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Operazione Golfo di Alessandria 4

April 29th, 1942 – May 24th, 1942
Operazione Golfo di Alessandria 4
Objectives
  • Attack the floating dock where the battleship H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth was being repaired in.
  • Attack Submarine support vessel Medway.
Operational Area
Alexandria, Egypt,  Harbour
Alexandria Harbour, Egypt
Allied Forces
  • Alexandria Harbour, Egypt
Axis Forces
  • Submarine Ambra
  • Xa Flottiglia MAS
    • Tenente di Vascello Mario Arillo
    • Capitano di Corvetta Egil Chersi
    • Sottocapo Rodolfo Beuck
    • Sototenente di Vascello Luigi Feltrinelli
    • Sottocapo Luciano Favale
    • Sototenente di Vascello, Dottore Medico, Giorgio Spaccarelli
    • Sergente Armando Memoli
    • Guardiamarina Giovanni Magello
    • Capo di 2a Classe Giuseppe Morbelli
    • Capo di 2a Classe Enrico Ario Lazzari
    • Sototenente di Vascello, Dottore Medico, Elvio Moscatelli
    • Three Siluro a Lenta Corsa
Operation

Following the partial success of Operazione Golfo di Alessandria 3 in December 1941, which inflicted severe damage on the Royal Navy battleships H.M.S. Valiant and H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth, Italian naval strategists devised Operazione Golfo di Alessandria 4. Despite their success, the shallow waters of Alexandria’s harbour allow the damaged vessels to rest on the seabed rather than sink entirely. The H.M.S. Valiant is subsequently transferred to South Africa for repairs, while the H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth undergoes restoration on a large floating dock within the port. Reports of her imminent readiness to sail for further repairs in South Africa prompted the Xa Flottiglia MAS command to act swiftly.

Alexandria Harbour, located in Alexandria, Egypt, is one of the most significant ports in the Mediterranean. It serves as a critical maritime and military hub due to its location on the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, near the strategically vital Suez Canal, which connects the Mediterranean to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. Alexandria Harbour consists of the Inner Harbour: The protected part of the port, used for docking warships, supply vessels, and commercial ships. It is shielded by breakwaters and is equipped with multiple berths for naval and civilian operations and the Outer Harbour: The larger, less protected area used for anchoring larger vessels awaiting entry into the inner harbour. The harbour is accessed through narrow channels, which are well-defended during wartime, including anti-submarine nets, minefields, and patrols.

During World War II, Alexandria Harbour is a major base for the Royal Navy’s Mediterranean Fleet. Its proximity to key conflict zones, including North Africa, Malta, and the Eastern Mediterranean, makes it a central hub for Allied operations. Alexandria serves as the headquarters for the British Mediterranean Fleet, coordinating naval engagements, convoy protection, and anti-submarine warfare in the region. The harbour facilitates the movement of troops, fuel, ammunition, and other vital supplies for campaigns in North Africa, particularly the Western Desert Campaign.

Operation Operazione Golfo di Alessandria 4 aims to strike at Alexandria again, targeting the floating dock housing the H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth, the submarine support ship H.M.S. Medway, and the harbour itself, which is a critical strategic hub. The submarine Ambra, commanded by Tenente di Vascello Mario Arillo, is selected to transport the crew of the Xa Flottiglia MAS and their equipment for the mission.

April 29th, 1942

The Perla-Class submarine Ambra departs La Spezia, Italy at 12:25 and heads towards Porto Lagos on the Island of Leros on The Aegean Sea. The submarine is escorted through the Messina Strait by the Rosolino Pilo-class destroyer, redesignated as Torpedo Boat, Giuseppe Cesare Abba. Her route includes the following waypoints: (a) 34°40’N, 22°00’E, (b) 34°10’N, 24°40’E, (c) 34°20’N, 26°20’E, (d) 34°56’N, 27°50’E and (e) 35°40’N, 27°54’E

May 2nd, 1942

At 14:45 hours, a drifting mine is sighted by the Ambra at coordinates 36°48’N, 17°46’E. The crew successfully neutralises the threat using light machine-gun fire, expending 180 rounds in the process.

May 3rd, 1942

At 07:45 hours, the Ambra spots another mine at coordinates 35°21’N, 20°40’E. This mine is also destroyed with light machine-gun fire, requiring 160 rounds.

May 5th, 1942

Around 05:15 hours, the Sella-Class destroyer Quintino Sella meets the Ambra and provides an escort to Porto Lago, Leros, where the submarine arrives at 18:45 hours. Here, the Ambra loads the men of the Xa Flottiglia MAS and their equipment. The teams and their equipment are transported to Leros by air. Onboard go ten men from the Xa Flottiglia MAS, including six Siluro a Lenta Corsa’s operators: Capitano di Corvetta Egil Chersi and Sottocapo Rodolfo Beuck (SLC 1), Sottotenente di Vascello Luigi Feltrinelli and Sottocapo Luciano Favale (SLC 2), and Sottotenente di Vascello Dottore Medico Giorgio Spaccarelli and Sergente Armando Memoli (SLC 3). Additionally, there are three reserves: Guardiamarina Giovanni Magello, Capo di 2a Classe Giuseppe Morbelli, and Capo di 2a Classe Enrico Ario Lazzari. The medical supervisor is Sottotenente di Vascello Dottore Medico Elvio Moscatelli.

May 9th, 1942

The Ambra departs Porto Lago, Leros, at 06:20 hours for a series of training exercises with the Xa Flottiglia MAS and their equipment. The submarine is accompanied by the destroyer Quintino Sella throughout the drills. The exercises are completed successfully.

May 10th, 1942

The Ambra returns to Porto Lago, Leros on 10 May at 09:40 hours.

May 11th, 1942

At 06:26 hours, submarine Ambra, departs Porto Lago, Leros, and starts heading towards its operational target of Operazione Golfo di Alessandria 4.

May 13th, 1942

The Ambra arrives in the operational area. At 21:10, the searchlights of Alexandria Harbour are observed.

May 14th, 1942

Around 01:30 hours, anti-aircraft fire is visible emanating from the city as an air raid has been coordinated to provide a diversion for the operation. By 03:00 hours, the submarine Ambra advances while submerged, with Tenente di Vascello Arillo relying on bathymetric data to navigate the approach.

Under the cover of darkness, the Ambra approaches Alexandria, aiming to release the Siluro a Lenta Corsa teams in close proximity to their targets. The operation plan calls for precision, as success depends on the operatives navigating the Siluro a Lenta Corsa to critical targets without detection.

At the last moment, the operator team of SLC 1 Capitano di Corvetta Egil Chersi and Sottocapo Rodolfo Beuck are swapped by the reserve team Guardiamarina Giovanni Magello and Capo di 2a Classe Giuseppe Morbelli. Capitano di Corvetta Chersi takes on the role of relay, maintaining telephone communication with the submerged submarine to guide it through the critical final approach phase. At 19:25 hours, the Ambra settles on the seabed at a shallow depth of 10.5 metres. The Ras-el-Tin lighthouse is observed at a distance of approximately 2.8 kilometres.

Submarine Commander Mario Arillo, relying on estimated navigation and seabed contours, surfaces the submarine briefly to release the three Siluro a Lenta Corsa’s between 20:30 and 20:56. Once the Siluro a Lenta Corsa’s are deployed and confirmed to have move away from the submarine, Tenete di Vascello Mario Arillo orders Ambra to submerge and begin its return journey. Conscious of the heightened risk of discovery, Ambra maintains strict radio silence and navigates submerged until it is safely out of range of British patrols.

However, an undetected westward current has pushed the submarine approximately 2.5 kilometres off course. This error significantly alters the starting point for the operatives, who are unaware of their displacement. Further complicating the situation, is that the British are alerted when the crossing of the western loop is detected at 23:40 hours. Depth charges are deployed at 01:30 and 01:40 hours, with searchlights sweeping the sea and flares illuminating the area. These measures increased the psychological pressure on the operators and limited their ability to orient themselves.

May 15th, 1942
Sototenente di Vascello Luigi Feltrinelli and Sottocapo Luciano Favale

Target: Submarine support vessel Medway

Sototenente di Vascello Luigi Feltrinelli and Sottocapo Luciano Favale faced significant setbacks almost immediately after deployment. The extraction of their Siluro a Lenta Corsa from the submarine’s storage tube proves challenging and causes delays. When they finally launch their Siluro a Lenta Corsa it is found to be non-operational due to mechanical issues. The duo attempts field repairs but concludes that the device could not be salvaged.

Realising the futility of continuing the mission, Feltrinelli scuttle the Siluro a Lenta Corsa of the coast of Agami to prevent its capture by the British and destroye all sensitive equipment. With their primary objective unattainable, the pair turns their focus to survival. Swimming ashore, they successfully avoid British sentries and roadblocks.

Sototenente di Vascello, Dottore Medico, Giorgio Spaccarelli and Sergente Armando Memoli

Target: Floating dock and H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth

Sototenente di Vascello, Dottore Medico, Giorgio Spaccarelli and Sergente Armando Memoli also encountered immediate complications due to the submarine’s incorrect starting position. Memoli, having observed the Alexandria coastline on Operazione Golfo di Alessandria 3, immediately recognises that something is wrong, relying on his sailor’s intuition and observations of the shore lights. Among these is the Ras el Tin lighthouse, which, although operating at reduced power, provides a crucial point of reference. His observations suggest that the team is likely positioned farther west and closer to the coast than initially estimated. Despite his efforts to convey this to his superior officer, Spaccarelli decides to continue following the planned route outlined in the operation orders. While Spaccarelli notices the unexpected activity and arrangement of the shore lights, he opts to adhere to the mission plan rather than conduct a reconnaissance towards land.

They navigate their Siluro a Lenta Corsa along what they believe to be the correct route towards the harbour entrance. However, the strong current and misleading patterns of coastal searchlights disrupts their orientation, making it increasingly difficult to confirm their position.

As the night progresses, their progress slows significantly, and they realise they are off course. Spaccarelli, though experienced, decides to adhere to the planned route rather than adjust based on Memoli’s observations, who suspected they are further west than anticipated. By the time they acknowledged the error, it is too late to reach their objective.

With dawn approaching and the likelihood of detection by British patrols increasing, they scuttle their Siluro a Lenta Corsa near Mex to prevent it from being captured. Exhausted from their efforts and with no means of escape, they swim ashore. However, their vulnerability leads to their capture by British forces at 06:00 hours near Mex.

Guardiamarina Giovanni Magello and Capo di 2a Classe Giuseppe Morbelli

Target: Floating dock and H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth

Guardiamarina Giovanni Magello and Capo di 2a Classe Giuseppe Morbelli face challenges similar to those of the Spaccarelli and Memoli team. After deploying their Siluro a Lenta Corsa, they navigate westward, believing they are en route to the harbour entrance. However, they too are misled by the submarine’s drift and the confusion caused by coastal searchlights.

Magello opts to submerge the Siluro di Lenta Corsa to avoid detection, but this decision further hinders their ability to identify key landmarks. After hours of fruitless navigation, they determine that they could not locate their target.

At first light, the team abandons the mission and scuttles their Siluro a Lenta Corsa to prevent it from falling into enemy hands. This team has scuttled their Siluro a Lenta Corsa approximately 1.6 kilometres from the wreck of the City of Pittsburg, where they had initially sought shelter. In search of temporary refuge, they come across a partially sunken vessel near the coastline and conceal themselves there, hoping to avoid detection by British forces. However, their efforts prove unsuccessful. Later that morning, at 10:30 hours near Anfouchy, they are spotted and apprehended by a British patrol vessel.

June 19th, 1942,

Despite their resourcefulness, the British military police locates and arrests Feltrinelli and Favale.

May 21st, 1942

At 10:52 hours, while transiting at coordinates 36°50’N, 17°40’E, Ambra sights a derelict mine. The crew safely disposes of it using light machine-gun fire, expending 120 rounds in the process.

May 22nd, 1942

Ambra stops briefly at Rhodes to collect secret documents before proceeding to Messina, where she is again locally escorted by the torpedo boat Giuseppe Cesare Abba.

May 24th, 1942

Submarine Ambra returns to La Spezia, Italy at 11:20 hours, completing a journey of 3,602.9 nautical miles.

Aftermath

Despite their meticulous training and preparation, all three teams fail to achieve their objectives due to the combined effects of navigational errors, mechanical failures, and heightened British defences. The submarine’s off-course position not only shortened the available time for the operators but also forced them into areas of the harbour they had not rehearsed navigating. Moreover, the British searchlights and flares created a disorienting environment, compounding the operators’ difficulties.

While the operatives display remarkable courage and determination, the mission’s strategic and tactical missteps rendered it unsuccessful. All six members of the Siluro a Lenta Corsa teams are captured, marking the operation as a failure. Nevertheless, the Italian naval personnel, is honoured for their achievements and significant sacrifices. The submarine commander Mario Arillo successfully completes the operation and is awarded the Medaglia d’Argento al Valore Militare upon his return. Egil Chersi also returns and receives the Medaglia di Bronzo al Valore Militare. Rudolph Beuck is promoted in recognition of his performance during the mission.

However, several crew members are captured during the operation and become prisoners of war. These include Giovanni Magello, Giuseppe Morbelli, Luigi Feltrinelli, Luciano Favale, Giorgio Spaccarelli, and Armando Memoli, each of whom is awarded the Medaglia d’Argento al Valore Militare for their bravery and commitment.

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