Italian submarines in World War Two
Italian Commanders
Giovanni Celeste
| Born | 22 Jan 1905 | Messina | |
| Died | 28 Feb 1943 | (38) | Killed in action |
| Ranks
Decorations
|
Career information
SIRENA (T.V. resp.): from 22.12.1940 to 10.01.1941 (refit at Taranto).H.4 (T.V. C.O.): From 11.04.1941 to 27.05.1941.
H.2 (T.V. C.O.): From 29.05.1941 to 31.12.1941.
PERLA (T.V. C.O.): From 03.01.1942 to 09.06.1942.
ENRICO TOTI (T.V. C.O.): From 17.08.1942 to 20.01.1943.
ex French REQUIN (T.V. C.O.): From 17.01.1943 to 22.01.1943?
FR.111 (ex-French PHOQUE) (T.V. C.O.): From 01.02.1943? to 28.02.1943 (sunk, Celeste was killed).
Commands listed for Giovanni Celeste
| Submarine | Type | Rank | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sirena (SI) | Coastal / Sea going | T.V. | 22 Dec 1940 | 10 Jan 1941 |
| H 4 (H4) | Coastal | T.V. | 11 Apr 1941 | 27 May 1941 |
| H 2 (H2) | Coastal | T.V. | 29 May 1941 | 31 Dec 1941 |
| Perla (I.33 or I.30) | Coastal / Sea going | T.V. | 3 Jan 1942 | 9 Jun 1942 |
| Enrico Toti (TO) | Ocean going | T.V. | 17 Aug 1942 | 20 Jan 1943 |
| FR 113 (ex-Requin) () | T.V. | 17 Jan 1943 | 22 Jan 1943 | |
| FR 111 (ex-Phoque) () | T.V. | 1 Feb 1943 | 28 Feb 1943 |
Ships hit by Giovanni Celeste
No ships hit by this Commander.War patrols listed for Giovanni Celeste
| Submarine | Date | Time | Port | Arr. date | Arr. time | Arr. port | Miles | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sirena (SI) | 22 Dec 1940 | Taranto | 10 Jan 1941 | Taranto | Refit at Taranto. Change in command. | |||||
| H 4 (H4) | 14 Apr 1941 | 0830 | La Spezia | 14 Apr 1941 | 1150 | La Spezia | 30 | Exercises. | ||
| H 4 (H4) | 21 Apr 1941 | 0820 | La Spezia | 21 Apr 1941 | 1245 | La Spezia | 30 | Exercises. | ||
| H 4 (H4) | 24 Apr 1941 | 0805 | La Spezia | 24 Apr 1941 | 1115 | La Spezia | 4 | Gyrocompass tests. | ||
| 1. | H 4 (H4) | 26 Apr 1941 | 1825 | La Spezia | 29 Apr 1941 | 1005 | Leghorn | 346,5 | Hydrophone watch off Tino Island in anticipation of an important naval force from Gibraltar | |
| H 4 (H4) | 29 Apr 1941 | 1025 | Leghorn | 29 Apr 1941 | 1605 | Leghorn | 346,5 | Exercises. | ||
| 2. | H 4 (H4) | 1 May 1941 | 2015 | La Spezia | 2 May 1941 | 1030 | La Spezia | 90 | Hydrophone watch on the Ligurian Gulf. Uneventful. | |
| 3. | H 4 (H4) | 2 May 1941 | 1900 | La Spezia | 3 May 1941 | 1045 | La Spezia | 91 | Hydrophone watch on the Ligurian Gulf. Uneventful. | |
| 4. | H 4 (H4) | 9 May 1941 | 1815 | La Spezia | 10 May 1941 | 1012 | La Spezia | 87 | Hydrophone watch on the Ligurian Gulf. Uneventful. | |
| H 4 (H4) | 14 May 1941 | 0820 | La Spezia | 14 May 1941 | 1645 | La Spezia | 38,3 | Exercises. | ||
| H 4 (H4) | 16 May 1941 | 0810 | La Spezia | 16 May 1941 | 1245 | La Spezia | 24,4 | Exercises. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 29 May 1941 | 0800 | Taranto | 29 May 1941 | 1130 | Taranto | 32 | Exercises with the pilot vessel Limbara. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 3 Jun 1941 | 0800 | Taranto | 3 Jun 1941 | 1515 | Taranto | 22,5 | Exercises. | ||
| 5. | H 2 (H2) | 13 Jun 1941 | 2200 | Taranto | 14 Jun 1941 | 1020 | Taranto | 98 | Hydrophone Watch in Gulf of Taranto. Uneventful. | |
| 6. | H 2 (H2) | 14 Jun 1941 | 2100 | Taranto | 15 Jun 1941 | 1030 | Taranto | 100 | Hydrophone watch. | |
| H 2 (H2) | 16 Jun 1941 | 0900 | Taranto | 16 Jun 1941 | 1457 | Taranto | 97 | Exercises with the submarine Corridoni, escorted by the pilot vessel Limbara. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 17 Jun 1941 | 0835 | Taranto | 17 Jun 1941 | 1312 | Taranto | 28,5 | Exercises in Gulf of Taranto with the submarines H.8 and Corridoni and the torpedo boat Aretusa. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 26 Jun 1941 | 0600 | Taranto | 26 Jun 1941 | 1357 | Taranto | 35 | Exercises, escorted by the pilot vessel Limbara. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 1 Jul 1941 | 0800 | Taranto | 1 Jul 1941 | 1435 | Taranto | 32 | Exercises. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 16 Jul 1941 | 0815 | Taranto | 16 Jul 1941 | 1600 | Taranto | 36,5 | Exercises. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 18 Jul 1941 | 0423 | Taranto | 18 Jul 1941 | 1715 | Taranto | 72 | Exercises with the torpedo boat San Martino. | ||
| 7. | H 2 (H2) | 25 Jul 1941 | 2115 | Taranto | 26 Jul 1941 | 1045 | Taranto | 100 | Hydrophone Watch in Gulf of Taranto. Uneventful. | |
| H 2 (H2) | 28 Jul 1941 | 0924 | Taranto | 28 Jul 1941 | 1304 | Taranto | 27 | Exercises. | ||
| 8. | H 2 (H2) | 5 Aug 1941 | 1100 | Taranto | 6 Aug 1941 | 0545 | Taranto | 104,5 | Hydrophone Watch in Gulf of Taranto. Uneventful. | |
| 9. | H 2 (H2) | 7 Aug 1941 | 2100 | Taranto | 8 Aug 1941 | 1240 | Taranto | 98 | Hydrophone Watch in Gulf of Taranto. Uneventful. | |
| 10. | H 2 (H2) | 10 Aug 1941 | 2100 | Taranto | 11 Aug 1941 | 1015 | Taranto | 96 | Hydrophone Watch in Gulf of Taranto. Uneventful. | |
| 11. | H 2 (H2) | 18 Aug 1941 | 2200 | Taranto | 19 Aug 1941 | 1200 | Taranto | 99 | Hydrophone Watch in Gulf of Taranto. Uneventful. | |
| 12. | H 2 (H2) | 19 Aug 1941 | 2245 | Taranto | 20 Aug 1941 | 1030 | Taranto | 94 | Hydrophone Watch in Gulf of Taranto. Uneventful. | |
| 13. | H 2 (H2) | 24 Aug 1941 | 2110 | Taranto | 25 Aug 1941 | 1210 | Taranto | 100 | Hydrophone Watch. Uneventful. | |
| H 2 (H2) | 29 Aug 1941 | 0647 | Taranto | 29 Aug 1941 | 0926 | Taranto | 8,5 | Exercises. | ||
| 14. | H 2 (H2) | 7 Sep 1941 | 2100 | Taranto | 8 Sep 1941 | 1112 | Taranto | 96 | Hydrophone Watch in Gulf of Taranto. Uneventful. | |
| 15. | H 2 (H2) | 8 Sep 1941 | 2103 | Taranto | 9 Sep 1941 | 1300 | Taranto | 95 | Hydrophone Watch in Gulf of Taranto. Uneventful. | |
| 16. | H 2 (H2) | 14 Sep 1941 | 2105 | Taranto | 15 Sep 1941 | 1250 | Taranto | 100,5 | Hydrophone Watch in Gulf of Taranto. Uneventful. | |
| 17. | H 2 (H2) | 16 Sep 1941 | 2146 | Taranto | 17 Sep 1941 | 1325 | Taranto | 98,5 | Hydrophone Watch in Gulf of Taranto. Uneventful. | |
| 18. | H 2 (H2) | 17 Sep 1941 | 2115 | Taranto | 18 Sep 1941 | 1340 | Taranto | 98 | Hydrophone Watch in Gulf of Taranto. Uneventful. | |
| H 2 (H2) | 20 Sep 1941 | 0700 | Taranto | 20 Sep 1941 | 0932 | Taranto | 6 | Exercises. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 21 Sep 1941 | 0700 | Taranto | 21 Sep 1941 | 2013 | Taranto | 93,5 | Hydrophone trials and exercises in 40°00'N, 17°33'E with the sloop Diana. | ||
| 19. | H 2 (H2) | 23 Sep 1941 | 2130 | Taranto | 24 Sep 1941 | 1105 | Taranto | 98 | Hydrophone Watch in Gulf of Taranto. Uneventful. | |
| H 2 (H2) | 25 Sep 1941 | 0700 | Taranto | 25 Sep 1941 | 0850 | Taranto | 4,5 | Exercises. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 28 Sep 1941 | 0200 | Taranto | 28 Sep 1941 | 0810 | Gallipoli | 56,5 | Passage Taranto-Gallipoli. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 29 Sep 1941 | 0610 | Gallipoli | 29 Sep 1941 | 1626 | Gallipoli | 39 | Exercises. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 30 Sep 1941 | 0702 | Gallipoli | 30 Sep 1941 | 1630 | Gallipoli | 49 | Exercises. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 1 Oct 1941 | 0700 | Gallipoli | 1 Oct 1941 | 1455 | Gallipoli | 28 | Exercises with MAS boat. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 2 Oct 1941 | 0700 | Gallipoli | 2 Oct 1941 | 1829 | Gallipoli | 20 | Exercises. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 3 Oct 1941 | 0700 | Gallipoli | 3 Oct 1941 | 1435 | Gallipoli | 12,5 | Exercises. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 4 Oct 1941 | 0800 | Gallipoli | 4 Oct 1941 | 1340 | Taranto | 56 | Passage Gallipoli-Taranto. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 6 Oct 1941 | 0710 | Taranto | 6 Oct 1941 | 1005 | Taranto | 8,5 | Exercises. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 6 Nov 1941 | 0710 | Taranto | 6 Nov 1941 | 0941 | Taranto | 8,5 | Exercises. | ||
| 20. | H 2 (H2) | 11 Nov 1941 | 1640 | Taranto | 12 Nov 1941 | 1115 | Taranto | 113 | Hydrophone Watch in Gulf of Taranto. Uneventful. Then entered dock. | |
| H 2 (H2) | 19 Nov 1941 | 0710 | Taranto | 20 Nov 1941 | 1000 | Taranto | 7 | Exercises. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 26 Nov 1941 | 0713 | Taranto | 27 Nov 1941 | 1050 | Taranto | 7 | Exercises. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 3 Dec 1941 | 1216 | Taranto | 3 Dec 1941 | 1715 | Taranto | 35,5 | Exercises. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 10 Dec 1941 | 0722 | Taranto | 10 Dec 1941 | 1736 | Taranto | 57 | Trials. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 11 Dec 1941 | 0730 | Taranto | 12 Dec 1941 | 1552 | Taranto | 47 | Exercises, escorted back by the torpedo boat Lince. | ||
| H 2 (H2) | 21 Dec 1941 | 0718 | Taranto | 21 Dec 1941 | 1315 | Gallipoli | 55 | Passage Taranto-Gallipoli. | ||
| 21. | H 2 (H2) | 22 Dec 1941 | 0615 | Gallipoli | 22 Dec 1941 | 1645 | Gallipoli | 43 | Hydrophone Watch in Gulf of Taranto. Uneventful. | |
| H 2 (H2) | 23 Dec 1941 | 0800 | Gallipoli | 23 Dec 1941 | 1400 | Taranto | 55 | Passage Gallipoli-Taranto. | ||
| Perla (I.33 or I.30) | 8 Jan 1942 | 0855 | Naples | 8 Jan 1942 | 1435 | Naples | 38 | Trials. | ||
| Perla (I.33 or I.30) | 13 Jan 1942 | 0928 | Naples | 13 Jan 1942 | 1620 | Naples | 11 | Gyrocompass tests. | ||
| Perla (I.33 or I.30) | 14 Jan 1942 | 0645 | Naples | 14 Jan 1942 | 1700 | Naples | 62 | Exercises with the torpedo boat Circe (equipped with S-Gerät). | ||
| Perla (I.33 or I.30) | 17 Jan 1942 | 0810 | Naples | 17 Jan 1942 | 1555 | Naples | 42,5 | Exercises. | ||
| Perla (I.33 or I.30) | 19 Jan 1942 | 1400 | Naples | 19 Jan 1942 | 1855 | Naples | 29,5 | Exercises. | ||
| Perla (I.33 or I.30) | 24 Jan 1942 | 1740 | Naples | 24 Jan 1942 | 2210 | Naples | 21 | Exercises. | ||
| Perla (I.33 or I.30) | 28 Jan 1942 | 0910 | Naples | 29 Jan 1942 | 0955 | Messina | 251 | Passage Naples-Messina. | ||
| 22. | Perla (I.33 or I.30) | 10 Feb 1942 | 1656 | Messina | 26 Feb 1942 | 1050 | Messina | 1992 | Patrolled off Cyrenaica within 8 miles from 34°30'N, 20°30'E, on a patrol line with Topazio, Tricheco and Malachite. On the evening of 15 February, she was shifted to 148° - 58 miles. Uneventful. Heard only hydrophone effect. T.V. Celeste was criticised for his excessive prudence. | |
| 23. | Perla (I.33 or I.30) | 26 Mar 1942 | 1825 | Messina | 11 Apr 1942 | 0813 | Messina | 1942,5 | Escorted out by MAS 562 for a patrol off Cyrenaica between 34°30'N and 34°40'N, and between 22°10'E and 23°10'E. On 2nd April, was moved to a new area between 33°40'N and 34°20'N, and between 22°00'E and 22°25'E. | |
| 28 Mar 1942 | 1510 | At 1510 hours, an Italian steamer escorted by a destroyer of the FRECCIA class were sighted. | ||||||||
| Perla (I.33 or I.30) | 28 Apr 1942 | 1515 | Naples | 28 Apr 1942 | 1845 | Naples | 19 | Exercises. | ||
| Perla (I.33 or I.30) | 1 May 1942 | 1438 | Naples | 1 May 1942 | 1745 | Naples | 17,5 | Trials. | ||
| Perla (I.33 or I.30) | 3 May 1942 | 0825 | Naples | 3 May 1942 | 1820 | Naples | 67 | Trials, escorted by MAS 547. | ||
| Perla (I.33 or I.30) | 6 May 1942 | 0955 | Messina | 7 May 1942 | 0900 | Trapani | 229,5 | Passage Messina-Trapani. | ||
| 24. | Perla (I.33 or I.30) | 8 May 1942 | 2045 | Trapani | 25 May 1942 | 0720 | Trapani | 871,5 | Patrolled in zone K.2 (between 36°53'N and 36°57'N, and between 11°12'E and the Tunisian coast). On 17th May, was ordered to a new area between 36°20'N and 36°50'N, and between 09°20'E and 09°50'E, east of La Galite and off Cape Kelibia (Tunisia). Several French ships were sighted. | |
| 11 May 1942 | 0355 | (0) Zone K.2 or off Ras Mustafa near Keliibia (Tunisia). | At 0350 hours, a warship was sighted travelling at a speed just under 25 knots. At 0355 hours, two torpedoes (533mm) were fired from stern tubes at a distance of 600 metres. They missed. This was the fast minelayer HMS Welshman. She had sailed from Malta at 2130 hours, on 10th May, after delivering supplies for the beleaguered island and was on her way to Gibraltar. T.V. Celeste was reprimanded as he had not made an enemy report immediately after his attack on the minelayer. As report was only sent at 0517 hours and, was not received by Rome, the opportunity to sink this warship was lost. | |||||||
| Perla (I.33 or I.30) | 26 May 1942 | 1130 | Trapani | 27 May 1942 | 0825 | Messina | 210,8 | Passage Trapani-Messina, escorted in by the torpedo boat Abba. | ||
| Enrico Toti (TO) | 25 Sep 1942 | 0800 | Taranto | 25 Sep 1942 | 1855 | Taranto | 42 | Trials. | ||
| 25. | Enrico Toti (TO) | 27 Sep 1942 | 1022 | Taranto | 28 Sep 1942 | 0830 | Taranto | 140 | Sailed on supply mission (63.3 tons of petrol) but returned following a fire in the forward battery. | |
| 27 Sep 1942 | 1915 | (0) About 60 miles from Taranto. | An accidental fire occurred in the battery compartment. The submarine was forced to abort her mission. | |||||||
| Enrico Toti (TO) | 17 Nov 1942 | 0830 | Taranto | 17 Nov 1942 | 1515 | Taranto | 46 | Trials. | ||
| 26. | Enrico Toti (TO) | 19 Nov 1942 | 2300 | Taranto | 24 Nov 1942 | 1125 | Tripoli | Supply mission to Tripoli (60.5 tons: 57.5 tons of petrol, 2.7 tons of lubricating oil and 0.3 ton of fats). | ||
| 20 Nov 1942 | 1346 | (0) About 100 miles South of Crotone. | Two unknown aircraft were observed at a distance of 3,000 metres flying toward the submarine, which dived immediately. | |||||||
| 27. | Enrico Toti (TO) | 24 Nov 1942 | 2120 | Tripoli | 24 Nov 1942 | 2157 | Tripoli | Changed anchorage. | ||
| 28. | Enrico Toti (TO) | 25 Nov 1942 | 0750 | Tripoli | 25 Nov 1942 | 0845 | Tripoli | Changed anchorage. | ||
| 25 Nov 1942 | 1933 | (0) About 60 miles NE of Tripoli. | The submarine sighted an illuminated vessel, which proved to be the hospital ship Virgilio. | |||||||
| 29. | Enrico Toti (TO) | 25 Nov 1942 | 1340 | Tripoli | 28 Nov 1942 | 2325 | Taranto | 1373 | Return trip from supply mission to Tripoli, the submarine suffered more engine defects. The submarine brought back 2.25 tons of Gold and other valuables from the Banca d'Italia and Cassa di Risparmio of Tripoli. | |
| 25 Nov 1942 | 1933 | (0) About 60 miles NE of Tripoli. | The submarine sighted an illuminated vessel, which proved to be the hospital ship Virgilio. | |||||||
| FR 113 (ex-Requin) () | 18 Jan 1943 | Ferryville (Bizerta) | 18 Jan 1943 | Ferryville (Bizerta) | Trials interrupted by defects. | |||||
| 18 Jan 1943 | 2200 | (0) At Ferryville. | At 2200 hours, the submarine crew witnessed a heavy air raid which caused fires very near her, but FR.113 was unscathed. | |||||||
| FR 113 (ex-Requin) () | 19 Jan 1943 | Ferryville (Bizerta) | 19 Jan 1943 | Ferryville (Bizerta) | Successful trials in the lake of Bizerta. | |||||
| FR 113 (ex-Requin) () | 20 Jan 1943 | 0657 | Ferryville (Bizerta) | 22 Jan 1943 | 0340 | Naples | 328 | Passage Bizerta-Naples with Espadon, escorted by the torpedo boat Cascino (who towed Requin part of the way) and later by the torpedo boats Animoso and Ardito. On 8th February 1943, she was assigned to the La Spezia command. | ||
| FR 111 (ex-Phoque) () | 1 Feb 1943 | 0915 | Naples | 1 Feb 1943 | Time??? | Naples | Trials. | |||
| FR 111 (ex-Phoque) () | 9 Feb 1943 | Time??? | Naples | 1 Feb 1943 | 1750 | Naples | Exercises. | |||
| FR 111 (ex-Phoque) () | 12 Feb 1943 | 0940 | Naples | 12 Feb 1943 | 1325 | Naples | Exercises. | |||
| FR 111 (ex-Phoque) () | 14 Feb 1943 | 0836 | Naples | 14 Feb 1943 | 1545 | Naples | Exercises. | |||
| FR 113 (ex-Requin) () | 20 Feb 1943 | Naples | 20 Feb 1943 | Naples | The submarine was in Naples when an air raid by the USAAF caused slight damage. Two ratings were killed. | |||||
| 20 Feb 1943 | (0) Naples harbour. | During the day, the harbour came under heavy air attack from the USAAF. The submarine ex-French Requin (later renamed FR.113) was slightly damaged from splinters and had two ratings killed (Mario Cali and Guerrino Fabbi). | ||||||||
| FR 111 (ex-Phoque) () | 23 Feb 1943 | 0155 | Naples | 24 Feb 1943 | 0637 | Augusta | Passage Naples-Augusta. | |||
| FR 111 (ex-Phoque) () | 26 Feb 1943 | PM | Augusta | 26 Feb 1943 | Augusta | Trials. | ||||
| 30. | FR 111 (ex-Phoque) () | 27 Feb 1943 | 1551 | Augusta | 28 Feb 1943 | 1445 | Sunk | She was carrying 38.3 tons of stores (28 tons of ammunition and 10.3 tons of petrol) to Lampedusa, via 37°00'N, 13°00'E. At 0745 hours on the 28th, the submarine informed MARICOSOM that she had defects and wished to turn back. This was accepted by MARICOSOM's 1041/28 signal. Sunk between Cape Passero and Cape Murro di Porco by enemy fighter bombers. | ||
| 28 Feb 1943 | 1445 1435 (e) | (0) 10 miles SW of Cape Murro di Porco | At 1145 hours, FR.111 was attacked by enemy bombers and sunk. These were actually eleven Spitfire fighter bombers (six of 185 and five of 249 Squadrons with two escorting fighters from each squadron) returning from a raid on Cassabillo Power Station (9 miles SW of Syracuse). They reported attacking a U-boat with MG and cannon fire, five miles east of Avola. The submarine replied briefly with a machine gun and reported attacked by four aircraft. The submarine was machine-gunned with all the personnel on deck killed or wounded and sank. An Italian seaplane picked up two survivors and Germans forces another twenty-five (including two wounded and a corpse). Five officers and eighteen ratings were killed. One Spitfire was slightly damaged by flying fragments from the submarine. | |||||||
90 entries. 90 total patrol entries (30 marked as war patrols) and 9 events.