Italian submarines in World War Two
Italian Commanders
Luigi Baroni
| Born | 15 Mar 1909 | Milan | |
| Died | 1993 | (83) | Rome |
| Ranks
Decorations
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Career information
NAIADE (T.V. C.O.): from 28.10.1939 to 05.11.1940.MALACHITE (T.V. C.O.): from 08.11.1940 to 17.11.1940.
Promoted to C.C. in December 1940.
GLAUCO (T.V. C.O.): from 08.12.1940 to 27.06.1941 (sunk, Baroni survived as PoW).
Commands listed for Luigi Baroni
| Submarine | Type | Rank | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naiade (NA) | Coastal / Sea going | T.V. | 28 Oct 1939 | 5 Nov 1940 |
| Malachite (MH) | Coastal / Sea going | T.V. | 8 Nov 1940 | 17 Nov 1940 |
| Glauco (GU, I.24) | Ocean going | C.C. | 8 Dec 1940 | 27 Jun 1941 |
Ships hit by Luigi Baroni
| Date | Submarine | Ship hit | Type | GRT | Nat. | Loss type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 12 Jun 1940 | Naiade | Orkanger | Tanker | 8,029 |  | Sunk |
War patrols listed for Luigi Baroni
| Submarine | Date | Time | Port | Arr. date | Arr. time | Arr. port | Miles | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naiade (NA) | 5 Jun 1940 | 0810 | Tobruk | 5 Jun 1940 | 0945 | Tobruk | 3,7 | Exercises. | ||
| 1. | Naiade (NA) | 9 Jun 1940 | 0545 | Tobruk | 15 Jun 1940 | 1200 | Tobruk | 893 | Sailed with Galatea and patrolled on Alexandria-Gaidero (Crete) route, 40 miles northwest of Alexandria. | |
| 12 Jun 1940 | 1336 | 31° 59'N, 29° 00'E | At 1336 hours, a convoy of pontoons escorted by a gunboat, were sighted steering 140° (toward Alexandria). Naiade opened fire at 1,800 metres, but broke off the attack due to wet ammunition and was forced to dive by machine-gun fire from the gunboat. | |||||||
| 12 Jun 1940 | 2157 2255 (e) | 31° 42'N, 28° 50'E | At 2145 hours, a large tanker was sighted at a range of 4,000 metres, steering 130° at 13 knots. Naiade closed on the surface. At 2157 hours, a torpedo (533mm) was fired from a bow tube at a distance of 1,200 metres. It hit and damaged the tanker. This was the Norwegian tanker Orkanger (8,029 GRT, built 1928) carrying 10,500 tons of fuel oil from Port Said to Malta. The Italian declaration of war had forced her to turn back and she had been ordered to Alexandria. Shortly after, the submarine reverted course and fired a stern torpedo (450mm) but it had an erratic course and missed. She reverted course again. At 2218 hours, a third torpedo (450mm) was fired from a bow tube at 500 metres. It hit and the tanker sank. Survivors confirmed that two torpedoes had hit the engine room about ten minutes apart. Four crew members were killed. Thirty-nine survivors (twenty-nine crew members and ten passengers, including Lt. Cdr. Crabbe, two stokers and nine military personnel) were picked up by the Spanish Tom who brought them back to Alexandria. | |||||||
| Naiade (NA) | 16 Jun 1940 | 0545 | Tobruk | 16 Jun 1940 | 1200 | Tobruk | 3,2 | Exercises. | ||
| Naiade (NA) | 17 Jun 1940 | 1830 | Tobruk | 17 Jun 1940 | 0800/18? | Tobruk | 2 | Exercises. | ||
| Naiade (NA) | 18 Jun 1940 | 1929 | Tobruk | 22 Jun 1940 | 0930 | Crotone | 580 | Passage Tobruk-Crotone, escorted out by the destroyer Aquilone. | ||
| Naiade (NA) | 23 Jun 1940 | 0445 | Crotone | 23 Jun 1940 | 1720 | Taranto | 115 | Passage Crotone-Taranto. | ||
| Naiade (NA) | 19 Jul 1940 | 1218 | Taranto | 19 Jul 1940 | 1735 | Taranto | 33 | Trials. | ||
| Naiade (NA) | 25 Jul 1940 | 0433 | Taranto | 25 Jul 1940 | 1005 | Taranto | 37,1 | Trials. | ||
| Naiade (NA) | 28 Jul 1940 | 0553 | Taranto | 28 Jul 1940 | 1605 | Taranto | 46,2 | Exercises. | ||
| Naiade (NA) | 29 Jul 1940 | 1005 | Taranto | 29 Jul 1940 | 1130 | Taranto | 3 | Exercises. | ||
| Naiade (NA) | 1 Aug 1940 | 1304 | Taranto | 1 Aug 1940 | 1825 | Taranto | 35,9 | Exercises. | ||
| 2. | Naiade (NA) | 3 Aug 1940 | 2300 | Taranto | 22 Aug 1940 | 1200 | Taranto | 1229 | Patrolled south of Crete, between 33°20'N and 34°00'N, and between 24°35'E and 25°35'E. | |
| 6 Aug 1940 | 1945 | 36° 18'N, 19° 45'E (0) West of Crete. | At 1945 hours, A Sunderland aircraft was observed from periscope depth flying toward Malta. | |||||||
| 8 Aug 1940 | 2010 | (0) West of Crete. | At 2010 hours, a submarine steering about 130° was sighted and Naiade manoeuvered for a bow shot. The attack was aborted as the nationality could not be ascertained. | |||||||
| 15 Aug 1940 | 1500 approx. | (0) South of Crete. | From about 1500 hours, Naiade was subject of an intense A/S search by four destroyers and depth-charged. She escaped by going down to 70 meters and later moved 40 miles north of her position to escape further attacks. | |||||||
| Naiade (NA) | 28 Aug 1940 | 0330 | Taranto | 30 Aug 1940 | 0800 | Pola | Passage Taranto-Pola. | |||
| Naiade (NA) | 31 Aug 1940 | 0540 | Pola | 31 Aug 1940 | 1405 | Pola | Trials. | |||
| Naiade (NA) | 1 Sep 1940 | 0555 | Pola | 1 Sep 1940 | 1335 | Monfalcone | 600 | Passage Pola-Monfalcone. | ||
| Naiade (NA) | 2 Sep 1940 | Monfalcone | 2 Sep 1940 | Monfalcone | Exercises. | |||||
| Naiade (NA) | 23 Oct 1940 | 0910 | Monfalcone | 23 Oct 1940 | 1500 | Monfalcone | 22 | Exercises. | ||
| Naiade (NA) | 25 Oct 1940 | 0910 | Monfalcone | 25 Oct 1940 | 1605 | Monfalcone | 32 | Exercises. | ||
| Naiade (NA) | 29 Oct 1940 | 1040 | Monfalcone | 29 Oct 1940 | 1805 | Pola | 72 | Passage Monfalcone-Pola. | ||
| Malachite (MH) | 9 Nov 1940 | 0855 | Pola | 11 Nov 1940 | 1315 | Taranto | 531 | Passage Pola-Taranto. Uneventful. | ||
| 3. | Malachite (MH) | 12 Nov 1940 | 0500 | Taranto | 13 Nov 1940 | 1830 | Taranto | 180 | Defensive patrol in 150° - Torre Scanzano - 13' (Gulf of Taranto). | |
| Glauco (GU, I.24) | 10 Dec 1940 | 1530 | Bordeaux | 10 Dec 1940 | 1831 | Pauillac | 26 | Passage Bordeaux-Pauillac and trials. | ||
| Glauco (GU, I.24) | 13 Dec 1940 | 0925 | Pauillac | 13 Dec 1940 | 1124 | Le Verdon | 25 | Passage Pauillac-Le Verdon and trials. | ||
| Glauco (GU, I.24) | 14 Dec 1940 | 0845 | Le Verdon | 14 Dec 1940 | 1614 | La Pallice | 70 | Passage Le Verdon-La Pallice and trials. | ||
| Glauco (GU, I.24) | 15 Dec 1940 | 0830 | La Pallice | 15 Dec 1940 | 1757 | La Pallice | 25 | Trials. | ||
| Glauco (GU, I.24) | 18 Dec 1940 | La Pallice | 18 Dec 1940 | La Pallice | Trials. | |||||
| Glauco (GU, I.24) | 18 Dec 1940 | 0910 | La Pallice | 18 Dec 1940 | 1841 | La Pallice | 31 | Trials. | ||
| Glauco (GU, I.24) | 21 Dec 1940 | 0902 | La Pallice | 21 Dec 1940 | 1630 | La Pallice | 25 | Trials. | ||
| 4. | Glauco (GU, I.24) | 23 Dec 1940 | 1600 | La Pallice | 16 Jan 1941 | 1230 | Le Verdon | Sailed for Atlantic patrol between 56°00'N and 57°00'N, and between 17°00'W and 20°00'W. Returned escorted by the German minesweepers M-9 and M-21 and the submarine chaser UJ-E. | ||
| 1 Jan 1941 | 1050 | 56° 10'N, 19° 25'W | A submarine believed to be German, was observed proceeding at 12 knots, at a distance of 5,000 metres. Glauco did not attempt to make contact and was probably not sighted as she was on the dark side of the horizon. | |||||||
| 5 Jan 1941 | 1745 | 55° 35'N, 16° 00'W (0) Position approximate. | Glauco sighted a large aircraft, flying low, at a distance of 6,000 metres and dived. This was possibly Sunderland 'A' (L5798) of 210 Squadron piloted by Flight Lieutenant R.E.G. Van der Kiste. At 1500 hours, a submarine was sighted at 1/3 of a mile. The Sunderland attacked and 45 seconds after the sighting released two 450lb depth charges from 20 feet. They were estimated to fall 100 feet ahead of the track. No results were seen, and visibility was too bad for photographs. The bottom of the hull of the Sunderland was damaged by suspected fragments from the depth charges; on alighting at Bowmore, the aircraft rapidly filled with water. Only after heavy pumping and baling was a diver able to apply a leak stopper from the outside. However, Glauco did not report any attack. | |||||||
| 7 Jan 1941 | 0010 | As the submarine was switching engines (from electric to diesel), a mistake in execution caused the door of cylinder no.2 to exploded, causing a leg injury to the rating responsible. The damage was repaired. | ||||||||
| 9 Jan 1941 | 0305 0255 (e) | 52° 40'N, 17° 25'W (e) 52° 29'N, 18° 22'W | At 0245 hours, Glauco sighted a steamer at a distance of 3,000 metres. At 0305 hours, she fired a bow shot (533mm) from a distance of 600 metres. It missed. This was the Ocean Boarding vessel HMS Cavina (6,908 GRT, built 1924). Glauco now opened fire with both her 100mm guns, firing ten rounds and claiming two hits. The Breda machine guns also joined in as the distance got shorter and fired 195 13.2mm rounds. The target (HMS Cavina), replied with what appeared to be two 2 cm guns and a stern gun (estimated at a 120 or 152mm calibre). The gunnery officer of the submarine (Sottotenente di vascello Carlo Marenco Di Moriondo) manning the rear gun, was killed and was posthumously awarded the Medaglia d'Oro. | |||||||
| 15 Jan 1941 | 0445 | 45° 48'N, 3° 45'W | A group of fishing vessels was encountered, one of which turned toward the submarine as if attempting to ram her. Glauco took evasive action. | |||||||
| Glauco (GU, I.24) | 16 Jan 1941 | 1600 | Le Verdon | 16 Jan 1941 | 1800 | Pauillac | 25 | Passage Le Verdon-Pauillac | ||
| Glauco (GU, I.24) | 18 Jan 1941 | 0915 | Pauillac | 18 Jan 1941 | 1155 | Bordeaux | 25 | Passage Pauillac-Bordeaux. | ||
| 5. | Glauco (GU, I.24) | 19 Mar 1941 | 1010 | Bordeaux | 21 Mar 1941 | 1715 | Pauillac | 456 | Sailed for patrol between 12°00'W and the Iberian peninsula after a brief stop at Le Verdon. Had to return due to defects. On her way back, met and escorted in by Sperrbrecher III, minesweepers M-9 and M-12, submarine chaser UJ-K and patrol boat V-406. | |
| 6. | Glauco (GU, I.24) | 22 Mar 1941 | 1600 | Pauillac | 25 Mar 1941 | 1410 | Pauillac | 554 | Sailed, escorted by Sperrbrecher 34 for patrol between 12°00'W and the Iberian Peninsula and but again returned due to defects. | |
| Glauco (GU, I.24) | 26 Mar 1941 | 1733 | Pauillac | 26 Mar 1941 | 2130 | Le Verdon | 26 | Passage Pauillac-Le Verdon. | ||
| 7. | Glauco (GU, I.24) | 27 Mar 1941 | 1927 | Le Verdon | 22 Apr 1941 | 1540 | Bordeaux | 4033 | Sailed for Atlantic patrol between 12°00'W and the Iberian Peninsula. Sighted several Spanish vessels. | |
| 12 Apr 1941 | 1320 | (0) Between Cape Espichel and Lisbon. | A destroyer was sighted, proceeding at 14 knots toward Lisbon. The submarine could not close at less than 4,000 meters and gave up carrying an attack. | |||||||
| 14 Apr 1941 | 1205 1216 (e) | (e) 38° 29'N, 9° 41'W | A submarine chaser was observed at a distance of 1,000 metres. It had apparently detected the submarine, this was the armed trawler HMT Scottish joined later by HMT Loch Oskaig. Glauco went down to 130 meters but, when passing 30 meters, she was depth-charged and damaged by a first pattern of six depth-charges. A total of 130 depth charges were counted until 2230 hours, but when the submarine surfaced at 2330, she sighted nothing and escaped at high speed to the westward. | |||||||
| 16 Apr 1941 | 0200 | (0) Off Lisbon. | The Swedish freighter Lisa (?) was sighted. She was navigating with her lights on. The submarine desisted from attack and shortly after abandoned her patrol due to the damage incurred during the depth-charge attack of 14th April. | |||||||
| 8. | Glauco (GU, I.24) | 18 Jun 1941 | 1800 | Royan | 20 Jun 1941 | 0700 | La Pallice | Sailed for patrol escorted by Sperrbrecher III, but returned due to defects. Met at 2214/19 by the German minesweepers M 4443 and M 4444 and escorted back to la Pallice. | ||
| 9. | Glauco (GU, I.24) | 23 Jun 1941 | 2145 | Royan | 27 Jun 1941 | 1220 | Sunk | Sailed for Italy escorted by Sperrbrecher III. She was expected to cross the Strait of Gibraltar on the 28th. Sunk by the destroyer HMS Wishart. She carried four spare torpedoes at the time (1 x 533 mm and 1 x 450 mm forward and the same aft). | ||
| 27 Jun 1941 | 0941 (e) | (e) 35° 06'N, 12° 41'W | The destroyer HMS Wishart had left a convoy at 0655 hours when Glauco was sighted at 0941 hours at a distance of 4 miles. The submarine sighted the destroyer at 5,000 metres and submerged. At 0958 hours, Wishart carried out the first of eight depth-charge attacks and, at 1220 hours, the submarine was finally forced to the surface. The destroyer opened fire with Lewis guns and two 4-inch rounds. One officer and seven ratings were killed or drowned, seven officers and forty-four ratings were picked up. Attempts to tow the submarine to Gibraltar failed. The submarine was finally sunk with gunfire and three torpedoes (they all missed!). Some documents were recovered. | |||||||
46 entries. 37 total patrol entries (9 marked as war patrols) and 14 events.