Raid on Algiers
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The raid on Algiers, known in Italy as Operation N.A. 1 (Template:Langx), took place on 11 December 1942, in the Algiers harbour. Italian manned torpedoes and commando frogmen from the Decima Flottiglia MAS were brought to Algiers aboard the Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".. The participating commandos were captured after setting limpet mines which sank two Allied ships and damaged two more.
The raid
On 4 December 1942, Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"., a submarine of the Script error: No such module "Lang". (the Italian Royal Navy]), left the naval base of La Spezia, carrying three manned torpedoes and 10 commando frogmen. Air reconnaissance had discovered that the port of Algiers was crowded with Allied cargo ships, so the Italian High Command decided to launch an operation involving both human torpedoes and combat swimmers carrying limpet mines. On the evening of 10 December, Ambra reached Algiers at a depth of Template:Cvt. One of the swimmers was employed as scout on the surface, and he guided the submarine toward a position Template:Cvt from the southern entrance to the harbour. He spotted six steamers at 21:45, and informed the presence of targets to Ambra by phone.[1]
The other swimmers and the manned torpedoes begun to emerge at 23:45 after some delay. The observer reported an intense reaction from the harbour defences. The submarine awaited to recover the operators until 03:00, an hour after the original time set. Then the scout swimmer was recalled on board and Ambra departed back to La Spezia.[2] At 05:00, the explosions started to rock the freighters. The Norwegian[3] Berta (Template:GRT) was sunk, while Ocean Vanquisher (7,174 GRT),[4] Empire Centaur (7,041 GRT) and Armatan (4,587 GRT) were severely damaged. The American Landing Ship Medium LSM-59 became stranded on the beach. Sixteen Italian divers were captured.[5]
Notes
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References
- "Frogmen First Battles" by retired U.S. Captain William Schofield. Template:ISBN
- "Sea Devils" by J. Valerio Borghese, translated into English by James Cleugh, with introduction by the United States Naval Institute Template:ISBN
Further reading
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External links
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- "Principal Operations of the 10th Light Flotilla" - RegiaMarina.net Template:In lang
- La fine delle Illusioni - RegiaMarinaItaliana.it Template:In lang
- L'incredibile impresa del Comandante Arillo con il sommergibile "Ambra" nella tana del lupo per uscirne indenne e vittorioso - BascoGrigioverde Template:In lang
- Ambra Template:In lang
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- Pages with script errors
- Naval battles of World War II involving the United Kingdom
- 1942 in Italy
- Conflicts in 1942
- 1942 in Algeria
- Naval battles of World War II involving Italy
- Naval battles of World War II involving the United States
- World War II raids
- Frogman operations
- Italian naval victories in the battle of the Mediterranean
- December 1942 in Africa
- Military history of Algeria during World War II
- 1940s in Algiers
- Military history of Algiers
- Attacks on naval bases
- Attacks on military installations in Algeria
- Bombardments of Algiers
- Attacks on military installations in 1942
- Naval bombing operations and battles of World War II