Italian submarines in World War Two
Italian Commanders
Francesco Pedrotti
| Born | 16 Sep 1911 | Genoa |
| Ranks
Decorations
|
Career information
LUIGI TORELLI (T.V. First Officer): from 16.02.1940 to ?H.1 (T.V. C.O.): from 23.08.1941 to 30.08.1941.
BEILUL (T.V. C.O.): from 20.08.1941 to 22.08.1942.
Promoted C.C. on 10.03.1942.
FRANCESCO RISMONDO (C.C. C.O.): from 11.11.1942 to 28.12.1942.
Ex-French SAPHIR (C.C. C.O.): from 31.12.1942 to 12.01.1943?
Ex-French ESPADON (C.C. C.O.): from 17.01.1943 to 22.01.1943?
FRANCESCO RISMONDO (C.C. C.O.): from 01.02.1943 to 15.04.1943.
MARCANTONIO BRAGADINO (C.C. C.O.): from 18.04.1943 to 27.05.1943.
H.4 (C.C. C.O.): from 01.0.1943 to 15.09.1943.
Commands listed for Francesco Pedrotti
| Submarine | Type | Rank | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H 1 (H1, P.56) | Coastal | T.V. | 23 Aug 1941 | 30 Aug 1941 |
| Beilul (BU) | Coastal / Sea going | T.V. | 20 Aug 1941 | 22 Aug 1942 |
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | C.C. | 11 Nov 1942 | 28 Dec 1942 | |
| FR 114 (ex-Espadon) () | C.C. | 17 Jan 1943 | Feb 1943 | |
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | C.C. | 1 Feb 1943 | 15 Apr 1943 | |
| Marcantonio Bragadino (BG) | Minelaying | C.C. | 18 Apr 1943 | 27 May 1943 |
| H 4 (H4) | Coastal | C.C. | 1 Sep 1943 | 15 Sep 1943 |
Ships hit by Francesco Pedrotti
No ships hit by this Commander.War patrols listed for Francesco Pedrotti
| Submarine | Date | Time | Port | Arr. date | Arr. time | Arr. port | Miles | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | H 1 (H1, P.56) | 23 Aug 1941 | 2045 | La Spezia | 27 Aug 1941 | 1730 | La Spezia | 413 | Defensive patrol with H.4, Onice and Colonna on line 252° - 8 miles from 44°13'N, 08°47.5'E. This was following a report of a strong naval force had sailed from Gibraltar. Uneventful. | |
| H 1 (H1, P.56) | 29 Aug 1941 | 0855 | La Spezia | 29 Aug 1941 | 1710 | La Spezia | 32 | Exercises. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 22 Sep 1941 | 0802 | La Spezia | 22 Sep 1941 | 1756 | Portofino | 49 | Trials. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 24 Sep 1941 | 0705 | La Spezia | 24 Sep 1941 | 1750 | Portofino | 73,6 | Trials. | ||
| 2. | Beilul (BU) | 26 Sep 1941 | 1635 | La Spezia | 29 Sep 1941 | 0747 | Portofino | 391,1 | Patrolled in 44°02'N, 08°35'E on a barrage line with the submarines Da Procida, H 1, H 4 and H 6 in Gulf of Genoa in anticipation of an enemy force from Gibraltar. Uneventful. | |
| Beilul (BU) | 29 Sep 1941 | 1635 | Portofino | 29 Sep 1941 | 2000 | La Spezia | 391,1 | Passage Portofino-La Spezia. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 8 Oct 1941 | 0740 | La Spezia | 8 Oct 1941 | 1230 | La Spezia | 28,6 | Exercises. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 10 Oct 1941 | 0718 | La Spezia | 10 Oct 1941 | 1817 | La Spezia | 35,5 | Exercises. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 16 Oct 1941 | 0800 | La Spezia | 16 Oct 1941 | 1545 | La Spezia | 2 | Gyrocompass tests. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 17 Oct 1941 | 0712 | La Spezia | 17 Oct 1941 | 1020 | La Spezia | 26,3 | Exercises with the tug San Antonio. | ||
| 3. | Beilul (BU) | 18 Oct 1941 | 1220 | La Spezia | 18 Oct 1941 | 1510 | La Spezia | 35,6 | Defensive patrol. | |
| 4. | Beilul (BU) | 19 Oct 1941 | 1915 | La Spezia | 19 Oct 1941 | 2045 | La Spezia | 10 | Defensive patrol. | |
| Beilul (BU) | 20 Oct 1941 | 1854 | La Spezia | 20 Oct 1941 | 2230 | La Spezia | 23 | Exercises, escorted by the tug Torre D'Annunziata. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 25 Oct 1941 | 0800 | La Spezia | 25 Oct 1941 | 1710 | La Spezia | 34,9 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary Capodistria and MAS 570. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 30 Oct 1941 | 2200 | La Spezia | 1 Nov 1941 | 1030 | Naples | 321 | Passage La Spezia-Naples. | ||
| 5. | Beilul (BU) | 3 Nov 1941 | 1617 | Naples | 8 Nov 1941 | 1605 | Messina | 809 | Sailed for patrol 343° - Cape Blanc - 21 miles (about 30 miles east of Galite Island), then ordered to 30 miles west La Galite Island. A new area was then assigned between 37°40'N and the North African coast and between 08°20'E and 09°50'E but returned due to defective battery. Uneventful. | |
| Beilul (BU) | 22 Nov 1941 | 0847 | Messina | 22 Nov 1941 | 1128 | Messina | 13,8 | Exercises, escorted by the auxiliary A.S.45. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 24 Nov 1941 | 0957 | Messina | 24 Nov 1941 | 1725 | Augusta | 71,1 | Passage Messina-Augusta. | ||
| 6. | Beilul (BU) | 26 Nov 1941 | 1900 | Augusta | 4 Dec 1941 | 0115 | Leros | 998 | Patrol and passage Augusta-Leros. First was ordered to relieve the submarine Dagabur between 33°00'N and 33°40'N, and between 22°20'E and 23°00'E. At 1225 hours on the 29th, MARICOSOM ordered her to patrol between 33°20'N and 34°00'N, and between 23°40'E and 24°20'E. Damaged by air attack on 1st December and forced to abandon her patrol. At the issue of this patrol, C.F. Luciano Morra, in charge of V.Grupsom, remarked that the Koritzka binoculars were quite inadequate for submarine use as they were not waterproof. The only dependable binoculars was a pair of Zeiss binoculars which were held on Beilul. | |
| 1 Dec 1941 | 2155 | 33° 05'N, 24° 00'E (0) Position approximate. | At 2155 hours, the forward lookout spotted a four-engine aircraft, believed to be a Sunderland, at a distance of 1,000 metres. It attacked the submarine with machine-gun and cannon fire from a height of 200 metres. Beilul replied with 60 rounds of machine-gun and then four 100mm rounds to keep the aircraft at bay. The aircraft appeared to have been hit and did not drop any bomb. The submarine seized the opportunity that the Sunderland was at some distance, to crash-dive. However, it was noticed that the enemy's fire had perforated the submarine's hull in several places and damaged the hydrophones. Beilul had to return to base. | |||||||
| Beilul (BU) | 24 Dec 1941 | Time not given | Leros | 24 Dec 1941 | Time not given | Leros | 19,4 | Trials. | ||
| 7. | Beilul (BU) | 31 Dec 1941 | 1703 | Leros | 8 Jan 1942 | 0525 | Leros | 984 | Sailed through Kaso Strait and 20 miles south of Cape Koupho and patrolled in area between 33°20'N and 34°00'N, and between 21°40'N and 22°20'E, or 40 miles north of Appolonia. Uneventful. Heard only distant explosions. | |
| Beilul (BU) | 6 Feb 1942 | 0700 | Leros | 6 Feb 1942 | 1250 | Leros | 28 | Exercises. | ||
| 8. | Beilul (BU) | 10 Feb 1942 | 1800 | Leros | 25 Feb 1942 | 1150 | Leros | 1542,5 | Patrolled off Beirut between 33°10'N and 34°20'N, and between 33°00'E and 34°00'E. Uneventful. Heard only H.E. Had a defective attack periscope. | |
| Beilul (BU) | 28 Mar 1942 | 0758 | Leros | 28 Mar 1942 | 1156 | Leros | 19,5 | Exercises. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 25 Apr 1942 | 0555 | Leros | 25 Apr 1942 | 1355 | Leros | 21,2 | Exercises. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 16 May 1942 | 1249 | Leros | 16 May 1942 | 1739 | Leros | 18,8 | Exercises. | ||
| 9. | Beilul (BU) | 23 May 1942 | 1316 | Leros | 6 Jun 1942 | 1117 | Leros | 1252 | Sailed with the submarine Ondina and locally escorted by the destroyer Sella for a patrol between 33°40'N and 34°40'N, and between 21°40'E and 22°40'E. On 26th May, Beilul was ordered to an area between 32°10'N and the African coast and between 26°00'E and 26°40'E (off Ras Haleima). On her return to Leros, the local escort was provided by the torpedo boat Libra. | |
| 2 Jun 1942 | 0110 | At 0110 hours, a biplane (Swordfish?) was sighted. Beilul dived. | ||||||||
| 4 Jun 1942 | 1350 1530 (e) | (0) 10 miles NE of Ras Haleima [Sidi Barrani]. | At 1345 hours, the hydrophone picked up noises and Beilul came to periscope depth. She observed three steamers, preceded by a corvette, in single file, with a four-engined aircraft circling above. Another steamer, escorted by a corvette, was also sighted in a separate group, as well as a third corvette proceeding independently. At 1350 hours, three torpedoes were fired from bow tubes at a range of 2,500 metres. The first two corvettes turned toward the submarine. Beilul reached the bottom at 54 metres, expecting the inevitable counter attack. It came at 1510, 1516 and 1522 hours. The submarine was damaged, but this was not realised until she reached her base. This was probably convoy T.A.46 consisting of three empty ships escorted by the escort destroyers HMS Airedale, HMS Aldenham and the corvettes HMS Peony, and HMS Erica. The previous day, the convoy had sailed from Tobruk for Alexandria. The escort reported depth charging a U-boat at about this time but believed the attack had been ineffective. Before the day was over, the convoy would come under attack by U-453 (KL Freiherr Egon Reiner von Schlippenbach) but escape damage. | |||||||
| Beilul (BU) | 21 Jun 1942 | 1315 | Leros | 26 Jun 1942 | 1712 | Pola | 1142 | Passage Leros-Pola. Sighted only Axis ships and German aircraft. | ||
| Beilul (BU) | 22 Aug 1942 | Monfalcone | 22 Aug 1942 | Monfalcone | Completed refit. | |||||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 23 Dec 1942 | 0909 | Genoa | 23 Dec 1942 | 1751 | Genoa | 36 | Trials. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 26 Dec 1942 | 0912 | Genoa | 26 Dec 1942 | 1610 | Genoa | 36 | Trials. | ||
| FR 112 (ex-Saphir) () | 31 Dec 1942 | 1100 | Bizerta | 31 Dec 1942 | 1100 | Bizerta | Taken over by the Italian crew. The submarine was in operating condition. | |||
| FR 112 (ex-Saphir) () | 1 Jan 1943 | Bizerta | 1 Jan 1943 | Bizerta | Trials. | |||||
| FR 112 (ex-Saphir) () | 2 Jan 1943 | 0700 | Bizerta | 2 Jan 1943 | 1100 | Bizerta | Trials. There was a fire on board and the submarine had to return to base. | |||
| FR 112 (ex-Saphir) () | 6 Jan 1943 | 1310 | Bizerta | 8 Jan 1943 | 0030 | Palermo | 215 | Passage Bizerta-Palermo with submarine ex-Phoque and the German transport Ruhr, escorted by torpedo boats Groppo and Animoso. | ||
| FR 112 (ex-Saphir) () | 11 Jan 1943 | 0830 | Palermo | 12 Jan 1943 | 1130 | Naples | 180 | Passage Palermo-Naples with ex-Phoque, towed by the tugs Luni and Ursus escorted by the torpedo boat Groppo. | ||
| FR 114 (ex-Espadon) () | 18 Jan 1943 | Ferryville (Bizerta) | 18 Jan 1943 | Ferryville (Bizerta) | Trials interrupted by defects. | |||||
| 18 Jan 1943 | 2200 | (0) At Ferryville. | At 2200 hours, a heavy air raid on Ferryville caused many fires very close to FR.114 but she escaped damage. | |||||||
| FR 114 (ex-Espadon) () | 20 Jan 1943 | 0740 | Ferryville (Bizerta) | 22 Jan 1943 | 0340 | Naples | 316 | Passage Bizerta-Naples with Requin, escorted by the torpedo boat Cascino, who took Espadon in tow. Torpedo boats Animoso and Ardito, also escorted. On 8th February 1943, she was assigned to the La Spezia command. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 11 Feb 1943 | 0800 | La Spezia | 11 Feb 1943 | 1725 | La Spezia | 27 | A/S exercises. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 12 Feb 1943 | 0949 | La Spezia | 12 Feb 1943 | 1120 | La Spezia | 6 | Exercises. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 22 Feb 1943 | 1712 | La Spezia | 22 Feb 1943 | 1733 | Fezzano | 2 | Passage La Spezia-Fezzano for tests. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 23 Feb 1943 | 1539 | Fezzano | 23 Feb 1943 | 1610 | La Spezia | 2 | Passage Fezzano-La Spezia. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 24 Feb 1943 | 0715 | La Spezia | 24 Feb 1943 | 1841 | La Spezia | 34 | A/S exercises. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 1 Mar 1943 | 0800 | La Spezia | 1 Mar 1943 | 1415 | La Spezia | 2 | Gyrocompass test. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 10 Mar 1943 | 0825 | La Spezia | 10 Mar 1943 | 1825 | La Spezia | 34 | Demagnetization. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 11 Mar 1943 | 0837 | La Spezia | 11 Mar 1943 | 1440 | La Spezia | 30 | Demagnetization. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 12 Mar 1943 | 0815 | La Spezia | 12 Mar 1943 | 1523 | La Spezia | 2 | Gyrocompass test. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 17 Mar 1943 | 0815 | La Spezia | 17 Mar 1943 | 1151 | La Spezia | 24 | Exercises. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 20 Mar 1943 | 0730 | La Spezia | 20 Mar 1943 | 1630 | La Spezia | 40 | Exercises. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 21 Mar 1943 | 1816 | La Spezia | 21 Mar 1943 | 1844 | Fezzano | 1 | Passage La Spezia-Fezzano for radio tests. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 22 Mar 1943 | 1510 | Fezzano | 22 Mar 1943 | 1522 | La Spezia | 1 | Passage Fezzano-La Spezia. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 23 Mar 1943 | 0735 | La Spezia | 23 Mar 1943 | 1955 | La Spezia | 42 | Exercises. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 25 Mar 1943 | 0740 | La Spezia | 25 Mar 1943 | 1320 | La Spezia | 19 | Exercises. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 31 Mar 1943 | 0745 | La Spezia | 31 Mar 1943 | 1240 | La Spezia | 22 | Exercises. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 3 Apr 1943 | 0734 | La Spezia | 3 Apr 1943 | 1607 | La Spezia | 40 | A/S exercises. | ||
| 3 Apr 1943 | 1128 (e) | At 1122 hours, the submarine HMS Trident (Lieutenant P.E. Newstead, RN) was lurking near La Spezia when a smoke was sighted. Shortly after, it was identified as a German U-boat, bearing 280° at a distance of 5,000 yards, course 222°. At 1128 hours, five torpedoes (a sixth torpedo from an external tube misfired) were fired at 9-second firing intervals at a range of 7,000 yards. They all missed. Four explosions were heard 10 minutes later, evidently torpedoes at the end of their run. The submarine must have been Francesco Rismondo who was exercising at that time. The attack was not observed. | ||||||||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 7 Apr 1943 | 1610 | La Spezia | 7 Apr 1943 | 1950 | La Spezia | 19 | A/S exercises. | ||
| Francesco Rismondo (ex-N.1, ex-Osvetnik) (RI) | 13 Apr 1943 | 0800 | La Spezia | 13 Apr 1943 | 1615 | La Spezia | 24 | A/S exercises. | ||
| Marcantonio Bragadino (BG) | 21 Apr 1943 | 0840 | Naples | 21 Apr 1943 | 1210 | Naples | 24 | Trials. | ||
| Marcantonio Bragadino (BG) | 26 Apr 1943 | 1305 | Naples | 26 Apr 1943 | 1735 | Naples | 32 | Trials. | ||
| Marcantonio Bragadino (BG) | 28 Apr 1943 | 0507 | Naples | 29 Apr 1943 | 0906 | Augusta | 279 | Passage Naples-Augusta. | ||
| 10. | Marcantonio Bragadino (BG) | 12 May 1943 | 1813 | Augusta | 16 May 1943 | 2055 | Lampedusa | Supply mission to Lampedusa. Uneventful. Heard only H.E. | ||
| 11. | Marcantonio Bragadino (BG) | 17 May 1943 | 0330 | Lampedusa | 21 May 1943 | 0528 | Augusta | Return trip from supply mission. | ||
| 18 May 1943 | 0411 | 34° 38'N, 14° 14'E | At 0411 hours, an aircraft was sighted and Bragadino dived. | |||||||
| 12. | Marcantonio Bragadino (BG) | 21 May 1943 | 2200 | Augusta | 24 May 1943 | 1208 | Taranto | 1042 | Return trip from supply mission [mileage is for round trip]. | |
| 22 May 1943 | 0015 2357/21 (e) | 37° 10'N, 15° 30'E | At 0003 hours, the forward lookout on the port side sighted a shadow bearing 280° but the other persons on the bridge could not make it out. 0015 hours, four torpedo wakes were sighted and Bragadino managed to avoid them, as they missed her on the port side. The Italian submarine remained on the surface and pulled away. The four torpedoes had been fired by the submarine HMS Unruly (Lieutenant. J.P. Fyfe, RN). She had sighted an outward bound U-boat at 2344 hours on 21st May before firing her torpedoes at 2357 hours, at a distance of 3,000 yards. | |||||||
| H 4 (H4) | 7 Sep 1943 | 1715 | La Spezia | 8 Sep 1943 | 1330 | Ajaccio | 160 | Passage La Spezia-Ajaccio. | ||
| H 4 (H4) | 11 Sep 1943 | 0030 | Ajaccio | 12 Sep 1943 | 0810 | Portoferraio | 170 | Passage Ajaccio-Portoferraio. | ||
| H 4 (H4) | 12 Sep 1943 | 2105 | Portoferraio | 14 Sep 1943 | 1930 | Palermo | 330 | Passage Portoferraio-Palermo with H.1 and H.2. | ||
| 14 Sep 1943 | 0315 | (0) About 80 miles from Palermo (60 miles SW of Guardia Point). | At 0315 hours, an aircraft believed to be a German Dornier 215 bomber, was sighted at a distance of 1,000 metres flying at a height of 100-200 metres. It dropped four bombs on the submarine and strafed her. H.4 was missed. This was probably Liberator 'Q' (1st Lieutenant H.S. Cantrell) of the 1st USAAF A/S Squadron (480 Group) operating out of Protville, which dropped six depth charges but then identified the two submarines as Italian. | |||||||
67 entries. 66 total patrol entries (12 marked as war patrols) and 8 events.