Hello Lorenzo,

I do not think that the mystery of the disappearance of MOROSINI has ever been elucidated. I have given it some thoughts but cannot come up with a definite answer. A few facts:

She sailed from La Pallice on 2 June (with TORELLI). She had transferred there from Bordeaux on 26-27/5.
Her last signal was made at 1100/8 August and she reported that she was taking route 2 and her ETA at 0600/10 August. Her ETA was not her arrival at Bordeaux but at a rendezvous point where she would be escorted to the Gironde estuary. This was about 15-20 miles from entrance to the Gironde.
MOROSINI did not reveal her position at that time but she was probably about 150 miles from the rendezvous point. She had been ordered by Betasom to proceed submerged by day when crossing the 10 W meridian and was probably travelling at the rate of 75-80 miles per day. She would have been (very roughly) about 44°30'N, 04°45'W. We can base this on FINZI which returned from her patrol a few days later.

I have not found any air attack which could have accounted for MOROSINI. Air attacks during these days were either too far west or too far north, none were in the area where MOROSINI should have been. She did not answer Betasom's signal of 1000/10 August requesting her to reveal her position and her new ETA so she was most likely lost during the period between 1100/8 and 1000/10 August. She had been warned of magnetic mines in the Gironde but usually these were closer to the coast or within the estuary. The Free French submarine RUBIS had laid a minefield on 7 July in the area about 15 miles south of where she was to meet her escort but the flooders were set for 9 August and the mines should have been deactivated at the time of her crossing (if she had made an error in navigation). Unless a rogue mine did not deactivate but all this is only speculation. Finally there is always the possibility of an accidental loss but this was an experienced crew so unlikely.

I do not think that the photos you mention on the Betasom web site are that of MOROSINI, most probably a German U-boat.
Finally I am open to hear any comment on the subject.

Best regards,

Platon