Did You Know…..

From Oberleutnant ERNST SCHMIDT (10-+-1983)

The LEONARDO da VINCI was Italy’s most successful sub in WW II? It sank 17 ships for a total of 120,243 gross tons. Her third and last Commander, Capitano Gianfranca Gazzana was the Italian tonnage leader with 12 ships sunk and a total of 94,356 gross tons. He was awarded the German Knights Cross of the Iron Cross.

HMS UPHOLDER under LCDR Wanklyn was Great Britain’s most successful submarine in World War II? Operating out of Malta between January 1941 and April 1942 when she was lost, she sank 98,947 gross tons.

Questions and Answers

This quiz is for your enjoyment. Please do not send the answers here - they will appear in KTB #152 next month.

Answers

211. The largest aircraft carrier of World War II was the 65,000 ton I.J.N. SHINANO. She had a 30cm thick deck over concrete when she departed on her first patrol, which was only to take her to a safer shipyard for final fitting out. She ran right across the path of USS ARCHER-FISH commanded by Captain JOE ENRIGHT (2142-+-1992) and was sunk. The US Navy would not give JOE credit for this sinking until decades after the war because SHINANO was so secret, the US Navy did not even know of her existence.

212. The two Japanese transports sunk on 11 September 1944 were RAKUYO MARU & KACHIDOKI MARU. These transports were carrying 2,218 British and Australian POWs who were survivors of building the infamous ‘Bridge on the River Kwai’. Nearly 1,300 of these men did not survive 11 September 1944.

213. The famous piece of film in which Adolf Hitler is seen to dance a little jig was said to have been shot at Compiégne, the site of the French surrender to the Germans. It was shot at Hitler’s headquarters at Bruly-de-Pesch, Belgium after he received word that Marshal Petain had asked for an armistice. Hitler did not dance this jig - it was actually the work of Allied propaganda filmmakers who made it look like he danced.

214. Operation GAMBIT was the British submarine mission that went in close to the French coastline prior to the Normandy invasion. They were navigational markers for British and Canadian troops. The submarines involved were X-20 and X-23.

215. The code name for the Allied invasion of North Africa was Operation TORCH.

Questions

Here are some more bits of little known submarine and naval history for your information. Remember, do not send answers here - this is for your knowledge and information only. The answers will be in KTB #152 next month. Now, do you know…..

216. What was Operation JUBILANT?
217. What was the code name for the proposed airborne attack on the Kriegsmarine base at Kiel?
218. What was the German code name for the plan to take Moscow?
219. What was the code name for the plan to drop American paratroops on the three airfields around Rome?
220. What was Operation YELLOW?