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Re: HMS Rorqual
Posted by:
Platon Alexiades
()
Date: April 09, 2006 03:10PM
Hello Brian,
RORQUAL laid her mines on 8.12.1942. She was proceeding to patrol off Naples when she was missed by 4 torpedoes (all reportedly ran under, so it was a close call!) at 2121/12.12.1942 in position 39°56 N/11°58 E. I do not have the identity of this U-boat (perhaps Italian?).
The German hospital ship GRAZ was the ex-Greek ARES (1870 GRT, 1927) and was mined on 5 December 1942 so she could not have been mined by RORQUAL. The Italian hospital ship CITTÀ DI TRAPANI was also mined in the same area on 1.12.1942. I do not know which vessel (or aircraft) laid these mines, any clue?
Note that the GRAZ sank ( 135° - CANI ROCKS - 6') very near the position where RORQUAL later laid her mines ( 140° - CANI ROCKS - 5.8'). Which brings the following point: if this was actually an allied minefield, it was quite risky to send RORQUAL to lay mines very near it as a mistake in navigation (not uncommon at the time) could have brought the loss of the submarine.
Best regards,
Platon
RORQUAL laid her mines on 8.12.1942. She was proceeding to patrol off Naples when she was missed by 4 torpedoes (all reportedly ran under, so it was a close call!) at 2121/12.12.1942 in position 39°56 N/11°58 E. I do not have the identity of this U-boat (perhaps Italian?).
The German hospital ship GRAZ was the ex-Greek ARES (1870 GRT, 1927) and was mined on 5 December 1942 so she could not have been mined by RORQUAL. The Italian hospital ship CITTÀ DI TRAPANI was also mined in the same area on 1.12.1942. I do not know which vessel (or aircraft) laid these mines, any clue?
Note that the GRAZ sank ( 135° - CANI ROCKS - 6') very near the position where RORQUAL later laid her mines ( 140° - CANI ROCKS - 5.8'). Which brings the following point: if this was actually an allied minefield, it was quite risky to send RORQUAL to lay mines very near it as a mistake in navigation (not uncommon at the time) could have brought the loss of the submarine.
Best regards,
Platon
| Subject | Written By | Posted |
|---|---|---|
HMS Rorqual
|
BrianV | 04/09/2006 04:26AM |
|
Re: HMS Rorqual
|
Platon Alexiades | 04/09/2006 03:10PM |
|
Re: HMS Rorqual
|
BrianV | 04/09/2006 07:33PM |
|
Re: HMS Rorqual
|
Platon Alexiades | 04/09/2006 10:10PM |
|
Re:Previous minefield
|
BrianV | 04/09/2006 09:10PM |
|
Re:Previous minefield
|
Platon Alexiades | 04/09/2006 10:19PM |