exercises.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)9 Sep 19411751Pola11 Sep 19410807Taranto532Passage Pola-Taranto.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)14 Sep 19410830Taranto14 Sep 19411245Taranto22Exercises, escorted by MAS 4 D.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)21 Sep 19411330Taranto21 Sep 19411732Taranto19Exercises, escorted by the pilot vessel Limbara.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)23 Sep 19410803Taranto23 Sep 19410930Taranto14Exercises.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)1 Oct 19411330Taranto1 Oct 19411715Taranto31Exercises, escorted by MAS 4 D.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)3 Oct 19410745Taranto3 Oct 19411230Taranto27Exercises, escorted by the pilot vessel Limbara.

7.Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)10 Oct 19411315Taranto13 Oct 19411825BardiaSupply mission via 32°40'N, 25°20'E (153 tons of petrol in 7,346 cans).
  12 Oct 1941094534° 00'N, 23° 50'EAt 0945 hours, an aircraft was sighted at 3,000 metres flying at an altitude of 500 metres. Millo did not have time to dive. The aircraft made a large circle and was identified as German. It flew away after 5 minutes.
  12 Oct 1941131533° 50'N, 24° 30'EAt 1315 hours, an aircraft, believed to be a Blenheim bomber, was sighted at a distance of 4,000 metres. It was flying at an altitude of 500 metres and dived from the sun to about 100 metres. As it flew over the submarine flashing a white light, the British cockades were clearly seen and Millo opened fire with her machine guns. The aircraft was believed to have been hit and did not try to attack. Millo submerged at 1322 hours.

This was probably Beaufort No.6504 of 39 Squadron piloted by Sergeant Harvey. It attacked a submarine in the afternoon.

8.Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)14 Oct 19410015Bardia17 Oct 19411608Taranto1677Return trip from Bardia. Supply mission [mileage is for round trip].
  15 Oct 19411430
1426 or 1230 GMT (e)
34° 10'N, 22° 44'EAt 1430 hours, an enemy bomber was sighted at 1,000 metres. It came very quickly to the attack, dropping two depth charges which fell about 50 meters astern on the starboard side. They exploded a few seconds later. Millo did not have time to use her machine-guns and dived at 1431 hours.

This was Blenheim 'C' (Z9544) of 203 Squadron piloted by Pilot Officer Van der Water. It sighted a surfaced submarine on a course of 300 degrees at 10 knots (Millo was actually steering 284° at 12 knots). The bomber climbed to 3000 feet and made a diving attack, passing over the port quarter of the submarine at a height of 100 feet. One 250-lb GP bomb was dropped and observed to fall 10 feet astern of the submarine. The maneuver was repeated and a second bomb dropped on the now submerging submarine. A third attack was delivered in the same manner, this time with two bombs. The explosions raised a great mass of water just aft of the conning tower. The submarine disappeared and when the disturbance in the water had subsided bubbles were seen rising to the surface. It was considered that the submarine was destroyed. Millo had actually come out unscathed.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)9 Nov 19410850Taranto9 Nov 19411100TarantoExercises, escorted by the auxiliary Sparviero.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)11 Nov 19410901Taranto11 Nov 19411235TarantoExercises, escorted by the minesweeper R.D.13.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)14 Nov 19411355Taranto14 Nov 19411738TarantoExercises, escorted by the minesweeper R.D.24.

9.Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)16 Nov 19411342Taranto19 Nov 19411730BardiaSupply mission to Bardia (136.3 tons: 133.4 tons of petrol in 7,021 cans and 2.9 tons of ammunition). Uneventful. The vapors of benzine from her cargo caused severe discomfort to the men who discharged the cargo [ULTRA intercept].

10.Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)19 Nov 19412245Bardia22 Nov 19411400Taranto1490Return trip from supply mission to Bardia. Brought back twenty-two PoWs. She maintained a cruising speed of 14 knots. Uneventful [mileage is for round trip].

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)26 Nov 19411425Taranto26 Nov 19411645TarantoExercises.

11.Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)27 Nov 19411350Taranto29 Nov 19411830DernaSupply mission to Derna (139.7 tons: 136.7 tons of petrol, 3 tons of ammunition). Uneventful.

12.Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)29 Nov 19412330Derna2 Dec 19411300Taranto1195Return trip from supply mission to Derna, through 33°40'N and 22°40'E, 34°10'N and 21°20'E, 38°00'N and 18°00'E [mileage is for round trip].
  1 Dec 1941103037° 34'N, 19° 00'EAt 1030 hours, a derelict mine was hit with rifle fire but did not sink.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)8 Dec 19411050Taranto8 Dec 19411250TarantoExercises, escorted by MAS 5 D.

13.Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)8 Dec 19411405Taranto11 Dec 19410845BenghaziSupply mission to Benghazi (138.2 tons: 132.4 tons of Italian benzine, 5.8 tons of ammunition).
  9 Dec 1941100037° 18'N, 18° 59'EAt 1000 hours, an aircraft was seen at 5,000 metres flying at an altitude of 300 metres. It apparently maneuvered for an attack. Because the heavy seas prevented Millo from manning her machine guns efficiently, C.C. Miniero ordered the submarine to crash-dive, but no bombs were dropped.
  11 Dec 1941211032° 50'N, 20° 10'EAt 2110 hours, a submarine was sighted at 5,000 metres steering south.

14.Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)11 Dec 19411550Benghazi13 Dec 19410845SudaReturn from supply mission to Benghazi.
  11 Dec 1941211032° 50'N, 20° 10'EAt 2110 hours, a submarine was sighted at 5,000 metres steering south.

15.Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)15 Dec 19411730Suda17 Dec 19411815DernaSailed, escorted out by the tug Voltaire [who returned to Suda at 1900 hours on the 15th] for supply mission to Derna through 34°00'N, 22°40'E and Benghazi (1140 tons of fuel, 5 tons of ammunition). Upon arrival, C.C. Miniero was told not to unload his cargo as the town was about to be evacuated and he communicated to MARICOSOM his intention to land his stores in Benghazi [ULTRA intercept].
  16 Dec 19410700
0700 (e)
34° 36'N, 22° 50'E
(0) German Grid CO 5262.
At 0700 hours, the conning tower of a submarine was sighted at 8,000 metres. This was U-652 (OL Georg-Werner Fraatz).

16.Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)17 Dec 19412100Derna18 Dec 19411115BenghaziSupply mission to Derna and Benghazi (from Suda: 140 tons of fuel, 5 tons of ammunition). Uneventful.

17.Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)18 Dec 19411830Benghazi21 Dec 19411330SudaReturn from supply mission to Derna and Benghazi, fifteen PoWs and two guards. Uneventful.

Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)2 Jan 19421356Taranto2 Jan 19421702TarantoTrials escorted by the minesweeper R.D.30.

18.Ammiraglio Saint Bon (SB)4 Jan 19420845Taranto5 Jan 19420545SunkCarried only eight torpedoes during this trip. Supply mission (155.4 tons: 140 tons of petrol, 12 tons of lubricating oil, 3.4 tons of ammunition) from Taranto via Palermo to Tripoli (passing north of Sicily). Sunk by HMS Upholder.
  5 Jan 19420440
0538 (e)

(e) 38° 22'N, 15° 22'E
At 0530 hours, the submarine HMS Upholder (Lt. Cdr. M.D. Wanklyn, VC, DSO, RN) sighted what at first was believed to be a trawler, but later proved to be a two-gun submarine zig-zagging on course 260°-360° at 15 knots.

At 0538 hours, a single torpedo was fired at 1,000 yards. It was observed to hit just forward of the No. 1 gun. This was the last remaining torpedo and the first torpedo hit that Wanklyn actually watched.

This was Ammiraglio Saint Bon and she was hit amidship and this detonated her cargo and she sank very quickly. HMS Upholder picked up three survivors (an officer and two ratings). Eight officers and forty-nine ratings perished including C.C. Miniero.

The torpedo boat Centauro, two motorboats and an aircraft were sent to search for survivors, but none were found.

67 entries. 65 total patrol entries (18 marked as war patrols) and 11 events.

Italian Commanders

Italian Submarines