Naval Operations with the SLC (SLC: Siluro a Lenta Corsa, ‘Slowmoving Torpedo”)

The First FrByo Sven Erik gJørgensenm - The Danish Societye ofn Diving History 2 Naval operations with the SLC (SLC: Siluro a Lenta Corsa, ‘slowmoving torpedo”)

(continued and concluded from issue #7)

In the years prior to World War water. As soon as the submarine was in II, the Italian fleet had devel- position, and the frogmen were out, the oped a new underwater weap- containers were opened and the SLC drawn out. The frogmen then tested all on, the SLC, a slow torpedo the functions of the SLC before setting which was manned by two out for the target. The first part of the trip divers. Submerged, and thereby took place on the surface, when only the heads of the frogmen were above the unseen, the frogmen on the surface. The frogmen had full face masks SLC could get close in to the on but breathed through a valve in the enemy ships and mine them. mouthpiece out to the air in order not to The frogmen trained in attacking deplete the oxygen stores. The harbours were gener- their own ships, and after many ally barred by submarine excercises developed a pro- nets which the frog- cedure for approach and men had to pass placing mines under the ships. either under or over. They could also cut their The submarine, which transported the way through SLC in pressurised containers on the using wire-cut- deck, sailed as close as possible to the ters. Free from target. One could then choose either the nets and into to release the frogmen while the sub- the harbour, the marine was lying on the seabed or, if it frogmen picked were possible without being discovered, out the chosen to let the submarine float to the surface target by its sil- with only its tower appearing above the houette because

85 X-RAY MAG : 8:8 :200 20055 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The SLC sailing at the surface. To conserve breathing gas this was mode of the initial approach to the target the attacks took place at night. They had to get so close to the target that they could often hear and see the watch crew on the deck. During the last part of the trip on the surface the sternmost frogman lowered his head beneath the surface and breathed using his oxygen apparatus, so that there was as little as possible to be Painting by Rudolf Claudus, depicting the Italian frogmen mounting a mine seen by any watchmen on the ships. on the stabilising keel of an enemy ship The leading frogman then also went over to breathing using his oxygen apparatus and was ready to release the air from the tank of the SLC. In that sailed towards the target the frogmen they had come until the stern-most frog- informed him that the wire was now fixed activated. This would cause the mine to way could they quickly disappear from kept an eye on the remaining light filter- man felt the bilge keel. The bilge keel in place, and the SLC was now sailed explode 2½ hours later. He then released the surface if it happened, for example, ing down from the surface. is a thick piece of sheet-iron which runs over to the other side of the hull where the SLC from the mine and crept back that a searchlight could get close and When the light disappeared they knew along both sides of the hull in order to the procedure was repeated. There was to his seat. Three claps on the shoulder illuminate them. that they were beneath the ship. The SLC stabilise the ship against rolling. With a now a wire stretched out beneath the of the driver told him that the task was was stopped and a little air was released clap on the shoulder of the driver the ship. Holding the wire the frogmen now completed, and that it was now time to Acquiring the target into the tank between the frogmen so stern-most frogman told the driver that pulled themselves to under the middle get away. It was impossible to find a way When the target had been identified, that the SLC now had a slight positive he had found the bilge keel. He quickly of the ship. The stern-most frogman now back to the submarine and the frogmen, and at a distance of ca 30 meters from buoyancy causing it to rise up to the bot- took a clamp and a steel wire from left his seat and crept past the driver if possible, had to try and reach a neutral it, the leading frogman took a compass tom of the ship. The frogmen raised a the toolbox behind him and fixed in order to fix the mine, which formed coast where they could sink the SLC. This bearing and then let the SLC disappear hand over their heads to take the force the wire to the bilge keel using the bows of the SLC, to the wire. At the procedure shown to be possible during beneath the surface. At about 8 to 10 of contact with the ship’s bottom. With the clamp. Two claps on the shoul- same time the driver of the SLC held it training but was found to be much more meters depth the SLC was trimmed to sail one hand one the bottom of the ship der of the driver fast between his legs. After the mine had difficult during operations against the horizontally. It was now cold, dark and they returned in the direction from which been fixed the timing mechanism was Allies. quiet around the frogmen. As they slowly

Line drawing of the Scire with SLC containers on aft and fore decks

86 X-RAY MAG : 8: 2005 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Depth charges being feature launched from British frigate would take a chance rather than await received a radio message from the inevitable. After some time a large Rome: ”The English fleet has left Attacking the British amount of air was released from the sub- harbour – return to Tobruk”. The On the 10th June, 1940 Italy declared marine – the hatch had been opened disappointment was great, so war against England and France. It was – and the survivors appeared one by one close and so had the fleet left now that the SLC could show what it on the surface after being trapped for 24 harbour. They were very close could do. The first attack was planned hours on the bottom of the sea. to the naval-base and prob- for the night between the 25th and 26th ably a watch at the base had August, 1940. The target was the English ”Enemy ship 800 meters” observed the submarine and fleet in Alexandria. The submarine Iride The next attempt was made in raised the alarm. After just a few took the frogmen from La Spezia to September 1940. The Italians would minutes sailing the alarm sound- Bomba west of Tobruk, where Iride met attack two English fleet-bases simulta- ed on the submarine: ”Enemy the torpedoboat Calipso, which carried neously – Alexandria and Gibraltar. The ship 800 meters”. Gondar dived the surface for only a few minutes before four SLC. This method of transporting the submarine Gondar sailed for Alexandria immediately, and a hunt now began it again sank. In spite of this, all the crew SLC was chosen in order to avoid dam- and Scire during which Gondar was under con- excepting one managed to escape from age to them should the submarine be for Gibraltar. stant bombardment by depth-charges, the wreck. The attacking destroyer col- forced into deep water. After 9 days causing it to dive deeper and deeper. lected up the surviving frogmen and sub- On the morning of the 21st August, equipment. The frogmen and the diver at sea the The hunt continued all night, and in the marine crew, among them Toschi who when the SLC were being transferred to made contact with the survivors in the Gondar morning at 8 o’clock the Gondar could spent the rest of the war as a prisoner. Iride, and the submarine refuelled - ready submarine using knocking signal. The reached not take it any more and began to sink to carry out a test dive – three English tor- crew of the submarine signalled that Alexandria uncontrollably. All the air was blown into Attack on Gibraltar pedo planes appeared on the horizon. the external hatch of the sluice could on 29th the tanks in order to stop the dive. It suc- Scire reached Gibraltar at the same time They flew low over the sea and opened not be opened from inside. September. ceeded, and the Gondar stopped at 155 as Gondar reached Alexandria. Just 50 fire against Iride. A torpedo hit the sub- The hatch was stuck tightly in the At the time meters, but now an uncontrolled rise to miles from Gibraltar and 4 hours prior marine amidships and it immediately hatch frame by the explosion. However, intended for the surface began with an ever increas- to the planned attack Scire received a sank in 15 meters of water. the frogmen and the diver succeeded the opera- ing speed. The crew got ready to aban- radio message: ”The fleet has left har- in opening tions to start don the submarine as soon as it had bour – return to La Maddalena”. This time the hatch but Gondar reached the surface. Gondar floated on was not a success either. The English had it was dam- apparently detected one of the subma- aged and rines but didn’t know its intentions. could not be The Sinking of the Gondar. On the deck the con- They were ready for yet another attack closed tightly. tainers for the SLCs are just visible on Gibraltar in October 1940. The frogmen Under the command of Valerio signalled to the Borghese the Scire would transport crew of the sub- three SLC to Gibraltar, where they marine that they would attack the English battle- should open the ships. The frogmen were the same second hatch as were recalled from the previous into the hull mission. This time the frogmen were The first attack on the British naval stronghold of Alexandria was planned for and attempt with the Scire the whole way from August 25-26, 1940 with the support of the submarine Iride to reach the La Spezia to Gibraltar. The Scire surface. The reached the Straits of Gibraltar on Rescue order was discussed in the submarine but the 27th October. Two days later Calipso immediately sailed to where Iride they thought that the crew preferred to the Scire, submerged and against had sunk. They found that the frogmen remain in the submarine. It was signalled the strong current, succeeded in and some of the crew had escaped from outside to the trapped crew that entering the Strait. Outside the Bay from the wreck. Without oxygen equip- they should come out within half an hour of Algiceras, where the fleetbase ment – it was in the Iride - the frogmen or they would be left to their fate. There was situated, the Scire waited 70 dived down to the submarine and con- was no answer. meters down on the rocky bottom nected a buoy to it. A message was sent From the deck of the Calipso the frog- to await the coming night. Sounds to Tobruk asking for help, and after some men maintained a watch on the sea and could clearly be heard in the time a diver arrived with some diving hoped that the crew in the submarine submarine from the shipping traf-

87 X-RAY MAG : 8: 2005 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED ��

�� fic. In the evening the Scire sailed slowly Equipment breakdown �� into the bay. Only the most absolutely The SLC of De La Penne and Bianchi was �� necessary equipment was in operation, the first to fail. After sailing for about 20 � �� and the crew avoided any unneces- minutes De La Penne dived to avoid a �� sary noise in order not to be detected. searchlight. At a depth of 15 meters the �� They constantly heard the noise from the engine stopped and the SLC dropped �� screws of the patrol boats passing over to the bottom at 40 meters. It proved them. Around midnight they were in posi- impossible to restart the motor, so the �� tion 3 miles from the fleet-base, and the frogmen swam to the surface, got rid submarine rose to the surface in order to of their oxygen equipment and began �� launch the frogmen. Here they received swimming towards the Spanish coast. the latest messages which stated that Tesei and Pedretti got right in to the there were two battleships in the har- north mole of the naval base, only to ratus. In the entrance to the harbour they surface. Birindelli continued along the apparatus and suit, and climed up on to bour. All was now ready, and after a discover that one of the oxygen appa- had to be on the surface and get past sea bottom but the motor soon gave up. the mole where he managed for a short short time on the surface the Scire dived ratuses was filled with water and the some floating barriers densely covered Birindelli ascended to the surface and while to keep himself hidden.. However, again and crept out of the bay. The frog- other had other malfunctions. The reserve with iron spikes. After passing the second found that he was just about 70 meters he was discovered and handed over men were now on their own. After they apparatus also proved to be unusable. barrier they found the battleship Barham from the Barham. He immediately let to the English. Shortly afterwards the had completed their operation they Furthermore, it was not possible to trim just 250 meters in front of them. They took himself sink to the bottom and attempt- charge exploded without damaging the should aim for the Spanish coast where the SLC which was sloping downwards at compass bearing on the battleship ed to manoeuvre the SLC under the Barham. The rest of the frogmen reached an Italian agent awaited them and who towards the stern. The frogmen decided and let the SLC sink to the bottom 14 battleship. After half an hour’s hard work Spain and returned from there to Italy, would ensure their transport back to Italy. to call off the operation. They dropped meters below. However, the oxygen in he was totally exhausted and his oxy- but Birindelli and Paccagnini were held the explosive charge and sailed off the sternmost frogman’s apparatus was gen used up. He activated the fuse and as prisoners for the rest of the war. towards the Spanish coast. now exhausted and he had to rise to the ascended to the surface. He got rid of his HMS Barham Attack on HMS Barham Birindelli and Paccagnini also had problems in trimming the SLC. One of the oxygen apparatuses was filled with water but was substituted by the reserve. Soon after there were problems with the motor, which could only function at low revolutions. The SLC became heavier and heavier, probably because water was getting in. In spite of this, they managed to continue with the bows above the water, keeping the SLC floating. But the SLC was so inclined in the water that the sternmost frogman was beneath the surface and had to use his oxygen appa-

“Looking in the wrong direction, lads?” HMAS Perth in Alexandria Harbour, Egypt, 1941. Source: Australian Government 88 X-RAY MAG : 8: 2005 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED harbour. Several times during the pas- 10th flottila sage they noticed pressure-waves from No more attempts were made with the depth-charges that were being dropped SLC that year, and on the 15th March for their sakes. So, instead they chose 1941 the 1st Light flotilla, to which the another target, a freighter. The mine frogmen belonged, was reorganised and was suspended, and after the charge given the cover-name Decima Flottiglia had been activated the SLC was sunk. MAS (10th Light Flotilla). The frogmen swam to the Spanish coast The long submarine trip was not good from where they could see the explosion for the physical condition of the frogmen which ripped the 2440 ton English tanker during the operations, and so another Fiona Shell into two halves. solution was found. In Cadiz on the coast Catalano and Giannoni were pursued of Spain, only 70 sea miles from Gibraltar, by a patrol-ship and had to hide on the lay the interned Italian freighter Falcon. bottom. When the danger had finally The frogmen were flown from Italy to gone the time to enter the harbour had Spain and billeted on the Falcon. Under Aerial view of Gibraltar passed, and they suspended the mine cover of the night the Scire fetched the instead under a freighter. After sinking frogmen from the Falcon. MTM-boats on the harbour. Among the the SLC they, too, swam to the coast On the 25th May 1941, Valerio many victims of the operations was also and from here experienced the violent Borghese again sailed the Scire into the Moccagatta – the head of Decima Mas. explosion. The ship began to sink at the Bay of Algeciras and launched three His position as chief was temporarily filled stern, but four tugs arrived and towed SLCs. One of the SLC was sunk immedi- by Valerio Borghese. it aground. The ship was the armoured ately, as the motor would not start. The The many fiascos didn’t discourage freighter Durham of 10,900 tons. two other SLCs now continued with three the Italians. The operations had revealed frogmen on each, but both sank close faults in the SLCs and under Visintini and Magro also to their targets. All six frogmen reached the leadership of Valerio The SLCs had at last had to dive to avoid being the Spanish coast and returned to Italy. Borghese the SLC underwent detected by a patrol During the operation the harbour area several modifications. The proved their worth, boat. They moved towards was constantly bombarded with depth new SLCs were, however, the entrance to the har- charges from patrol boats - the English not ready for the next opera- but Tesei had been bour and passed three had taken their precautions. tion that against Gibraltar. strong steel-wires which killed and Toschi were probably part of the Heavy losses After fetching the frogmen barrier to the entrance. Simultaneously with the underwater in Cadiz, Valerio Borghese taken prisoner. In spite of the constant operations a number of surface opera- again sailed the Scire into explosions from the depth- tions with the MTM-boats were also car- Gibraltar. Just after midnight charges at the barrier ried out. Two SLCs took part in one of on 20th September, 1941, the Scire sur- they got into the harbour where they these operations, the attack against faced and launched three SLC. They had saw a light-cruiser and four large tankers. Valletta Harbour on Malta the 26th July, been informed from Rome that, among As the cruiser lay close to the harbour 1941. During this attack, which ended in others, there was a battleship and an entrance they gave up this as a target a fiasco, Tesei and Pedretti were killed aircraft carrier in the harbour. Vesco because of the depth-charges. Instead, when they probably suicidally used their and Zozzolli should attack the battle- they attacked one of the tankers and SLC to break through a steel net that ship which was anchored in the harbour hoped that the consequent discharge of was barring the way for the attack of the itself, but had to give up entering the oil would set some of the harbour on fire. They placed the bomb under the fleet- tanker Denby Dale of 15,893 tons. From the Spanish coast they heard first a large explosion and thereafter four to five small ones. In addition to the Denby Dale, a smaller tanker, which was moored to the side of the Denby Dale, sank. The SLCs had at last proved their worth, The submarine Scire crept into the bottom of the bay but Tesei had been killed and Toschi of Algeciras, where the Frogmen was dropped taken prisoner.

89 X-RAY MAG : 8: 2005 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED It was round about this time that Decima Mas began to train free- The containers were quickly swimming frogmen who, in tight- opened, the SLC pulled out, and fitting black rubber suits, with the Scire dived again. In the blackened faces behind their Scire’s hydrophones the crew masks, and wearing fins on their could hear that everyone was on feet, would swim in to the enemy the way to Alexandria. The night ships and mine them. They decid- was dark and the sea calm, and ed on this because they saw that about 500 meters from the mole sinking a cargo ship with 300 kg the frogmen could see and hear of explosive was equivalent to the frogmen on the Greek island people on the mole. Just as they using a sledge-hammer to crack of Leros, and after having passed came to the net which barred the a nut. A program for training through a minefield outside the entrance to the harbour it was gammamen was established. The harbour. The frogmen dressed opened to permit the passage of best swimmers were chosen from themselves in rubber suits and three English destroyers. The frog- all units and given a hard train- oxygen equipment, and just men were quick, increased their ing. The gammamen would later before midnight Valerio Borghese speed and slipped into the har- prove their worth. took the Scire to the surface. bour together with the destroyers.

Valiant De La Penne and Bianchi should attack the 32,000 ton English battleship Valiant. The battleship was an enormous shadow in front of them. About 30 meters from the Valiant they sailed into a torpedo net, which caused the SLC to list. De La Penne was feeling the cold dreadfully, his suit was leak- ing and he was soaked through. Unseen, they sailed towards the battleship and right up against the side of the ship they let the SLC sink to the bottom. However, the SLC sank uncontrollably and left De La Penne on the surface. The SLC containers on Scire open 18. December 1941 The Italians were now ready for another attempt to get into the English naval base at Alexandria. The attack was carefully planned and once again it was Scire that would transport the frogmen. The English now knew about the frogmen and had reinforced the defences of the base. As in the case with Gibraltar, depth- charges were constantly dropped at the barriers and in the harbour. On the 18th of December, 1941, Scire lay on the bottom outside Alexandria after having fetched HMS Valiant in Gibraltar

90 X-RAY MAG : 8:8 :200 20055 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS�� SCIENCE & ECOLOGY� EDUCATION PROFILES�� PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Painting by Rudolf Claudus The attack on Port of Alexandria Dec. 18 1941 “All men on deck” Elizabeth, which Marceglia De La Penne had kept his and Schergat had intended waterproof watch on, and to attack. The ship lay some as there was now 10 minutes 500 meters away, and he to the explosion, he asked could clearly see the crew to speak to the Captain. on deck. Suddenly the sea He explained to Captain rose up around the Queen Morgan that the ship would Elizabeth. Shrapnel and oil be blown up in a few min- rained down over the Valiant. utes and recommended that Marceglia and Schergat all men be sent on deck. had suspended their mine As Morgan could obtain no directly beneath the middle information about where of the ship. An English officer the mine was placed De La wanted to know if there were Penne was again locked in more mines under the ship beneath the waterline. From – and received no answer. his ‘cell’ De La Penne could hear the alarm and the com- Succes at last mand: ”All men on deck”. Shortly afterwards, the har- The explosion was violent, De bour was shaken by yet La Penne was knocked off another explosion; it was had been the success that the Across bay of Algeciras his feet, the light went out, a 10,000 ton tanker that, Italians had been longing for At the same time, the attacks the cell became filled with together with a smaller tanker – two battleships and two tankers against the allied ships in Gibraltar De La Penne dived to the bottom buoy, however, he was caught in smoke, and the ship began laying beside it, was sent to sunk without loss of Italian life. continued. Transport of the frog- 17 meters down and found the the beam from a search-light. A to heel to port. He suc- the bottom. Martellotta and men into the target area by sub- SLC. He discovered that Bianchi salvo from a machine-gun made ceeded in finding a way out Marinos’ attack had also The submarine Ambra later car- marine became more and more was gone. He attempted to start him stop, and shortly afterwards and got to the deck, where succeeded. The last four ried out yet another attack risky as the English increased their the SLC but had to give up when both frogmen were taken up by he met Bianchi and Captain frogmen made for the land against Alexandria with three armaments in the Mediterranean. a wire became tangled in the a motorboat and brought to the Morgan. From the deck he where, one after the other, SLCs. However, the operation The Italians devised a plan. screw. The hard work now began Valiant. The English were quite could keep an eye on the they were discovered and failed, and all the frogmen spent This plan concerned Antonio of pulling the SLC in under the clear about what the frogmen other battleship, the Queen arrested. They spent the rest the rest of the war as prisoners. Ramognino, who was an officer middle of the battleship. De La had been doing, and demanded in Decima Mas and married to Penne could hear noise from the to know where the charge had the Spanish girl Signora Conchita. ship above him, and expected been placed - they received no Claiming that Signora Conchita’s at any moment to be depth- answer. The frogmen were taken An English officer wanted poor health required fresh sea charged when the English caught to land, and in the meantime a air, the pair rented a house, Villa sight of Bianchi who must be on steel wire was dragged along to know if there were more Carmela, in the Bay of Algeciras. the surface some the bottom of From Villa Carmela there was where or other. the Valiant, mines under the ship – and a good view of all the allied After about half The English were quite but to no avail ships anchored in the bay, and an hour’s work he because the received no answer a swim of only 500 – 2,000 meters banged his head clear about what the frog- mine lay on the to them. For the first opera- against the bot- sea bottom. tion twelve gammamen were tom of the ship. men had been doing On land it had smuggled by different routes He was exhausted proved impos- into Spain in July, 1942. On the and thought that sible to get any- night between the 13th and 14th the SLC was now well positioned. thing out of the frogmen, so it was July, 1942, all the gammamen The charge was activated and he decided to sail them back again were gathered together in Villa swam to the surface. Here he tore to the Valiant, where they were Carmela. Here they put on their off his mask and enjoyed the fresh interrogated by Captain Morgan. suits and were equipped with oxy- air. De La Penne swam immedi- The result was the same. In an gen apparatuses and the mines ately to a nearby buoy and found attempt to make them change which they would fasten to the that Bianchi had had the same their minds they were locked in a ships. Hidden by the darkness, idea. Before he reached the cabin below the water-line. and without being discovered by HMS Queen Elisabeth 91 X-RAY MAG : 8:8 :200 20055 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Cutaway drawing showing the interior of the Olterra, “the trojan horse”

The hatch was below the water line

mining the same ship. This ship was the 1.787 ton Ravens Point. It sank at its moorings on the morning of 15th September. The SLCs which had arrived from Italy were re-assembled and tested in the Olterra. Three of these pletely split-up SLCs were trans- were used in an attack on the 7th ported by car from La Spezia to December, 1942. On one of the English spies, of which there were depth-charge that exploded The trojan horse arranged for them to replace the Algeciras. The first operation from SLCs the frogmen ran out of oxy- many in the area, they crept close to him. Even though all the Immediately across from the maintenance personnel aboard Olterra was carried out on 14th gen in an attempt to avoid patrol down to the coast and swam mines had been placed on the English naval base lay Algeciras, the Olterra. Under Visintini’s direc- September,1942, by three gam- boats and depth-charges. They individually out to the ships. At targets the damage to the ships where the Italian freighter Olterra tion the Olterra was now secretly mamen, who swam out from the decided to break off the opera- a safe distance from the targets was limited. Several of the mines lay moored to the mole. At the rebuilt to function as an observa- Olterra at 23:30. One of them was tion and return to the Olterra, they utilised their oxygen equip- did not explode, and those that outbreak of the war the ship had tion post, and to house the gam- carried away by the current and but when the SLC reached the ment, and disappeared from did explode didn’t cause more been sunk in shallow water by its mamen and the SLC. Workshops had to land on, what was for him, Olterra there was only one frog- the surface to swim in under the damage than the English could Italian crew. A Spanish salvag- were established for servicing the an unknown coast, where he was man aboard it. The one at the ships and here fix the mines. Two manage to ground the ships. ing company had later raised SLCs and re-charging of the bat- arrested by the Spanish police. stern had been lost. The second of the frogmen found their way Four ships of in all 9,500 tons were the ship, and it was now laying teries. A hatch was built under the He was later returned to Villa SLC penetrated right in to the back to Villa Carmela. Seven damaged and grounded. inside the mole with a strong list waterline in the side of the ship, Carmela. The two others returned mole but was detected and were discovered and arrested In August 1942, it was intended and several water-filled compart- into one of the flooded compart- to the Olterra after accidentally shot at. Although rather dazed by the Spanish police when they that the submarine Scire, which ments. Aboard the Olterra were ments. The gammamen and the reached the coast. The remain- had successfully carried out sever- Spanish guards together with a SLC could now leave the Olterra This SLC was recovered from the bottom of Gibraltar habour by the British ing three reached the coast in al operations with the SLC, should maintenance crew from the own- through this hatch, and at different places without being transport eight gammamen to ers of the ship who, as far as possi- the end of an operation discovered. The arrested frogmen Haifa, where they would swim ble, maintained the ship. Decima could return again unseen. were, however, soon released into the harbour and place mines Mas saw several possibilities in While these preparations on certain conditions agreed under allied ships. The operation the wreck, and a plan for its uti- were being made the gam- between the Spanish and Italian ended in a catastrophe for the lisation as a base began to take mamen continued their authorities. However, they didn’t Scire and all its crew. On the 10th shape. Lieutenant Licio Visintini attacks from Villa Carmela. get off completely scotfree. One August 1942, the submarine was from Decima Mas was chosen The gammamen and SLC of them was hit in the foot by the detected outside Haifa and sunk to carry out the plan. Visintini frogmen arrived in Algeciras screw of an English patrol boat, by the English torpedo boat Islay. hand-picked technicians and under the guise of being and another was injured by a seamen from Decima Mas, and seamen , and several com-

92 X-RAY MAG : 8:8 :200 20055 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED

FREE back issues On the 10th December 1942 the Ambra the ships Kaituna and Fernplant, of 4917 Did you get the early issues lay on the bottom outside Algiers. In this and 7000 tons respectively, were mined. of X-RAY MAG? operation a frogman was released, via a Orion and Fernplant were sunk in open sluice, from the submarine with a lifeline water, without any suspicion of a frogman and telephone cable in order to direct attack. Regarding Kaituna, only one mine the submarine to the right position. After exploded, and the ship was run aground the submarine had been manoeuvered on Cyprus. During examination by divers into place the frogman was again taken the second mine was discovered. aboard through the sluice. The idea was The attacks continued until the final that after the operation this observer collapse on the 8th September 1943, should lead the frogmen back to the when the Italian forces surrendered to Ambra. The observer heard the frogmen the Allies or went north to join Mussolini. but could not see them, and the Ambra Together with English frogmen some of had to leave the area at dawn without the Italian frogmen who surrendered to CAYMAN ISLANDS, Bloody them. The frogmen swam into the coast the Allies carried out underwater opera- Bay Wall, Freediving World Records, Coral where all sixteen were arrested. From tions against the German forces. By that Spawning, Innerspace, Wrecks of Narvik Norway, Siberian Cave Diving, Tagging 5 o’clock until 7 o’clock the following time the frogmen had sunk allied shipping Whalesharks, Cabilao. Link: X-RAY #5 morning the harbour echoed to several to a total of some 200 000 tons, and they explosions. And when the day was over had fully proven the effectivity of the new two ships of a total of 8,667 tons lay on weapon. Inspired by the Italian frogmen, the bottom, and two ships of a total of the English had already established corre- 11,628 tons were badly damaged.. sponding units in 1942 and built ”Chariots” by the depth-charges, the frogmen suc- modelled on the Italian SLC. After the war ceeded in sinking the SLC and crawling Turkey many nations supplemented their armed aboard an American merchant ship. They Also in the Turkish harbour of Alexandretta forces with frogmen units. were interrogated but didn’t give away the English ships, which were to carry I 1944, after De La Penne and the other Today the modern Italian Navy’s special forces owes Olterra’s secret. The third SLC made its chromium ore to England, were attacked frogmen had been released from captiv- it legacy to the WW2 Frogmen, the Decima Mas PACIFIC NORTH WEST AMERICA. way through the barriers and into the har- by the gammamen. Luigi Farraro, a very ity and sent back to Italy, De La Penne Vancouver Island, Puget Sound, Neah bour but was detected and shot at. Both good swimmer, was chosen for the opera- and Bianchi were decorated with a gold Bay, Alaska, Honduras Sharks, Amos frogmen died. Several more, and more tion. Farraro was equipped with diplo- medal for courage under the attack on Nachoom, Jon Gross, Apeks, Fish Sense Link: X-RAY #4 successful, operations followed from the matic papers and four very heavy cases. the Valiant. The man that pinned the Post Sciptum: In memory of Olterra. Among them was a successful Farraro arrived in the middle of June and medals to their breasts was none other attempt on 8th May, 1943, by three SLCs, introduced himself to the collective dip- than Captain Morgan who they had met Dr. Luigi Ferraro to sink three ships of, in all, 19.000 tons, lomatic corps in Alexandretta. On the a couple of years previously. He was now and return safely to the Olterra. evening of the 30th June 1943 he an Admiral and head of the Allied While this article went down to the beach, Naval Forces in Italy. was in produc- English minedivers crawled into the suit, put on Today, Luigi Farraro is Honorary tion, Dr. Luigi Under leadership of the English Lieutenant the oxygen apparatus, tied President for the Italian Historical Ferraro, one Lionel ”Buster” Crabbe the English had two limpet mines to his belt and Diving Society. of the great established an ”Underwater Working swam out to 7 000 tons freighter Italian war MALAYSIA. Coralreefs after the Tsunami, Whale beachings, Tragedy in South Party”, who, equipped with Davis-vests, Orion, which lay in the basin. He Literature and sources: heroes Africa, Nemo’s Nose: The Science of Fish examined the ships for mines. The team fixed the mines to the ship and Valerio Borghese, J - Sea Devils, mentioned Fashion, Ice Diving in Russia. Todd succeeded in finding and removing sev- swam unseen back to land. Chicago 1954 in this article Essick Link: X-RAY #3 eral mines. The English knew what was The mines were of that Schofield, William and and founder going on but not where the frogmen were type which were first Carisella, P.J. - Frogmen First of Technisub coming from. It was first after the capitula- armed and explod- Battles, Boston 1987 passed away. tion of Italy on 8th September, 1943, when ed after the ship Spertini, Marco and First part of this the English examined the Olterra, that the had reached a Bagnasco, Ermino - I Mezzi article was pub- secret was exposed. certain speed D’assalto Delle X Flottiglia lished in X-Ray 7 In December 1942 a combined opera- and sailed MAS 1940-1945, Genova as was a portrait of tion with gammamen and SLC was car- a given dis- 1991. Kemp, Paul - Technisub. ried out against Allied shipping outside tance. On the Underwater Warriors, Diving in the Himalayas, Swimming London 1996 with Orcas in Norway, El Dorado in the Algiers. The submarine Ambra departed 9th July and Philippines, Gaansbai in South Africa with three SLC and ten gammamen. the 1st August Link: X-RAY#2

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