| Page Created |
| January 13th, 2025 |
| Last Updated |
| February 5th, 2025 |
| Italy |
 |
| Length |
| 122 metres |
| Wide |
| 17 metres |
| Height |
| 10 metres |
| Tonnage |
| 6,504 |
| Propulsion |
| three oil-fired boilers and a quadruple-expansion engine |
| Armour |
| – |
| Armament |
| – |
| Tanker Fulgor |
 |
The Fulgor is a tanker constructed by Cantieri Navali della Spezia and completed in June 1922. The vessel is delivered in 1926 to “La Columbia,” Società Marittima per il Trasporto di Petroli e Derivati, based in Genoa.
The Fulgor has a gross registered tonnage of 6,504, a cargo capacity of 8,000 tonnes, and dimensions of 122 metres in length, 17 metres in beam, and 10 metres in draught. Powered by three oil-fired boilers and a quadruple-expansion engine, it achieves a maximum speed of 10 knots.
During the war the ship operates as a covert support ship for Italian submarines. Officially an interned merchant vessel, it is secretly known as Base C within Italian naval operations.
On June 10th, 1940, when Italy enters the war, the Fulgor is stationed at Huelva, near the Strait of Gibraltar. It is relocated to Cadiz on July 29th, 1940, to fulfill its role as a clandestine base supporting submarine missions, referred to as Base C. The tanker is equipped with extensive supplies, including torpedoes, fuel, lubricants, provisions, and distilled water. Torpedoes and rations are shipped from Italy, while fuel is sourced from other Italian vessels interned in Spanish harbors. Special pipes and connectors are fitted to align with Italian submarine intake systems, enabling efficient refueling and resupply.
In May 1941, the Fulgor supports the Sciré’s third mission against Gibraltar. On May 14th, Siluro a Lenta Corsa operators are flown to Spain and board the Fulgor at Cadiz. The ship carries 450 tons of diesel oil, 20–30 tons of lubricating oil, twenty torpedoes of various types, 12,000 rations, and sufficient distilled water for a full submarine replenishment. The Sciré departs La Spezia on May 15th, 1941, and arrives at Cadiz on May 23rd, 1941. It moors beside the Fulgor to embark the operators, take on supplies, and make minor repairs. The crew also uses the ship’s facilities before departing under cover of darkness.
For Operation “B.G. 3” targeting Gibraltar, Siluro a Lenta Corsa operators are flown into Spain on May 14th, 1941, and subsequently transferred to the Fulgor in Cadiz. The ship is specially equipped with fuel and water connections compatible with Italian submarines. At the time of the submarine Scirè’s third mission, Fulgor carries 450 tons of diesel fuel, 20–30 tons of lubricating oil, 10 W 6.8 type A and B torpedoes, 10 W 7.2 type F torpedoes, 12,000 special rations, and sufficient distilled water for a full resupply.
The submarine Scirè departs La Spezia on May 15th, 1941, and docks alongside the Fulgor in Cádiz at 23:30 on May 23rd, 1941. There, it embarks the Siluro a Lenta Corsa operators, who test their equipment and mounts brought aboard by the submarine. The crew of Scirè also receives fresh supplies, performs minor repairs, and enjoys hot showers aboard the depot ship before departing under cover of darkness.
This process is repeated for Operation B.G. 4. On September 14th, 1941, operators arrive in Spain by air and board the Fulgor, which once again supports Scirè. The submarine departs La Spezia on 10 September, arriving in Cádiz on the night of September 17th, 1941, and September 18th, 1941. After resupply and preparations, Scirè departs with four Siluro a Lenta Corsa crews, including one spare crew.
The Fulgor also supports Operation G.G. 1, a raid on Gibraltar involving “Gamma men.” Twelve operators are sent to Spain, half traveling overland from Betasom via St. Jean de Luz and mountain trails guided by Italian Navy personnel, and the other half arriving aboard the merchant ship Mauro Croce in Barcelona. Disguised as deserting sailors, they transfer to the Fulgor and then to the tanker Olterra in Algeciras on July 11th, 1942, and July 12th, 1942, in preparation for the raid on July 14th, 1942.
For Operation G.G. 2 in September 1942, two operators arrive in Barcelona aboard the Mauro Croce, again posing as deserters, and are transported to the Olterra. Meanwhile, three additional operators, detained by Spanish authorities after “G.G. 1,” are replaced in custody by three sailors from the Fulgor, allowing them to join the mission.
Given the ship’s role in numerous clandestine operations, it is plausible that the sabotage on October 24th, 1943, can be attributed to agents of the Italian Repubblica Sociale, Xa Flottiglia MAS, or Betasom. These actions likely had the tacit support of Spanish authorities, aiming to prevent Italian military materials aboard the Fulgor from falling into Allied hands. In that role the ship survives the war.
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