Italian submarines in World War Two
Italian Commanders
Paolo Vagliasindi
| Born | 4 May 1907 | Randazzo (Catania) | |
| Died | 1992 | (84) | Catania |
| Ranks
Decorations
|
Career information
BEILUL (C.C. C.O.): from 24.09.1939 to 01.08.1941.TITO SPERI (C.C. C.O.): from 01.08.1941 to 10.02.1942.
SQUALO (C.C. C.O.): from 21.02.1942 to 06.06.1942.
From 18.12.1942, on medical leave.
Joined RSI.
Commands listed for Paolo Vagliasindi
| Submarine | Type | Rank | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beilul (BU) | Coastal / Sea going | C.C. | 24 Sep 1939 | 1 Aug 1941 |
| Tito Speri (TS) | Ocean going | C.C. | 1 Aug 1941 | 10 Feb 1942 |
| Squalo (SQ) | Ocean going | C.C. | 21 Feb 1942 | 6 Jun 1942 |
Ships hit by Paolo Vagliasindi
No ships hit by this Commander.War patrols listed for Paolo Vagliasindi
| Submarine | Date | Time | Port | Arr. date | Arr. time | Arr. port | Miles | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Beilul (BU) | 9 Jun 1940 | 1450 | Augusta | 19 Jun 1940 | 0645 | Augusta | 660 | Patrolled between Pantelleria and Lampedusa. Uneventful. | |
| 2. | Beilul (BU) | 24 Jun 1940 | 2300 | Augusta | 27 Jun 1940 | 1930 | Leros | 650 | Sailed for patrol in 35°50'N, 23°10'E but then ordered to proceed immediately to Leros. British Intelligence reported the position as 35°40'N, 23°10'E and that she arrived at Leros at 1912 hours on the 27th. | |
| 3. | Beilul (BU) | 3 Jul 1940 | 2000 | Leros | 10 Jul 1940 | 0500 | Leros | 680 | Sailed with submarine Tricheco and patrolled between Alexandria and Cape Kupho (Crete) in 32°40'N, 28°10'E. | |
| 7 Jul 1940 | 2341 2339 (e) | 32° 40'N, 28° 10'E | At 2340 hours, the Officer of the Watch sighted the shadow of a destroyer. He recognised it to be of the "W" class. At 2341 hours, a single torpedo (450mm, W.200 type) was fired from a bow tube at a range of 1,000-1,200 metres and Beilul crash-dived. About a minute later, the submarine had reached a depth of 25 metres when a loud explosion was heard, followed by six or seven more, causing various damages, especially to the hydroplane control and the depth gauge. The submarine went down to 80 metres. The damages were repaired in a short time. It was believed that the target had been sunk, but the hydrophones detected two other vessels, which were now hunting the submarines. At 2355 hours, one vessel dropped 10-12 depth charges, which exploded on the port side. At 0103 hours, another attack followed again with 10-12 depth charges causing further damages. Prudently, C.C. Paolo Vagliasindi took his submarine to a depth of 95 metres. At 1105 hours, Beilul returned to periscope depth to find the vessels were gone. Still, the submarine surfaced only at 1945 hours. Vagliasindi decided to abort his mission and return to Leros. The target had been the destroyer HMS Hasty. She had avoided the torpedo and attacked the submarine with a full pattern of depth-charges. Italian Naval Intelligence heard that HMS Whirlwind had been sunk the next day and attributed her loss to Beilul. Actually, she was sunk on 5th July in home waters. | |||||||
| Beilul (BU) | 17 Aug 1940 | 1600 | Leros | 17 Aug 1940 | 1900 | Leros | 10 | Trials. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 22 Aug 1940 | 0800 | Leros | 22 Aug 1940 | 1200 | Leros | 15 | Trials. | ||
| 4. | Beilul (BU) | 16 Sep 1940 | 0800 | Leros | 21 Sep 1940 | 0700 | Leros | 502 | Patrolled in southwest Aegean. | |
| 5. | Beilul (BU) | 27 Sep 1940 | 1530 | Leros | 4 Oct 1940 | 1045 | Naples | 827 | Patrol and passage Leros-Naples. At 0530 hours on 30th September, she heard what appeared to be a naval force with her hydrophones, when 20 miles off Zante, but nothing was sighted. | |
| Beilul (BU) | 4 Nov 1940 | 1000 | Naples | 4 Nov 1940 | 1700 | Naples | 37 | Trials. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 6 Nov 1940 | 1300 | Naples | 6 Nov 1940 | 1800 | Naples | 24 | Trials. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 16 Nov 1940 | 1000 | Naples | 16 Nov 1940 | 1700 | Naples | 26 | Exercises. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 20 Nov 1940 | 0800 | Naples | 20 Nov 1940 | 1800 | Naples | 36 | Exercises. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 21 Nov 1940 | 1300 | Naples | 21 Nov 1940 | 1700 | Naples | 22 | Exercises. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 22 Nov 1940 | 1215 | Naples | 22 Nov 1940 | ? | Naples | Exercises. | |||
| Beilul (BU) | 23 Nov 1940 | 2300 | Naples | 24 Nov 1940 | 0900 | Naples | 29 | Exercises. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 26 Nov 1940 | 0835 | Naples | 27 Nov 1940 | 1435 | Augusta | 292 | Passage Naples-Augusta. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 23 Dec 1940 | 1400 | Augusta | 28 Dec 1940 | 1200 | Leros | 674 | Passage Augusta-Leros via Cerigotto Channel through (1) 35°40'N, 20°20'E (2) 328° - Agria Grabusa Lt. (Crete) - 10' (3) 260° - C. Malaka (Crete) - 29' (4) 158° - Makra Island - 11' (5) Point E of Stampalia . Uneventful. | ||
| 6. | Beilul (BU) | 7 Jan 1941 | 1950 | Leros | 13 Jan 1941 | 0800 | Leros | 541 | Patrolled off Cape Sidero and in Kaso Strait [or area D for DARIO]. | |
| 9 Jan 1941 | 0017 After midnight (e) | 35° 25'N, 26° 28'E | At 2340 hours, the Officer of the Watch detected a number of vessels. Soon they appeared to be from a convoy in two columns, consisting of five merchant vessels estimated at over 5,000 GRT, escorted by three destroyers proceeding at 10 knots. At 0017 hours, Beilul fired four bow torpedoes (three 533mm and one 450mm), from the surface, at a distance of 3,000 metres, aimed at three vessels forming a continuous target. The submarine was forced to dive as a destroyer turned toward her. Explosions were heard after 175 and 185 seconds and it was believed that two vessels had been hit. Two minutes later, this was followed by two loud detonations and attributed to secondary explosions on the stricken ships. This was the convoy A.S. 10 on passage from Piraeus to Port Said and Alexandria, consisting of the freighters British Destro (3,553 GRT, built 1920, convoy leader), Bantria (2,402 GRT, built 1928), Desmoulea (8,120 GRT, built 1939), Christa (2,590 GRT, built 1938), El Hak (1,022 GRT, built 1929), Meroë (3,832 GRT, built 1936), Greek Styliani (1,420 GRT, built 1920), Odysseus (1,065 GRT, built 1922), Maiotis (1,718 GRT, built 1888), Heron (1,516 GRT, built 1906) , Sofia (593 GRT, built 1938) (Sofia was diverted to Suda and was not present) screened by the Hellenic destroyers Vasilefs Georgios (escort leader: Captain Mezeviris), Vasilissa Olga, Spetsai, Psara and Koundouriotis. The closest explosion occurred near Vasilefs Georgios. Captain Meseviris initially thought that one of his destroyers had dropped depth charges. It was only discovered that a submarine attack had taken place after the Italian Radio Station Stefani announced it. Vagliasindi complained that Beilul did not carry reload torpedoes and, having emptied his forward tubes, he could not effectively mount another attack. | |||||||
| 7. | Beilul (BU) | 8 Feb 1941 | 2030 | Leros | 15 Feb 1941 | 0715 | Leros | 524 | Patrolled between 35°40'N and 36°20'N, and between 24°00'E and 24°40'E, between Polykandro and Milo. Uneventful, except for H.E. | |
| Beilul (BU) | 5 Mar 1941 | 0900 | Leros | 5 Mar 1941 | 1700 | Leros | 37 | Exercises. | ||
| 8. | Beilul (BU) | 13 Mar 1941 | 2300 | Leros | 18 Mar 1941 | 1000 | Leros | 415 | Patrolled in Aegean, about 30 miles south of Kaso Strait. Uneventful. Heard only H.E. at 1720 hours on the 17th, believed to be from enemy naval force reported the previous day by Air Reconnaissance. | |
| 9. | Beilul (BU) | 10 Apr 1941 | 0240 | Leros | 23 Apr 1941 | 1400 | Leros | 901 | Patrolled in 34°00'N, 27°43'E on axis 60°-240°. Uneventful. Heard only H.E. at a distance. | |
| 10. | Beilul (BU) | 8 May 1941 | 2000 | Leros | 14 May 1941 | 0430 | Leros | 664 | Patrolled between 31°20'N and 33°30'N and 34°00'N, and between 28°00'E and 29°20'E, | |
| 11 May 1941 | 2000 | 33° 34'N, 29° 08'E | At 2000 hours, information was received of the passage of a convoy and Beilul altered course to intercept. At 0405 hours on 12th May, the convoy was distinctly heard on the hydrophones at a distance of 40 miles, but the sound grew fainter and disappeared at about 1000 hours in the direction of Alexandria. Beilul gave up the chase at 1045 hours, when she was in 32°40' N, 28°14' E. | |||||||
| 12 May 1941 | 1157 | 33° 34'N, 29° 08'E (0) Approximately. | At 1157 hours, a hydrophone effect was heard and was suspected to be an A/S vessel. Beilul dived to 60 meters. At 1400 hours she was suddenly straddled by depth-charges. Close explosions continued until 1511 hours, causing serious damage to the submarine. Three vessels were detected. Beilul finally surfaced at 1945 hours, ready to battle it out, only to find they had disappeared. However, the damages forced the submarine to abandon the patrol. | |||||||
| Beilul (BU) | 19 Jun 1941 | 1150 | Leros | 20 Jun 1941 | 1800 | Corinth | Passage Leros-La Spezia, via Corinth Canal and Patras. Uneventful. | |||
| Beilul (BU) | 21 Jun 1941 | 0352 | Corinth | 21 Jun 1941 | 1040 | Patras | Passage Corinth-Patras. | |||
| Beilul (BU) | 21 Jun 1941 | 1255 | Patras | 22 Jun 1941 | 2115 | Messina | Passage Patras-Messina. | |||
| Beilul (BU) | 24 Jun 1941 | 1600 | Messina | 26 Jun 1941 | 1110 | La Spezia | 1109 | Passage Messina-La Spezia for major refit. Uneventful. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 6 Aug 1941 | 0800 | Pola | 6 Aug 1941 | 1845 | Pola | 69 | Exercises. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 8 Aug 1941 | 0805 | Pola | 8 Aug 1941 | 1705 | Pola | 67,5 | Exercises. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 11 Aug 1941 | 0805 | Pola | 11 Aug 1941 | 1745 | Pola | 62 | Exercises. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 13 Aug 1941 | 1205 | Pola | 13 Aug 1941 | 2000 | Pola | 64 | Exercises. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 19 Aug 1941 | 0807 | Pola | 19 Aug 1941 | 1830 | Pola | 81 | Sailed with the submarines Jalea and Toti, escorted by the auxiliaries San Giorgio and Salvore, for torpedo firing exercises with the torpedo boat Insidioso. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 20 Aug 1941 | 0750 | Pola | 20 Aug 1941 | 1825 | Pola | 61 | Exercises. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 22 Aug 1941 | 0710 | Pola | 22 Aug 1941 | 1645 | Pola | 60 | Sailed with the submarine Medusa, escorted by the auxiliary Morrhua, for torpedo firing exercises with the torpedo boat Insidioso. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 29 Aug 1941 | 1310 | Pola | 30 Aug 1941 | 0250 | Pola | 80 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Salvore. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 1 Sep 1941 | 1045 | Pola | 2 Sep 1941 | 0140 | Pola | 90 | Exercises. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 5 Sep 1941 | 0800 | Pola | 5 Sep 1941 | 1720 | Pola | 71 | Exercises. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 8 Sep 1941 | 0800 | Pola | 8 Sep 1941 | 1755 | Pola | 61 | Exercises with the submarines Jalea, Cagni and Des Geneys, escorted by the auxiliaries Salvore, Jadera and Morrhua. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 11 Sep 1941 | 1030 | Pola | 11 Sep 1941 | 1900 | Pola | 67 | Exercises with the submarine Medusa, escorted by the auxiliary Jadera, and torpedo firing exercise on the torpedo boat Audace. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 12 Sep 1941 | 0755 | Pola | 12 Sep 1941 | 1810 | Pola | 67 | Exercises. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 15 Sep 1941 | 0750 | Pola | 15 Sep 1941 | 1755 | Pola | 70 | Exercises with the submarine Toti, escorted by the auxiliary Morrhua. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 19 Sep 1941 | 1005 | Pola | 20 Sep 1941 | 0210 | Pola | 86 | Exercises with the submarine Jalea, escorted by the auxiliary Morrhua. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 22 Sep 1941 | 0802 | Pola | 22 Sep 1941 | 1732 | Pola | 60 | Exercises. | ||
| 11. | Tito Speri (TS) | 25 Sep 1941 | 1620 | Pola | 28 Sep 1941 | 1130 | Pola | 379 | A/S patrol west of Grossa Island, between 44°11'N and 43°38'N, and between 14°17'E and eastern Adriatic coast. Uneventful. | |
| Tito Speri (TS) | 3 Oct 1941 | 1115 | Pola | 4 Oct 1941 | 0140 | Pola | 84 | Exercises with the submarine Toti, escorted by the auxiliary Salvatore. | ||
| 12. | Tito Speri (TS) | 4 Oct 1941 | 1645 | Pola | 5 Oct 1941 | 1515 | Pola | 149 | Antisubmarine patrol off Pola, between 44°47'N, 13°32'E and 45°14.5'N, 12°38'E to cover passage of S.S. Stockholm from Venice to Trieste. Uneventful. | |
| 13. | Tito Speri (TS) | 9 Oct 1941 | 1655 | Pola | 11 Oct 1941 | 0300 | Pola | 447 | Hydrophone watch off Pola. | |
| Tito Speri (TS) | 14 Oct 1941 | 1040 | Pola | 14 Oct 1941 | 1900 | Pola | 63 | Exercises. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 17 Oct 1941 | 1005 | Pola | 17 Oct 1941 | 1830 | Pola | 61 | Exercises with the submarine Toti, escorted by the auxiliary Morrhua. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 21 Oct 1941 | 0805 | Pola | 21 Oct 1941 | 1725 | Pola | 65 | Exercises with the submarine Toti, escorted by the auxiliary Morrhua. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 23 Oct 1941 | 0810 | Pola | 23 Oct 1941 | 1725 | Pola | 60 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Morrhua. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 27 Oct 1941 | 0805 | Pola | 27 Oct 1941 | 1645 | Pola | 57 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Morrhua. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 29 Oct 1941 | 0805 | Pola | 29 Oct 1941 | 1735 | Pola | 56 | Exercises with the submarine Des Geneys, escorted by the torpedo boat Audace. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 30 Oct 1941 | 0810 | Pola | 30 Oct 1941 | 1720 | Pola | 58 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Salvore. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 3 Nov 1941 | 0808 | Pola | 3 Nov 1941 | 1645 | Pola | 66 | Exercises with the submarine Mameli, escorted by Morrhua. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 5 Nov 1941 | 0808 | Pola | 5 Nov 1941 | 1645 | Pola | 57,5 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliaries San Giorgio and Grado. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 10 Nov 1941 | 0800 | Pola | 10 Nov 1941 | 1650 | Pola | 61 | Exercises, escorted by the torpedo boat Audace and the auxiliary Jadera. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 28 Nov 1941 | 0907 | Pola | 28 Nov 1941 | 1700 | Pola | 66 | Exercises with the submarines Pisani, Jalea and Mameli, escorted by the auxiliaries Jadera and Tron. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 2 Dec 1941 | 0808 | Pola | 2 Dec 1941 | 1715 | Pola | 61 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliaries Jadera and Trau | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 3 Dec 1941 | 0805 | Pola | 3 Dec 1941 | 1656 | Pola | 63 | Exercises, escorted by the torpedo boat Audace and the auxiliaries Trau, Jadera and San Giorgio. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 6 Dec 1941 | 0808 | Pola | 6 Dec 1941 | 1700 | Pola | 60 | Exercises with the submarines Bajamonti, Mameli, Des Geneys and Toti, escorted by the auxiliaries Audace, Jadera, Trau and San Giorgio. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 12 Dec 1941 | 0808 | Pola | 12 Dec 1941 | 1700 | Pola | 66 | Exercises with the submarines Pisani and Jalea, escorted by the torpedo boat Insidioso and the auxiliaries Trau and San Giorgio. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 15 Dec 1941 | 0800 | Pola | 15 Dec 1941 | 1705 | Pola | 73 | Exercises with the submarine Medusa, escorted by the auxiliary San Giorgio. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 22 Dec 1941 | 0835 | Pola | 22 Dec 1941 | 1700 | Pola | 58 | Exercises with the submarine Des Geneys, escorted by the auxiliary Jadera. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 23 Dec 1941 | 1610 | Pola | 24 Dec 1941 | 0030 | Pola | 59 | Exercises with the submarine Mameli, escorted by the auxiliary Jadera. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 27 Dec 1941 | 0807 | Pola | 27 Dec 1941 | 1715 | Pola | 66 | Exercises with the submarine Jalea, escorted by the auxiliary San Giorgio. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 29 Dec 1941 | 0830 | Pola | 29 Dec 1941 | 1710 | Pola | 65 | Gunfire exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Trau. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 30 Dec 1941 | 0808 | Pola | 30 Dec 1941 | 1700 | Pola | 66 | Gunfire exercises with the submarines Toti and Medusa, escorted by the auxiliaries Jadera, Grado and Trau. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 2 Jan 1942 | 0630 | Pola | 2 Jan 1942 | 2330 | Pola | 62 | Torpedo firing exercises. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 5 Jan 1942 | 0827 | Pola | 5 Jan 1942 | 1800 | Pola | 70 | Exercises with the submarines Jalea, Des Geneys, Medusa and Ondina, escorted by the torpedo boat Audace, and the auxiliaries Jadera, San Giorgio and Trau. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 12 Jan 1942 | 1100 | Pola | 13 Jan 1942 | 0010 | Pola | 82 | Exercises. | ||
| 14. | Tito Speri (TS) | 22 Jan 1942 | 1420 | Pola | 23 Jan 1942 | 0800 | Pola | 102 | Patrolled in northern Adriatic. Uneventful. | |
| Tito Speri (TS) | 26 Jan 1942 | 0835 | Pola | 26 Jan 1942 | 1805 | Pola | 46 | Exercises with the submarines Mameli and Pisani, escorted by the torpedo boat Calatafimi and the auxiliaries San Giorgio and Trau. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 29 Jan 1942 | 1030 | Pola | 29 Jan 1942 | 2130 | Pola | 72 | Exercises with the submarine Pisani, escorted by the auxiliary San Giorgio. | ||
| Tito Speri (TS) | 7 Feb 1942 | 0820 | Pola | 9 Feb 1942 | 0930 | Taranto | 480 | Passage Pola-Taranto. Sighted only Italian ships. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 21 Apr 1942 | 0900 | Pola | 21 Apr 1942 | 1635 | Pola | 64 | Trials. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 22 Apr 1942 | 0840 | Pola | 22 Apr 1942 | 1600 | Pola | 18 | Gyrocompass tests. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 28 Apr 1942 | 1253 | Pola | 28 Apr 1942 | 1850 | Pola | 30 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 8 May 1942 | 1324 | Pola | 8 May 1942 | 1915 | Pola | 25 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 9 May 1942 | 1315 | Pola | 9 May 1942 | 1920 | Pola | 25 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 12 May 1942 | 0800 | Pola | 12 May 1942 | 1545 | Pola | 32 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 13 May 1942 | 1315 | Pola | 13 May 1942 | 1920 | Pola | 36 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 15 May 1942 | 0832 | Pola | 15 May 1942 | 1400 | Pola | 25 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 23 May 1942 | 0815 | Pola | 23 May 1942 | 1045 | Pola | 12 | Exercises. | ||
| 15. | Squalo (SQ) | 25 May 1942 | 1651 | Pola | 26 May 1942 | 0845 | Pola | 106 | Sailed with Mameli for hydrophone watch and exercises with battleship Roma in (a) area between 45°31'N, 12°55'E, 45°22'45'N, 13°01.5'E, 45°18'20'N, 12°50'E, 45°26.5'N, 12°43.5'E (b) area between 45°15'N and 45°24'N, 13°10'E and 13°2'5 E. Uneventful. | |
| Squalo (SQ) | 28 May 1942 | 1120 | Pola | 28 May 1942 | 1620 | Pola | 10 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 29 May 1942 | 1324 | Pola | 29 May 1942 | 1920 | Pola | 13 | Exercises. | ||
| Squalo (SQ) | 30 May 1942 | 1320 | Pola | 30 May 1942 | 1700 | Pola | 8,2 | Exercises. | ||
88 entries. 87 total patrol entries (15 marked as war patrols) and 4 events.