Italian submarine fates

Ships hit by Italian submarines


Dona Aurora

TypeCargo ship
CountryAmerican American
Built1939GRT5,011

Date of attack25 Dec 1942Time1040
1030 (e)
FateSunk by submarine Enrico Tazzoli (C.C. Carlo Fecia di Cossato)
Position of attack2° 03'S, 35° 38'W
Complement72 (7 dead and 65 survivors)
Convoy
Notes At 0925 hours, a smoke was sighted over the horizon at 25,000 metres. It was gaining rapidly on the submarine and she submerged. At 1040 hours, two bow torpedoes were fired. Although, Fecia Di Cossato recorded that both hit, whereas survivors acknowledged only one hit. The torpedo had been sighted making a sound like a motorboat and porpoising.The ship had attempted to avoid by turning hard to port, but it appeared to veer and strike it amidship. This was the American Dona Aurora (5,011 GRT, built 1939). She had been on a voyage from Capetown to Baltimore with a general cargo of manganese ore, cow and sheep hides, wool, coffee and dye stuff. Seven were killed. Enrico Tazzoli picked up three survivors, including a ship's boy. Fifty-three survivors were picked up by the British Testbank on 27th December and another nine by the seaplane tender USS Humboldt.

Position of attack

Ships hit by Italian submarines