Otto de Booy DSO, RNN
| Born | 28 Mar 1904 | Den Haag, Netherlands | |
| Died | 7 Apr 1953 | (49) | Den Haag, Netherlands |
| Ranks
Retired: 1 Jan 1955 Decorations
|
Warship Commands listed for Otto de Booy, RNN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| HNMS O 24 (P 24) | luitenant ter zee 1e klasse (Lt.Cdr.) | Submarine | 1 Jun 1940 | 3 Mar 1942 |
Career information
We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.
Events related to this officer
Submarine HNMS O 24 (P 24)
3 Jun 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) moved from Fort Blockhouse to the Thornycroft shipyard where she will be completed. (1)
6 Jun 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) was docked at the Thornycroft shipyard. (1)
8 Jun 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) was undocked. (1)
26 Jun 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) was docked at the Thornycroft shipyard. (1)
13 Jul 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) was undocked. (1)
14 Aug 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) departed the Thornycroft shipyard for Fort Blockhouse, the British submarine base at Portsmouth (HMS Dolphin). (1)
22 Aug 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) departed Portsmouth for Rothesay on the Scottish West coast. She is escorted by the British corvette HMS La Malouine (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) R.W. Keymer, RN).
(2)
25 Aug 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) arrived at Rothesay for a period of training. (2)
26 Aug 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) conducted attack exercises in the Clyde area with HMS Talisman (Lt.Cdr. P.S. Francis, RN) and HMS Breda (Capt.(Retd.) A.E. Johnston, RN). (2)
27 Aug 1940
From 27 August to 29 August HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) conducted torpedo firing exercises / trials off Arrochar in Loch Long. (2)
30 Aug 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) conducted attack exercises in the Clyde area with HMS Talisman (Lt.Cdr. P.S. Francis, RN) and HMS Breda (Capt.(Retd.) A.E. Johnston, RN). (2)
2 Sep 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) conducted exercises on the Clyde with the British armed yacht HMS Breda (Capt.(Retd.) A.E. Johnston, RN). (2)
3 Sep 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) conducted exercises on the Clyde with the British armed yacht HMS Breda (Capt.(Retd.) A.E. Johnston, RN). (2)
5 Sep 1940
During 5 and 6 September HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) conducted torpedo firing exercises / trials off Arrochar in Loch Long. (2)
9 Sep 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) conducted exercises on the Clyde with the British armed yacht HMS Breda (Capt.(Retd.) A.E. Johnston, RN). (2)
10 Sep 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) conducted exercises on the Clyde with the British armed yacht HMS Breda (Capt.(Retd.) A.E. Johnston, RN). (2)
11 Sep 1940
After a period of trials and training HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) departed Rothesay for Dundee. She is escorted by the Dutch torpedo boat HrMs Z 6 (Lt.Cdr. A.C. Lunbeck, RNN). (2)
12 Sep 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) and her escort, the the Dutch torpedo boat HrMs Z 6 (Lt.Cdr. A.C. Lunbeck, RNN) arrived at Stornoway. (2)
13 Sep 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) and her escort, the the Dutch torpedo boat HrMs Z 6 (Lt.Cdr. A.C. Lunbeck, RNN) departed Stornoway for Dundee.
(2)
14 Sep 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) and her escort, the the Dutch torpedo boat HrMs Z 6 (Lt.Cdr. A.C. Lunbeck, RNN) arrived at Dundee. (2)
20 Sep 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) departed Dundee for her 1st (work-up) war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the North Sea.
For the daily positions of HrMs O 24 during this patrol see the map below.
(3)
2 Oct 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) ended her 1st (work-up) war patrol at Dundee. (3)
18 Oct 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) departed Dundee for her 2nd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the South-West coast of Norway, near Bergen.
For the daily and attack positions of HrMs O 24 during this patrol see the map below.
(3)
29 Oct 1940 (position 60.09, 4.30)
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) fired two torpedoes against the German auxiliary (sperrbrecher) Arcturus (1632 GRT, built 1892), off Bergen, Norway in approximate position 60°09'N, 04°30'E. No hits were obtained. Alsterufer was escorted by the patrol vessels V 5104 and V 5108 and en-route from Stavanger to Bergen.
0900 hours - Sighted two merchant vessels coming out of the rain. One was seen to be of about 1200 tons, range about 4000 yards, enemy course 330°. Altered course to attack but the enemy's position and the bad visibility made a well aimed salvo impossible.
0955 hours - Fired two torpedoes. The merchant vessel was seen to turn away to avoid. It was now also seen that there was an escorting trawler. The idea of a pursuit to attack again was now given up.
The convoy was not detected earlier because upon returning from patrol the hydrophones were found to be defective. (3)
1 Nov 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) ended her 2nd war patrol at Dundee. (3)
16 Nov 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) departed Dundee for her 3rd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the South-West coast of Norway, near Stavanger.
For the daily positions of HrMs O 24 during this patrol see the map below.
(3)
29 Nov 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) ended her 3rd war patrol at Dundee. (3)
13 Dec 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) shifts from Dundee to Rosyth. (4)
14 Dec 1940
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) is towed from Rosyth to Grangemouth for a refit at the Grangemouth Dockyard. (4)
17 Feb 1941
During her refit at Grangemouth HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) was docked. (4)
20 Feb 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) is undocked. She continued her refit at Grangemouth. (4)
13 Mar 1941
With her refit completed HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) shifts from Grangemouth to Rosyth. (4)
16 Mar 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) departed Rosyth for Dundee. She was escorted by the British armed yacht HMS White Bear (Cdr.(Retd.) C.C. Flemming, RN). (4)
17 Mar 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) arrived at Dundee. (4)
19 Mar 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O de Booy, RNN) departed Dundee for Rothesay. She was escorted by HMS Wellington (Lt.Cdr. W.F.R. Segrave, RN). (4)
21 Mar 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) arrived at Rothesay for a period of training and for noise trials. (4)
22 Mar 1941
No training and noise trials for HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O de Booy, RNN) though. She is given notice that she will be sent on patrol in the Bay of Biscay as it is feared the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau might breack out from Brest.
Upon completion of this patrol O 24 is to proceed to Gibraltar where the noise trials will be undertaken.
At 2030 hours HrMs O 24 and the British submarine HMS Oberon (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Pizey, DSC, RN) departed Rothesay for patrol. They are escorted to Wolf Rock by the British armed yacht HMS Shemara (Cdr.(Retd.) H. Buckle, RN).
For the daily positions of HrMs O 24 during this patrol see the map below.
(3)
24 Mar 1941
At 1925 hours, off Wolf Rock, HrMs O 24 and the British submarine HMS Oberon (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Pizey, DSC, RN) were released by their escort, the British armed yacht HMS Shemara (Cdr.(Retd.) H. Buckle, RN).
Both submarines now proceeded to their patrol areas in the Bay of Biscay. (3)
2 Apr 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) ended her 4th war patrol at Gibraltar. (3)
10 Apr 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) conducts exercises off Gibraltar with several British escort vessels (their names are not listed in the log of O 24). (4)
15 Apr 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) carried out an A/S exercise off Gibraltar with two British escort vessels.
Upon completion of these exercises all three ships joined the escort of convoy HG 59 (5th war patrol for O 24).
For the daily positions of HrMs O 24 during this patrol see the map below.
(3)
23 Apr 1941 (position 41.58, -23.01)
At 0800 hours, in position 41°58'N, 23°01'W, HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) left convoy HG 59 escorted by the British corvette HMS Gentian (Lt.Cdr. R.O. Yeomans, RD, RNR). O 24 was to join convoy OG 59. (3)
24 Apr 1941 (position 46.20, -21.44)
At 1030 hours, HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) left her escort, the British corvette HMS Gentian (Lt.Cdr. R.O. Yeomans, RD, RNR), in position 46°20'N, 21°44'W. Convoy OG 59 was however still not sighted so O 24 made the passage to Gibraltar independently along the convoy track. (3)
1 May 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) arrived at Gibraltar. (3)
3 May 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) was docked at Gibraltar. (4)
6 May 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) was undocked. (4)
9 May 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) conducted exercises off Gibraltar. (4)
12 May 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) conducted exercises off Gibraltar. (4)
14 May 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) carried out an A/S exercise off Gibraltar with British escort vessels. Upon completion of these exercises all three ships joined the escort of convoy HG 62 (6th war patrol for O 24).
For the daily positions of HrMs O 24 during this patrol see the map below.
(3)
22 May 1941
At 1540 hours, in position 44°04'N, 22°26'W, HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) left convoy HG 62 escorted by the British corvette HMS Aster (Lt.Cdr. E. Hewitt, RD, RNR). O 24 was to join convoy OG 62. (3)
23 May 1941
At 1430 hours, in position 42°44'N, 21°34'W, HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN), and the British corvette HMS Aster (Lt.Cdr. E. Hewitt, RD, RNR) joined convoy OG 62. (3)
30 May 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) arrived at Gibraltar. (3)
7 Jun 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) departed Gibraltar for her 7th war patrol (1st in the Mediterranean). She was ordered to patrol in the Gulf of Genoa.
For the daily and attack positions of HrMs O 24 during this patrol see the map below.
12 Jun 1941 (position 43.08, 10.30)
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) sank the Italian tanker Fianona (6600 GRT, built 1916) off Vada, Toscana, Italy in position 43°08'N, 10°30'E with torpedoes and gunfire.
O 24 also sank the Italian auxiliary patrol vessel (wooden brigantine) V 121 / Carloforte (143 GRT, built 1923) with gunfire and ramming 36 nautical miles north-west of Gorgona in position 43°45'N 09°20'E.
(All times are zone -1) 0950 hours - Sighted a ship bearing 350°, distance about 6 nautical miles, enemy course was 090°.
1020 hours - The enemy altered course to 160°. Started attack.
1107 hours - Fired three torpedoes from 3000 yards. One of the torpedoes fired was a British Mark IV torpedo and this torpedo surfaced several times. After about one minute before the torpedoes could have reached the ship, she altered course presumably after sighting the torpedo track(s).
1115 hours - Sighted the target right in the poop about 2000 yards away. Fired another Mark IV torpedo. This torpedo also surfaced several times and was also avoided by the target.
1120 hours - Surfaced and prepared for gun action. The target could now definately be identified as a fully laden Italian tanker of about 7000 tons. She was heading South-East now, towards the coast. Fire was now opened from 3000 yards. A fair number of hits were scored.
1149 hours - Fired another Mark IV torpedo from the deck tubes. This torpedo surfaced twice. The tanker meanwhile had altered course just after the torpedo had been fired so it missed.
1150 hours - The tanker now stopped. An increase in draught was now noticed but the Italians did not start to abandon ship.
1155 hours - Fired another Mark IV torpedo from the deck tubes. It surfaced 5 times but did hit the target amidships as the tanker could no longer take avoiding action. A huge explosion and a lot of black smoke followed.
1200 hours - The Italians started to abandon ship. O 24 meanwhile left the area on the surface at 17 knots.
1215 hours - Sighted the tanker capsize and sink.
-----------------------------------------------
2305 hours - In position 43°45'N 09°20'E encountered a Southbound merchant vessel steaming at slow speed. Fired one torpedo but it most likely passed underneath the target.
The vessel was soon seen to be a motor schooner of about 500 tons. She was warned to stop at once by signal. Then to sink their ship and to abandon it. A burst of machine gun fire followed but the Italians did not start to comply, they started to signal 'green', 'white' and 'red', the colours of the Italian flag. And just because they were Italians more burtst of machine gun fire, now in the schooners waterline, followed. They now started to abandon ship. O 24 now rammed the schooner several times and this put the engine out of order and the schooner sank soon afterwards.
17 Jun 1941
In approximate position 43°24'N 10°12'E (about 5 nautical miles South-West of Livorno) HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) fired three torpedoes at the Italian tanker Caucaso (2082 GRT, built 1921), the torpedoes however missed the target.
(All times are zone -1) 0600 hours - Sighted a merchant vessel stearing 140° about 6 nautical miles away. Started attack.
0630 hours - The target altered course to 090°. O 24 increased speed to close the range.
0650 hours - Fired three torpedoes from 2000 yards. The target was meanwhile seen to be a 7000 tons laden Italian tanker. One of the torpedoes (again a Mark IV) surfaced several times and must have been seen by the target that turned away and increased speed.
According to Italian sources the tanker sighted the three torpedo tracks and reported the attack. Coastal traffic was immediately suspended between La Spezia and Civitavecchia and MAS boats and aircraft joined for a hunt of the submarine but without success.
23 Jun 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) ended her 7th war patrol at Gibraltar. (5)
30 Jun 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) conducts torpedo firing trials in Gibraltar Bay. (5)
3 Jul 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) conducts torpedo firing trials in Gibraltar Bay. (5)
8 Jul 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) departed Gibraltar to join the escort of convoy HG 67 (8th war patrol for O 24).
For the daily positions of HrMs O 24 during this patrol see the map below.
(5)
13 Jul 1941
At 2145 hours, HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN), left convoy HG 67 escorted by the British corvettes HMS Joinquil (Lt.Cdr. R.E.H. Partington, RNR), HMS Spiraea (T/Lt. L.C. Head, RNVR) and HMS Coreopsis (Lt.Cdr. A.H. Davies, RNVR). They joined convoy OG 67 early the next morning. (5)
18 Jul 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) arrived at Gibraltar. (5)
28 Jul 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) departed Gibraltar for her 9th war patrol (2nd in the Mediterranean). She was ordered to patrol in the Gulf of Genoa and in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
For the daily and attack positions of HrMs O 24 during this patrol see the map below.
(6)
6 Aug 1941 (position 41.47, 12.06)
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy) torpedoed and sank the Italian merchant Bombardiere (613 GRT, built 1918) off Cape di Fregene, Italy in position 41°47'N, 12°06'E.
(All times are zone -1) 0605 hours - Sighted a merchant vessel bearing 332°, distance approximately 5 nautical miles. Started attack.
0632 hours - In position 41°47'N, 12°06'E fired three torpedoes from 800 yards. Two hits were obtained and the ship was seen to sink in two minutes. The target was Southbound and thought to be a 5000 tons merchant vessel. (6)
7 Aug 1941 (position 41.23, 12.28)
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy) missed an Italian sailing vessel with a torpedo in position 41°27'N, 12°36'E.
Later on this day O 24 sank the Italian sailing vessel Margherita Madre (296 GRT) with gunfire about 8 nautical miles South-West of Anzio, Italy in position 41°23'N, 12°28'E.
(All times are zone -1) 1645 hours - Sighted a 900 tons schooner bearing 320° about 5 nautical miles away. Closed.
1706 hours - In position 41°27'N, 12°36'E (one nautical mile West of Anzio) fired one torpedo from 800 yards. Almost immediately after firing the schooner alter course 30° to Port so the torpedo missed. Gun action was not possible so close inshore.
--------------------------------------------
1930 hours - Sighted a sailing vessel bearing 340° about 5 nautical miles away. Closed.
2000 hours - Surfaced and approached this vessel which appeared to be a 900 tons fully laden 3-mast schooner. Stopped her by gunfire after which the abandoned ship in a small boat. After ten hits on the waterline the schooner showed no signs of sinking or even increasing draught. Now the schooner was rammed 4 times but this was abandoned as it was feared that her strong construction would damage the bow of O 24. Another five round were fired one of which hit the schooners fuel tank, which caught fire.
2130 hours - The schooner sank in position 41°23'N, 12°28'E. (6)
12 Aug 1941
About 20 nautical miles South-South-West of Cagliary Bay, Sardinia, Italy HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy) attacked the Italian auxiliary patrol vessel V 111 / Eraldo with gunfire. The action had to be broken off when O 24 ran out of ammunition for the deck gun.
(All times are zone -1) 0720 hours - Near position 38°41'N, 08°57'E sighted a ship bearing 26°. Started attack. The ship was later seen to be a 500 tons schooner.
1020 hours - Surfaced for gun action which was met by a lively machine gun fire from the schooner. As several hits were scored on O 24 range was kept at 1000 yards. The schooner meanwhile set course to the North developing considerable speed on her auxiliary motor.
1030 hours - Finished gun action as there was no more ammunition for the deck gun. The machine gun behind the conning tower could not be used in the pursuit so the action was abandoned.
According to Italian sources the captain of this armed schooner was Pilot First Class Giuseppe Midolo who ordered the dinghy to be ready but not to abandon ship before he gave the order. Nevertheless five men did not wait and abandoned the vessel immediately. Midolo kept his head cool and had the port machine gun keep steady firing at the submarine (340 rounds were fired) and finally forced it to abandon the chase. The real reason was however that O 24 was out of ammunition but off course the Italians could not know this. (6)
15 Aug 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) ended her 9th war patrol at Gibraltar. (6)
28 Aug 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) departed Gibraltar for her 10th war patrol (3rd in the Mediterranean). She was ordered to patrol in the Gulf of Genoa.
For the daily and attack positions of HrMs O 24 during this patrol see the map below.
(6)
6 Sep 1941 (position 43.45, 9.21)
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy) sank the Italian auxiliary patrol vessel V 63 / Carla (347 GRT, built 1903) with gunfire in the Gulf of Genoa about 30 nautical miles bearing 293° from Gorgona Island, Italy in position 43°45'N, 09°21'E. O 24 had first fired two torpedoes that both missed.
(All times are zone -1) 0104 hours - Sighted a ship bearing 095° in position 43°45'N, 09°15'E. Started a torpedo attack. It was very dark and the target could not be easily identified and was thought to be a large merchant vessel so it was decided to attack with two torpedoes.
0135 hours - Fired two torpedoes from 2000 yards. The target appeared to be a Southbound three-mast barque, fully laden of about 1200 tons. One torpedo was seen to turn to Starboard and the other appeared to have run under the target. Fire was now opened with the deck gun.
0150 hours - After 25 hits the barque sank in position 43°45'N, 09°21'E. (6)
9 Sep 1941 (position 42.47, 9.57)
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy) torpedoed and sank the Italian merchant Italo Balbo (5114 GRT, built 1919) about 10 nautical miles west of Elba Island, Italy in position 42°47'N, 09°57'E.
(All times are zone -1) 1330 hours - In position 42°55'N, 09°58'E sighted smoke bearing 310°.
1450 hours - Sighted a convoy of one escort vessel, presumably a converted yacht, and two merchant vessels of 6000 tons. All were zig-zagging independently on a general course of 210°. The convoys speed was 8 knots. Started attack.
1611 hours - Fired a salvo of four torpedoes at the two merchant vessels from about 4000 yards. Three explosions were heard and after a few minutes one of the merchant vessels was seen to be stopped, heavily listing to Starboard and sinking by the stern. The escort was seen to be approaching O 24 at high speed so Lt.Cdr. de Booy took her deep. O 24 was now depth charged and the first six of these were rather close but caused no damage and she was able to slip away.
According to Italian sources the Italo Balbo was carrying 8000 tons of coal and was in convoy with the merchants Lucrino (4372 GRT, built 1917) and Fedora (4907 GRT, built 1910) escorted by the armed merchant cruiser Ipparco Baccich (849 GRT, built 1931). In consequence of this attack, traffic was temporarily suspended between the Upper and Lower Tyrrhenian Sea. (6)
11 Sep 1941
At 2105 hours HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) encounters an Motor Torpedo Boat in position 43°35'N, 08°02'E. Five minutes later two torpedo tracks were seen coming from Starboard which were evaded. O 24 cleared the area at speed. (6)
16 Sep 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) ended her 10th war patrol at Gibraltar. (6)
1 Oct 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) departed Gibraltar for her 11th war patrol (4th in the Mediterranean). She was ordered to patrol in the Tyrrhenian Sea and to land a railway sabotage party in the Gulf of Genoa.
For the daily and attack positions of HrMs O 24 during this patrol see the map below.
(6)
13 Oct 1941 (position 41.48, 12.03)
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) attacked the Italian tanker Saturno (5029 GRT, built 1914) about 5 nautical miles West of Fiumicino, Italy in position 41°48'N, 12°03'E. No hits were obtained and O 24 was briefly depth charged following the attack.
(All times are zone -1) 1650 hours - Sighted a ship escorted by a destroyer bearing 355°. Distance was about 5 nautical miles. The destroyer was zig-zagging in from of the merchant ship. Started attack.
1735 hours - In position 41°48'N, 12°03'E fired four torpedoes from 1500 yards at what was now seen to be a laden tanker of about 5000 tons. The escort was now seen to be a torpedo boat of the Generali-class. No hits were obtained.
1745 hours - Heard three depth charge explosions. The first one was very close the other two were further away. No further depth charges were dropped.
According to Italian sources the Saturno was escorted by the torpedo boat Giuseppe La Masa. They had sailed from Civitavecchia (initially from Leghorn) for Naples. (6)
17 Oct 1941
At 2200 hours (zone -1) HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) lands a party of two to sabotage a railway near Framura, Italy near position 44°12'N, 09°33'E.
The party was to return after a few hours but they were captured by the Italians. (6)
21 Oct 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) ended her 11th war patrol at Gibraltar. (6)
21 Nov 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) was docked at Gibraltar. (5)
25 Nov 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) was undocked. (5)
30 Nov 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) departed Gibraltar for her 12th war patrol (5th in the Mediterranean). She was ordered to patrol off Oran for a few days and then to patrol in the Tyrrhenian Sea off Naples but this was later changed by signal to the North of Sicily, Italy.
For the daily and attack positions of HrMs O 24 during this patrol see the map below.
(6)
11 Dec 1941 (position 38.42, 12.51)
O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) attacked the German submarine U-652 with three torpedoes about 15 nautical miles West of Ustica Island in position 38°42'N, 12°51'E. No hits were obtained.
(All times are zone -1) 1320 hours - In position 38°42'N, 12°51'E sighted the conning tower of a submarine bearing 230°, distance about 4 nautical miles. Started attack. The submarine was later seen to be a German u-boat.
1339 hours - Intended to fire a salvo of four torpedoes. At the moment the third torpedo was fired the target turned 90° to Port. The fouth torpedo was not fired. The other three torpedoes missed and when they exploded on the bottom the target was seen to crash dive. At then moment Lt.Cdr. de Booy was setting up an attack with the stern tubes but this attack now had to be abandoned. [The Germans reported two torpedo tracks and shortly afterwards they spotted a periscope.] (6)
23 Dec 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) ended her 12th war patrol at Gibraltar. (6)
30 Dec 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) was docked at Gibraltar. (7)
31 Dec 1941
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) was undocked. (7)
4 Jan 1942
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) departed Gibraltar for the U.K. where she was to refit.
For the daily positions of HrMs O 24 during this passage see the map below.
(7)
13 Jan 1942
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) arrived at Falmouth. (7)
14 Jan 1942
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) departed Falmouth for Belfast. (7)
16 Jan 1942
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) arrived at Belfast. (7)
17 Jan 1942
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) departed Belfast for Dundee. (7)
21 Jan 1942
HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) arrived at Dundee where she begins a refit. (7)
Sources
- File 2.12.03.6434 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- File 2.12.03.6435 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- ADM 199/1879
- File 2.12.03.6437 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- File 2.12.03.6438 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- ADM 199/1119
- File 2.12.03.6439 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.
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