Italian submarines in World War Two

Italian Commanders


Mario Violante

Born  25 Apr 1911Trino Vercellese (Vercelli)
Died   1986(74)Recco

Ranks

  S.T.V.Sottotenente di Vascello
  T.V.Tenente di Vascello

Decorations

12 Jan 1942 Medaglia di bronzo al valore militare
16 Nov 1942 Medaglia di bronzo al valore militare
18 Aug 1945 Croce di guerra al valore militare

Career information

ARCHIMEDE (S.T.V. then T.V. First Officer): from 10.02.1940 to July 1942+.
Promoted to T.V. on ?
ARCHIMEDE (T.V. resp.): from 19.11.1941 to 20.04.1942 (refit at Bordeaux).
OTARIA (T.V. C.O.): from 22.11.1942 to 24.02.1943.
DELFINO (T.V. C.O.): from 01.03.1943 to 23.03.1943. (sunk, Violante survived).

Commands listed for Mario Violante


Submarine Type Rank From To
Archimede (AH, I.31)Ocean goingT.V.19 Nov 194120 Apr 1942
Otaria (OA, I.25)Ocean goingT.V.22 Nov 194224 Feb 1943
Delfino (DL)Ocean goingT.V.1 Mar 194323 Mar 1943

Ships hit by Mario Violante

No ships hit by this Commander.

War patrols listed for Mario Violante

 SubmarineDateTimePortArr. dateArr. timeArr. portMilesDescription
Archimede (AH, I.31)19 Nov 1941Bordeaux19 Apr 1942BordeauxLong refit.

Otaria (OA, I.25)29 Nov 19420721Taranto29 Nov 19421530Taranto36,5Trials.

1.Otaria (OA, I.25)1 Dec 19421105Taranto3 Dec 19420805Taranto263Supply mission to Tripoli with 25 tons of German ammunition, but turned back because of defects.

Otaria (OA, I.25)21 Dec 19421132Taranto21 Dec 19421945Taranto43Exercises.

2.Otaria (OA, I.25)23 Dec 19421240Taranto27 Dec 19421215Tripoli727,1Supply mission to Tripoli (23.3 tons of Italian ammunition and 63 tons of lubricating oil).
  26 Dec 1942111033° 31'N, 16° 28'EAn unknown aircraft was sighted from periscope depth at a distance of 3,000 metres. The submarine was taken down to a depth of 40 metres.
  27 Dec 1942104432° 56'N, 13° 21'EA German aircraft came into view and exchanged recognition signals.

3.Otaria (OA, I.25)27 Dec 19421820Tripoli30 Dec 19421550Taranto635Return trip from supply mission to Tripoli with ten PoWs [three officers and seven other ranks], one Italian officer and two carabinieri.
  27 Dec 1942104432° 56'N, 13° 21'EA German aircraft came into view and exchanged recognition signals.
  28 Dec 1942142034° 17'N, 16° 16'EFive aircraft was sighted at a distance of 8,000 metres, They could not be identified and the submarine dived.
  28 Dec 1942171334° 50'N, 16° 10'EA derelict mine was sighted and the submarine just reported it.
  28 Dec 1942172034° 30'N, 16° 58'EAn aircraft, which could not be identified, was sighted and the submarine dived. The position recorded appears to be an error [see 1713/28 entry].

4.Otaria (OA, I.25)12 Jan 19431143Taranto16 Jan 19431134Tripoli727,7Supply mission to Tripoli (22 tons of Italian ammunition).
  16 Jan 19431920
(0) Near Tripoli.
Shortly after departing harbour, the submarine observed flares during a bombing raid on Tripoli and dived.
  16 Jan 19432130
(0) Near Tripoli.
The submarine had just surfaced when two more flares were sighted and she dived again.

5.Otaria (OA, I.25)16 Jan 19431634Tripoli19 Jan 19431540Taranto621,3Return trip from supply mission to Tripoli. Brought back eight PoWs and four guards.
  16 Jan 19431920
(0) Near Tripoli.
Shortly after departing harbour, the submarine observed flares during a bombing raid on Tripoli and dived.
  16 Jan 19432130
(0) Near Tripoli.
The submarine had just surfaced when two more flares were sighted and she dived again.

Otaria (OA, I.25)2 Feb 19430839Taranto2 Feb 19431756Taranto40,5Exercises.

Otaria (OA, I.25)9 Feb 19431612Taranto11 Feb 19432100Pola601,3Passage Taranto-Pola. Uneventful.

Otaria (OA, I.25)14 Feb 19430710Pola14 Feb 19431200Pola21Exercises.

Otaria (OA, I.25)17 Feb 19432332Pola18 Feb 19430614Fiume61Passage Pola-Fiume with the submarine Sirena and the torpedo boat Insidioso.

Delfino (DL)15 Mar 19430920Taranto15 Mar 19431740TarantoExercises.

Delfino (DL)18 Mar 19430655Taranto18 Mar 19431930TarantoExercises.

Delfino (DL)20 Mar 19431420Taranto20 Mar 19431900TarantoExercises.

Delfino (DL)23 Mar 19431045Taranto23 Mar 19431315Sunk10While being transferred from Taranto to Augusta, collided accidentally with the pilot vessel Limbara 6.5 miles from San Vito Light, and sank rapidly. Twenty-eight of her crew were lost (her captain and twenty-two men survived).
  23 Mar 19431321
(0) 206° - S. Vito Semaphore - 7 miles (entrance of Mare Grande, Taranto).
The pilot vessel Limbara (402 GRT, built 1910) collided with the submarine. Delfino sank quickly taking down twenty-eight of her crew. Twenty-three survivors, including T.V. Violante, were picked up by Limbara.

22 entries. 16 total patrol entries (5 marked as war patrols) and 11 events.

Italian Commanders

Italian Submarines