Italian submarines in World War Two

Italian Commanders


Luigi Baroni

Born  15 Mar 1909Milan
Died   1993(83)Rome

Ranks

  T.V.Tenente di Vascello
  C.C.Capitano di Corvetta

Decorations

3 Oct 1941 Medaglia d'argento al valore militare

Career information

NAIADE (T.V. C.O.): from 28.10.1939 to 05.11.1940.
MALACHITE (T.V. C.O.): from 08.11.1940 to 17.11.1940.
Promoted to C.C. in December 1940.
GLAUCO (T.V. C.O.): from 08.12.1940 to 27.06.1941 (sunk, Baroni survived as PoW).

Commands listed for Luigi Baroni


Submarine Type Rank From To
Naiade (NA)Coastal / Sea goingT.V.28 Oct 19395 Nov 1940
Malachite (MH)Coastal / Sea goingT.V.8 Nov 194017 Nov 1940
Glauco (GU, I.24)Ocean goingC.C.8 Dec 194027 Jun 1941

Ships hit by Luigi Baroni


DateSubmarineShip hitTypeGRTNat.Loss type
1.12 Jun 1940NaiadeOrkangerTanker8,029NorwegianSunk

War patrols listed for Luigi Baroni

 SubmarineDateTimePortArr. dateArr. timeArr. portMilesDescription
Naiade (NA)5 Jun 19400810Tobruk5 Jun 19400945Tobruk3,7Exercises.

1.Naiade (NA)9 Jun 19400545Tobruk15 Jun 19401200Tobruk893Sailed with Galatea and patrolled on Alexandria-Gaidero (Crete) route, 40 miles northwest of Alexandria.
  12 Jun 1940133631° 59'N, 29° 00'EAt 1336 hours, a convoy of pontoons escorted by a gunboat, were sighted steering 140° (toward Alexandria). Naiade opened fire at 1,800 metres, but broke off the attack due to wet ammunition and was forced to dive by machine-gun fire from the gunboat.
  12 Jun 19402157
2255 (e)
31° 42'N, 28° 50'EAt 2145 hours, a large tanker was sighted at a range of 4,000 metres, steering 130° at 13 knots. Naiade closed on the surface.

At 2157 hours, a torpedo (533mm) was fired from a bow tube at a distance of 1,200 metres. It hit and damaged the tanker.

This was the Norwegian tanker Orkanger (8,029 GRT, built 1928) carrying 10,500 tons of fuel oil from Port Said to Malta. The Italian declaration of war had forced her to turn back and she had been ordered to Alexandria.

Shortly after, the submarine reverted course and fired a stern torpedo (450mm) but it had an erratic course and missed. She reverted course again.

At 2218 hours, a third torpedo (450mm) was fired from a bow tube at 500 metres. It hit and the tanker sank. Survivors confirmed that two torpedoes had hit the engine room about ten minutes apart.

Four crew members were killed. Thirty-nine survivors (twenty-nine crew members and ten passengers, including Lt. Cdr. Crabbe, two stokers and nine military personnel) were picked up by the Spanish Tom who brought them back to Alexandria.

Naiade (NA)16 Jun 19400545Tobruk16 Jun 19401200Tobruk3,2Exercises.

Naiade (NA)17 Jun 19401830Tobruk17 Jun 19400800/18?Tobruk2Exercises.

Naiade (NA)18 Jun 19401929Tobruk22 Jun 19400930Crotone580Passage Tobruk-Crotone, escorted out by the destroyer Aquilone.

Naiade (NA)23 Jun 19400445Crotone23 Jun 19401720Taranto115Passage Crotone-Taranto.

Naiade (NA)19 Jul 19401218Taranto19 Jul 19401735Taranto33Trials.

Naiade (NA)25 Jul 19400433Taranto25 Jul 19401005Taranto37,1Trials.

Naiade (NA)28 Jul 19400553Taranto28 Jul 19401605Taranto46,2Exercises.

Naiade (NA)29 Jul 19401005Taranto29 Jul 19401130Taranto3Exercises.

Naiade (NA)1 Aug 19401304Taranto1 Aug 19401825Taranto35,9Exercises.

2.Naiade (NA)3 Aug 19402300Taranto22 Aug 19401200Taranto1229Patrolled south of Crete, between 33°20'N and 34°00'N, and between 24°35'E and 25°35'E.
  6 Aug 1940194536° 18'N, 19° 45'E
(0) West of Crete.
At 1945 hours, A Sunderland aircraft was observed from periscope depth flying toward Malta.
  8 Aug 19402010
(0) West of Crete.
At 2010 hours, a submarine steering about 130° was sighted and Naiade manoeuvered for a bow shot. The attack was aborted as the nationality could not be ascertained.
  15 Aug 19401500 approx.
(0) South of Crete.
From about 1500 hours, Naiade was subject of an intense A/S search by four destroyers and depth-charged. She escaped by going down to 70 meters and later moved 40 miles north of her position to escape further attacks.

Naiade (NA)28 Aug 19400330Taranto30 Aug 19400800PolaPassage Taranto-Pola.

Naiade (NA)31 Aug 19400540Pola31 Aug 19401405PolaTrials.

Naiade (NA)1 Sep 19400555Pola1 Sep 19401335Monfalcone600Passage Pola-Monfalcone.

Naiade (NA)2 Sep 1940Monfalcone2 Sep 1940MonfalconeExercises.

Naiade (NA)23 Oct 19400910Monfalcone23 Oct 19401500Monfalcone22Exercises.

Naiade (NA)25 Oct 19400910Monfalcone25 Oct 19401605Monfalcone32Exercises.

Naiade (NA)29 Oct 19401040Monfalcone29 Oct 19401805Pola72Passage Monfalcone-Pola.

Malachite (MH)9 Nov 19400855Pola11 Nov 19401315Taranto531Passage Pola-Taranto. Uneventful.

3.Malachite (MH)12 Nov 19400500Taranto13 Nov 19401830Taranto180Defensive patrol in 150° - Torre Scanzano - 13' (Gulf of Taranto).

Glauco (GU, I.24)10 Dec 19401530Bordeaux10 Dec 19401831Pauillac26Passage Bordeaux-Pauillac and trials.

Glauco (GU, I.24)13 Dec 19400925Pauillac13 Dec 19401124Le Verdon25Passage Pauillac-Le Verdon and trials.

Glauco (GU, I.24)14 Dec 19400845Le Verdon14 Dec 19401614La Pallice70Passage Le Verdon-La Pallice and trials.

Glauco (GU, I.24)15 Dec 19400830La Pallice15 Dec 19401757La Pallice25Trials.

Glauco (GU, I.24)18 Dec 1940La Pallice18 Dec 1940La PalliceTrials.

Glauco (GU, I.24)18 Dec 19400910La Pallice18 Dec 19401841La Pallice31Trials.

Glauco (GU, I.24)21 Dec 19400902La Pallice21 Dec 19401630La Pallice25Trials.

4.Glauco (GU, I.24)23 Dec 19401600La Pallice16 Jan 19411230Le VerdonSailed for Atlantic patrol between 56°00'N and 57°00'N, and between 17°00'W and 20°00'W. Returned escorted by the German minesweepers M-9 and M-21 and the submarine chaser UJ-E.
  1 Jan 1941105056° 10'N, 19° 25'WA submarine believed to be German, was observed proceeding at 12 knots, at a distance of 5,000 metres. Glauco did not attempt to make contact and was probably not sighted as she was on the dark side of the horizon.
  5 Jan 1941174555° 35'N, 16° 00'W
(0) Position approximate.
Glauco sighted a large aircraft, flying low, at a distance of 6,000 metres and dived. This was possibly Sunderland 'A' (L5798) of 210 Squadron piloted by Flight Lieutenant R.E.G. Van der Kiste. At 1500 hours, a submarine was sighted at 1/3 of a mile. The Sunderland attacked and 45 seconds after the sighting released two 450lb depth charges from 20 feet. They were estimated to fall 100 feet ahead of the track. No results were seen, and visibility was too bad for photographs. The bottom of the hull of the Sunderland was damaged by suspected fragments from the depth charges; on alighting at Bowmore, the aircraft rapidly filled with water. Only after heavy pumping and baling was a diver able to apply a leak stopper from the outside. However, Glauco did not report any attack.
  7 Jan 19410010As the submarine was switching engines (from electric to diesel), a mistake in execution caused the door of cylinder no.2 to exploded, causing a leg injury to the rating responsible. The damage was repaired.
  9 Jan 19410305
0255 (e)
52° 40'N, 17° 25'W
(e) 52° 29'N, 18° 22'W
At 0245 hours, Glauco sighted a steamer at a distance of 3,000 metres. At 0305 hours, she fired a bow shot (533mm) from a distance of 600 metres. It missed. This was the Ocean Boarding vessel HMS Cavina (6,908 GRT, built 1924).

Glauco now opened fire with both her 100mm guns, firing ten rounds and claiming two hits. The Breda machine guns also joined in as the distance got shorter and fired 195 13.2mm rounds. The target (HMS Cavina), replied with what appeared to be two 2 cm guns and a stern gun (estimated at a 120 or 152mm calibre). The gunnery officer of the submarine (Sottotenente di vascello Carlo Marenco Di Moriondo) manning the rear gun, was killed and was posthumously awarded the Medaglia d'Oro.
  15 Jan 1941044545° 48'N, 3° 45'WA group of fishing vessels was encountered, one of which turned toward the submarine as if attempting to ram her. Glauco took evasive action.

Glauco (GU, I.24)16 Jan 19411600Le Verdon16 Jan 19411800Pauillac25Passage Le Verdon-Pauillac

Glauco (GU, I.24)18 Jan 19410915Pauillac18 Jan 19411155Bordeaux25Passage Pauillac-Bordeaux.

5.Glauco (GU, I.24)19 Mar 19411010Bordeaux21 Mar 19411715Pauillac456Sailed for patrol between 12°00'W and the Iberian peninsula after a brief stop at Le Verdon. Had to return due to defects. On her way back, met and escorted in by Sperrbrecher III, minesweepers M-9 and M-12, submarine chaser UJ-K and patrol boat V-406.

6.Glauco (GU, I.24)22 Mar 19411600Pauillac25 Mar 19411410Pauillac554Sailed, escorted by Sperrbrecher 34 for patrol between 12°00'W and the Iberian Peninsula and but again returned due to defects.

Glauco (GU, I.24)26 Mar 19411733Pauillac26 Mar 19412130Le Verdon26Passage Pauillac-Le Verdon.

7.Glauco (GU, I.24)27 Mar 19411927Le Verdon22 Apr 19411540Bordeaux4033Sailed for Atlantic patrol between 12°00'W and the Iberian Peninsula. Sighted several Spanish vessels.
  12 Apr 19411320
(0) Between Cape Espichel and Lisbon.
A destroyer was sighted, proceeding at 14 knots toward Lisbon. The submarine could not close at less than 4,000 meters and gave up carrying an attack.
  14 Apr 19411205
1216 (e)

(e) 38° 29'N, 9° 41'W
A submarine chaser was observed at a distance of 1,000 metres. It had apparently detected the submarine, this was the armed trawler HMT Scottish joined later by HMT Loch Oskaig. Glauco went down to 130 meters but, when passing 30 meters, she was depth-charged and damaged by a first pattern of six depth-charges. A total of 130 depth charges were counted until 2230 hours, but when the submarine surfaced at 2330, she sighted nothing and escaped at high speed to the westward.
  16 Apr 19410200
(0) Off Lisbon.
The Swedish freighter Lisa (?) was sighted. She was navigating with her lights on. The submarine desisted from attack and shortly after abandoned her patrol due to the damage incurred during the depth-charge attack of 14th April.

8.Glauco (GU, I.24)18 Jun 19411800Royan20 Jun 19410700La PalliceSailed for patrol escorted by Sperrbrecher III, but returned due to defects. Met at 2214/19 by the German minesweepers M 4443 and M 4444 and escorted back to la Pallice.

9.Glauco (GU, I.24)23 Jun 19412145Royan27 Jun 19411220SunkSailed for Italy escorted by Sperrbrecher III. She was expected to cross the Strait of Gibraltar on the 28th. Sunk by the destroyer HMS Wishart. She carried four spare torpedoes at the time (1 x 533 mm and 1 x 450 mm forward and the same aft).
  27 Jun 1941
0941 (e)

(e) 35° 06'N, 12° 41'W
The destroyer HMS Wishart had left a convoy at 0655 hours when Glauco was sighted at 0941 hours at a distance of 4 miles. The submarine sighted the destroyer at 5,000 metres and submerged. At 0958 hours, Wishart carried out the first of eight depth-charge attacks and, at 1220 hours, the submarine was finally forced to the surface. The destroyer opened fire with Lewis guns and two 4-inch rounds. One officer and seven ratings were killed or drowned, seven officers and forty-four ratings were picked up. Attempts to tow the submarine to Gibraltar failed. The submarine was finally sunk with gunfire and three torpedoes (they all missed!). Some documents were recovered.

46 entries. 37 total patrol entries (9 marked as war patrols) and 14 events.

Italian Commanders

Italian Submarines