In this section we cover actions of submarines of the ITALIAN NAVY and the I.J.N.. Any additional information is welcome.

Italian Avorio

On 24 November, 1942, the Italian submarine AVORIO under TV Mario Priggione, fired at a destroyer and heard a detonation after 40 seconds. There is no evidence of a hit on any ship. This was the only attack by AVORIO or by Priggione during World War II.

On 12 August, 1942, the Italian submarine AXUM under TV Renato Ferrini fired at a group of ships and heard detonations between 63 and 90 seconds, and assumed hits on a cruiser or a destroyer, and a transport. Actually, AXUM sank the 4,200 ton British light cruiser HMS CAIRO, damaged the 8,000 ton British light cruiser HMS NIGERIA and also damaged the 9,514 ton British steamer SS OHIO. This was the only attack by AXUM during World War II, but Ferrini did launch another attack on an ALLIED warship while in command of the submarine SERPENTE

Japanese I-10

On 12 December, 1941, the I.J.N. submarine I-9 under K.K. Akiyoshi Fujii sank the 5,645 ton U.S. steamer SS LAHAINA. It was the only attack by I-9 or Fujii during WW II.

I-10 running at speed.

On 10 December 1941, the I.J.N. submarine I-10 under K. K. Y. Kayahara sank the 4,473 ton Panamanian motorship DONERAIL

On 5 June, 1942 I-10 under Kayahara sank the 2,639 ton Panamanian steamer ATLANTIC GULF.

(HARRY'S NOTE - wonder why there were Panamanian tankers with American-sounding names? Some American oil companies, (Standard Oil; NJ among them) re-registered and re-flagged their tankers as Panamanian to avoid the 'neutrality act' prohibiting U.S. flag ships from helping either side)

On 5 June, 1942 I-10 under Kayahara sank the 4,999 ton American motorship MELVIN H. BAKER.

On 8 June, 1942 I-10 under Kayahara sank the 5,224 British motorship KING LUD.

On 28 June, 1942 I-10 under Kayahara sank the 4,937 ton British motorship QUEEN VICTORIA.

On 30 June, 1942 I-10 under Kayahara sank the 6,736 ton American steamer EXPRESS.

On 6 July, 1942 I-10 under Kayahara sank the 4,504 ton Greek steamer NYMPHE.

On 8 July, 1942 I-10 under Kayahara sank the 5,498 ton British steamer HARTISMERE.

On 9 July, 1942 I-10 under Kayahara sank the 4,427 ton Norwegian steamer ALCHIBA. This ship had been damaged on 1 July, and sank by I-10 on the 9th. This was the last action of Kayahara during World War II.

On 29 January, 1943 I-10 under K.K. T. Yamada sank the 7,176 ton U.S. LIBERTY SHIP SAMUEL GOMPERS.

On 1 March, 1943 I-10 under Yamada damaged the 7,141 ton American diesel tanker GULFWAVE.

On 22 July, 1943 I-10 under Kapitän zur See K. Tonozuka sank the 7,634 ton Norwegian motorship ALCIDES.

On 14 September, 1943 I-10 under Tonozuka sank the 6,361 ton Norwegian motor tanker BRAMORA.

On 24 September, 1943 I-10 under Tonozuka sank the 7,176 ton American LIBERTY SHIP ELIAS HOWE.

On 1 October, 1943 I-10 under Tonozuka sank the 4,836 ton Norwegian steamer STORVIKEN.

On 5 October, 1943 I-10 under Tonozuka damaged the 9,057 ton Norwegian motor tanker ANNA KNUDSEN.

On 24 October, 1943 I-10 under Tonozuka sank the 4,533 ton British motorship CONGELLA.

(HARRY'S NOTE - it was this patrol under Tonozuka that was filmed and is now SHARKHUNTERS TAPE H-26 'GOCHIN!' It is still available at only $30 plus $5 postage)

On 2 July, 1944 I-10 under Kplt Sakae Nakajima attacked a task force off Saipan and reported one warship sunk. There is no confirmation. Mystery Attack

You will remember this story in KTB #109 last month. This was the memories of USN pilot, William Barnard, as told by JOHN CARLIN (2672-1993), of a surprise attack by their bomber on a submarine that was attacking a ship. Captain Barnard said that they heard 'through the grapevine' that the submarine was an Italian boat, and he always wondered about this 'mystery attack'.

We reported that this sub was indeed an Italian boat; the BARBARIGO, Skippered by our SHARKHUNTERS friend Captain Roberto Rigoli. We named the steamer under attack, and said that we would contact our Members in the Italian Navy during the war to see if we could obtain further information. Here it is.

Here is the translated text of a letter received from ADMIRAL MARIO BAROGLIO, an Italian veteran of the War & he writes:

"The BARBARIGO (LCDR Vascello Roberto Rigoli) departed La Pallice (La Rochelle), past the Cape Verde Islands, to her patrol station off Bahia, Brazil.

The cargo vessel was hit by two torpedoes; in order to hasten her sinking by gunfire, BARBARIGO surfaced. As the engagement was in progress, the submarine was attacked by an unexpected U.S. aircraft, CONSOLIDATED 31 TYPE, who dropped three depth charges. BARBARIGO suffered no damage.

BARBARIGO, one of 9 boats of the MARCELLO Class (1,060 - 1,313 tons) was first commissioned in September 1938; to the best of my knowledge, I can exclude that her aft machine gun plant was remote-controlled as mentioned in MYSTERY ATTACK

BARBARIGO, after arrival at Bordeaux, was repaired and refitted (like other submarines) for transportation missions between France and Singapore. On the 16th of June, under command of Lieutenant De Julio, sailed from Bordeaux with a load of 130 tons of war material; she would have been back with 100 tons of rubber and 31 tons of tin.

The boat never transmitted her position, as prescribed. After an initial period of radio silence, she is presumably sunk between the 16th and 24th of June in unknown circumstances."

ADMIRAL BAROGLIO, many thanks for your information. As to the actual cause of the loss of BARBARIGO, that is a mystery to both sides, it appears. Official US Navy sources merely indicate that BARBARIGO was lost approximately 20 June, 1943 in the Bay of Biscay to unknown causes. They selected the date of 20 June because that was the date of her last radio report. It seems that we will never know the circumstances surrounding the end of the Italian submarine BARBARIGO.