Italian submarines in World War Two
Italian Commanders
Elio Zappetta
| Born | 27 Sep 1910 | Campobasso | |
| Died | 7 Jun 1942 | (31) | Killed in action |
| Ranks
Decorations
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Career information
GIUSEPPE FINZI (T.V. First Officer): from 25.02.1940 to ?VENIERO: from 07.07.1941 to 07.06.1942? (sunk, Zappetta was killed).
Commands listed for Elio Zappetta
| Submarine | Type | Rank | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | Ocean going | T.V. | 7 Jul 1941 | 7 Jun 1942 |
Ships hit by Elio Zappetta
No ships hit by this Commander.War patrols listed for Elio Zappetta
| Submarine | Date | Time | Port | Arr. date | Arr. time | Arr. port | Miles | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 27 Jul 1941 | 0920 | Bordeaux | 27 Jul 1941 | Time? | Le Verdon | Passage Bordeaux-Le Verdon. | |||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 28 Jul 1941 | 0800 | Le Verdon | 29 Jul 1941 | 2005 | La Pallice | 151 | Passage Le Verdon-La Pallice with Marconi, escorted by two German minesweepers. | ||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 3 Aug 1941 | Time? | La Pallice | 3 Aug 1941 | Time? | La Pallice | Exercises at Le Pertuis d'Antioche. | |||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 4 Aug 1941 | Time? | La Pallice | 4 Aug 1941 | Time? | La Pallice | Exercises at Le Pertuis d'Antioche. | |||
| 1. | Veniero (VN, I.22) | 8 Aug 1941 | 2055 | La Pallice | 22 Aug 1941 | 0800 | La Spezia | 2758,5 | Passage La Pallice-La Spezia and Atlantic patrol. Passed Gibraltar on 17th August 1941. Zappetta's argument that a number of his men were not in good physical conditions because of the long patrols, was refuted by Admiral Parona, who pointed out that they benefitted from a long rest between patrols. Refit until October 1941. | |
| 10 Aug 1941 | 1558 | 42° 20'N, 12° 16'W | At 1558 hours, an aircraft was sighted and Veniero immediately dived and remained submerged until 1750 hours. | |||||||
| 11 Aug 1941 | 1855 | 45° 15'N, 10° 26'W | At 1855 hours, an aircraft was sighted and Veniero immediately dived and remained submerged until 2100 hours. | |||||||
| 12 Aug 1941 | 1000 | 40° 21'N, 12° 20'W | Veniero was infomed that a convoy had been reported and that Finzi and Marconi were ordered to intercept. Zappetta, who was bringing his submarine back to Italy, took the initiative to join the chase as she was in a good position. The submarine altered course to 220°, intending to intercept in 39°16' N, 13°25' W. However, at 1530 hours, Veniero received a signal from BETASOM, ordering her to 39°05' N, 13°15' W. | |||||||
| 12 Aug 1941 | 1705 | 39° 23'N, 13° 05'W | At 1705 hours, an aircraft was seen. Veniero dived but was not attacked. She surfaced at 2055 hours and reached the position (39°05' N, 13°15' W) ordered by BETASOM at 2150 hours. | |||||||
| 13 Aug 1941 | 0100 | 39° 05'N, 13° 55'W (0) Italian Grid 5191/61. | At 0100 hours, a convoy of about ten ships was sighted at a distance of 8-9,000 metres steering 300° at 7 knots (probably H.G.70). One vessel was around 8,000 tons but the others were mostly of medium size,. Veniero made an enemy report at 0126 hours and attempted to penetrate the convoy. At 0305 hours, a signal from BETASOM was deciphered, ordering the submarine to transmit, starting at 0230 hours, a homing signal every 30 minutes to allow other submarines to locate the convoy. This was too late to comply as, at 0318 hours, a destroyer was sighted at 2,000 meters rushing toward her and she was forced to submerge. When she surfaced at 0505 hours, she had lost contact. | |||||||
| 13 Aug 1941 | 0515 | 39° 15'N, 14° 00'W (0) Approximately. | At 0515 hours, a submarine was seen and the Veniero turned away. | |||||||
| 13 Aug 1941 | 0807 0706 (e) | 38° 58'N, 14° 04'W (e) 39° 12'N, 13° 49'W | At 0807 hours, an aircraft was suddenly observed flying low from a bank of clouds. There was no time to dive. The aircraft, identified as a seaplane of the Consolidate 28 type (Catalina), started strafing the submarine. Veniero was missed and turned to present her stern, while replying with her Breda guns, claiming several hits. At 0820 hours, as the aircraft was at a distance, the submarine seized the opportunity to crash dive. As she reached a depth of 58 metres, she was shaken by an explosion which caused some damage. Once Veniero reached a depth of 100 metres, she escaped further attacks. The attack had been carried out by Catalina 'A' (W8410) of 202 Squadron, piloted by Squadron Leader G.P. Harger. It had begun by strafing the submarine, but had itself sustained a few hits although without serious damage. Two depth charges were released on the submarine after it had submerged, but one failed to explode. Less than an hour later, the same aircraft attacked U-93 (KL Claus Korth). The U-boat suffered no damage. Veniero passed the Straits of Gibraltar on 17th August without incident, only sighting the light of a patrol vessel at 0207 hours . | |||||||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 17 Oct 1941 | 0805 | La Spezia | 17 Oct 1941 | 1805 | La Spezia | 75,5 | Trials with the submarines Malachite and Platino, escorted by MAS 572 and the auxiliary Capodistria. | ||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 21 Oct 1941 | 0710 | La Spezia | 21 Oct 1941 | 2205 | La Spezia | 113,5 | Trials. | ||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 24 Oct 1941 | 0710 | La Spezia | 24 Oct 1941 | 1740 | La Spezia | 85 | Trials, escorted by the auxiliary Capodistria. | ||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 27 Oct 1941 | 1335 | La Spezia | 27 Oct 1941 | 1745 | La Spezia | 5,5 | Gyrocompass tests. | ||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 28 Oct 1941 | 0802 | La Spezia | 28 Oct 1941 | 1855 | La Spezia | 82,5 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliaries Crotone and Capodistria. Returned with the submarine H.6, escorted by the auxiliary Torre Annunziata. | ||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 1 Nov 1941 | 0807 | La Spezia | 1 Nov 1941 | 1620 | La Spezia | 51 | Exercises. | ||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 3 Nov 1941 | 0738 | La Spezia | 3 Nov 1941 | 0938 | La Spezia | 16 | Exercises. | ||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 4 Nov 1941 | 0750 | La Spezia | 4 Nov 1941 | 1402 | La Spezia | 15 | Exercises, escorted by the tug Santantioco. | ||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 5 Nov 1941 | 2210 | La Spezia | 7 Nov 1941 | 0952 | Naples | 353 | Passage La Spezia-Naples. | ||
| 2. | Veniero (VN, I.22) | 11 Nov 1941 | 2010 | Naples | 16 Nov 1941 | 1231 | Naples | 1054 | Patrolled between 41°30'N and 41°45'N, 08°10'E and Corsican coast. Uneventful. | |
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 24 Nov 1941 | 0936 | La Spezia | 24 Nov 1941 | 1736 | La Spezia | 52 | Exercises. | ||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 27 Nov 1941 | 0903 | La Spezia | 27 Nov 1941 | 1658 | La Spezia | 55 | Exercises. | ||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 4 Dec 1941 | 1603 | Naples | 6 Dec 1941 | 0920 | Taranto | 513 | Passage Naples-Taranto with the submarine Mocenigo. They were to proceed on the surface at 12 knots via Cape Palinuro (2345/4), Cape Suvero (0630/5), Cape Peloro (1030/5), Cape Colonne (2330/5) and point M.2 (Taranto) at 0800/6. | ||
| 3. | Veniero (VN, I.22) | 9 Dec 1941 | 0659 | Taranto | 13 Dec 1941 | 1837 | Taranto | 1069 | Patrolled southeast of Malta between 34°00'N and 34°40'N, and between 15°20'E and 16°00'E. | |
| 12 Dec 1941 | 0915 | 35° 12'N, 17° 24'E | At 0915 hours, a derelict mine was sighted. | |||||||
| 12 Dec 1941 | 0920 | 35° 12'N, 17° 24'E (0) Approximately. | At 0920 hours, an aircraft was seen and the submarine dived. | |||||||
| 12 Dec 1941 | 1110 | 35° 19'N, 17° 21'E | At 1110 hours, an aircraft was seen and the submarine dived. | |||||||
| 12 Dec 1941 | 1414 | 35° 33'N, 17° 23'E | At 1414 hours, a derelict mine was sighted. | |||||||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 15 Dec 1941 | 0807 | Taranto | 15 Dec 1941 | 1059 | Taranto | 12,4 | Exercises. | ||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 18 Dec 1941 | 0943 | Taranto | 18 Dec 1941 | 1237 | Taranto | 13 | Exercises. | ||
| 4. | Veniero (VN, I.22) | 19 Dec 1941 | 1313 | Taranto | 23 Dec 1941 | 1915 | Bardia | Supply mission to Bardia (6 tons of ammunition, 38 tons of food supplies). Uneventful except for several sightings of aircraft. The submarine arrived at Bardia at 1340 hours on the 23rd and stayed on the bottom at a depth of 55 meters waiting until dark to unload her cargo. British Intelligence was informed of her arrival through ULTRA decrypt. | ||
| 5. | Veniero (VN, I.22) | 24 Dec 1941 | 0335 | Bardia | 28 Dec 1941 | 0909 | Suda | 1258,5 | Return trip from supply mission to Bardia (with twelve British PoWs and eight wounded Germans) via 34°34'N, 23°38'E [mileage is from 18th December]. | |
| 27 Dec 1941 | 2220 | (0) Near Suda. | At 2220 hours, the submarine Mocenigo was observed proceeding westward. | |||||||
| 28 Dec 1941 | 2250 | (0) Suda Bay. | Veniero was at anchor at Suda Bay, awaiting the arrival of the auxiliary Barletta bringing stores for Libya. At 2250 hours, during an raid, a bomb fell about 70 metres from the submarine causing minor damages. | |||||||
| 6. | Veniero (VN, I.22) | 1 Jan 1942 | 1740 | Suda | 4 Jan 1942 | 0755 | Suda | 293 | Supply mission to Bardia (1985 cases of provisions), aborted when the town fell. At 1939 hours on the 2nd, the submarine received the order to turn back and returned to Suda. Uneventful. | |
| 7. | Veniero (VN, I.22) | 8 Jan 1942 | 1718 | Suda | 11 Jan 1942 | 1545 | Taranto | 441 | Return trip from aborted supply mission to Bardia. Uneventful. Then refit until the end of February 1942. | |
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 28 Feb 1942 | 0845 | Taranto | 28 Feb 1942 | 1425 | Taranto | 26,7 | Trials, escorted by Germanello. | ||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 3 Mar 1942 | 0850 | Taranto | 3 Mar 1942 | 1830 | Taranto | 103 | Exercises. | ||
| 8. | Veniero (VN, I.22) | 4 Mar 1942 | 1947 | Taranto | 13 Mar 1942 | 1012 | Messina | 1125,2 | Patrolled east of Malta, between 36°20'N and 36°40'N, and between 15°20'E and 15°40'E. From 11th May, she shifted to area between 35°20'N and 35°40'N, and between 15°20'E and 15°40'E. Uneventful. Heard only H.E. | |
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 18 Mar 1942 | 0835 | Messina | 18 Mar 1942 | 1642 | Messina | 93,5 | Trials, escorted by the auxiliary Marras. | ||
| 9. | Veniero (VN, I.22) | 29 Mar 1942 | 1950 | Messina | 18 Apr 1942 | 1020 | Cagliari | 2885,5 | Patrolled south of Balearic Islands and north of Algeria, between 38°20'N and 38°40'N, and between 02°20'E and 03°20'E. On 9th April ordered to area between 37°00'N and 37°20'N, and between 02°20'E and 03°00'E, patrolled in zone B. On 13th April, she was ordered by MARICOSOM to patrol in Grids 3718 and 0318. The submarine's hydrophones did not work properly. | |
| 2 Apr 1942 | 2100 | 38° 29'N, 3° 20'E | At 2100 hours, an illuminated vessel was sighted at 8,000 metres. She appeared to be neutral and was not disturbed. | |||||||
| 7 Apr 1942 | 2219 | 38° 25'N, 2° 58'E | At 2219 hours, in poor visibility, an aircraft suddenly appeared above the submarine at a distance of 400 metres. Veniero slowed down so that the phosphorescence of her wake could not be seen and although the aircraft apparently circled, the submarine escaped detection. | |||||||
| 8 Apr 1942 | 2108 | 38° 20'N, 3° 22'E | At 2108 hours, an illuminated vessel was sighted at 6,000 metres. It was apparently proceeding to Algeria and was not disturbed. | |||||||
| 9 Apr 1942 | 0330 | 38° 05'N, 3° 14'E | At 0330 hours, an illuminated vessel was sighted at 8,000 metres, apparently proceeding northward. She was apparently neutral and was not disturbed. | |||||||
| 11 Apr 1942 | 0527 | 37° 06'N, 2° 30'E | At 0527 hours, an illuminated ship was seen proceeding on a 082° course. It was believed to be the Swedish hospital ship Sicilia (1,633 GRT, built 1933) and she had been announced. | |||||||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 8 May 1942 | 0825 | Cagliari | 8 May 1942 | 1155 | Cagliari | Exercises. | |||
| Veniero (VN, I.22) | 14 May 1942 | 0710 | Cagliari | 14 May 1942 | 0915 | Cagliari | Exercises. | |||
| 10. | Veniero (VN, I.22) | 17 May 1942 | 1805 | Cagliari | 9 Jun 1942 | Date? | Sunk with all hands | Patrolled north of Algiers or off Balearic Islands, between 37°20'N and 37°40'N, and between 02°40'E and 03°20'E. But the same evening, a signal from MARICOSOM made a partial modification to the order by placing her in in Grids 7337 and 7381 [ca. 37°30'N, 03°00'E]. A signal of 1630 hours on 18th mentioned two aircraft carriers, a cruiser and a number of destroyers on course 050°, 20 knots in Grid 9731/4. Another signal at 1745 hours on the 18th, informed her that an aircraft carrier, a cruiser and five destroyers were reported on course 090°, 16 knots in Grid 8175/5 (37°45'N, 03°05'E). At 0950/19, the force was successively reported in (1) 36°50'N, 00°10'E (2) 36°50'N, 00°30'E (3)36°50'N, 00°50'E (Grids 2748, 2772, 2793) on course 270°. At 2339 hours on 28th May, she was ordered to move 50 miles East and 10 miles North [ca. 37°40'N, 04°00'E]. At 1625 hours on the 29th, she signalled she had located the enemy [she may have sighted the light cruiser HMS Charybdis and the destroyers HMS Westcott and HMS Wrestler who were searching for the submarine Argo, but it is not sure if they went that far east]. At 2330 hours on the 29th, she sent another signal which was indecipherable. Then was heard no more. At 1402 hours on the 30th, MARICOSOM ordered her to Grids 1163 and 1189. At 1857 hours on 7th June, she was ordered to report her position but did not answer. At 0208 hours on 8th June, MARICOSOM advised her that she might meet the next morning Velella and Zaffiro. Lost, cause unknown (six officers and fifty-two ratings killed). | ||
| 29 May 1942 | 0733B (e) | (e) 37° 09'N, 0° 47'E | At 0733B hours, a British aircraft in transit sighted a submarine without reporting her course or speed. Could this have been Veniero? This was not considered to be the submarine hunted by Charybdis the previous day. | |||||||
| 9 Jun 1942 | 1645 (e) | 37° 46'N, 0° 36'E | At 1645 hours, a Sunderland sighted a U-boat. It dived before an attack could be carried out. Could this have been Veniero? | |||||||
48 entries. 33 total patrol entries (10 marked as war patrols) and 20 events.