Italian Submarine " RUBINO "

(translation by the courtesy of Mr. D'Adamo - www.regiamarina.net)

The submarine RUBINO was part of the series SIRENA of the class “600”. The 12 boats of this series were built between 1931 and 1934 by various shipyards: C.R.D.A. of Monfalcone, Gorizia (6), TOSI of Taranto (2), Quarnaro of Fiume (2), and OTO of Muggiano (2). The RUBINO was one of the boats built in Fiume. It was laid down on September 26th, 1931, launched on March 29th, 1933 and delivered to the Regia Marina on March 21st, 1934.

Technical specifications:

– Hull: "Bernardis" Design - Single Hull
– Max Diving Depth.: 80 m (safety factor 3)
– Displacement: 679 t (surfaced) - 842 t (submerged)
– Dimensions: 60,18 m (Lenght) - 6,45 m (Beam) - 4,66 m (Draft)
– Engines Power: 1350 HP (diesel) - 800 HP (electric)
– Max speed: 14 kts (surf.) - 7,7 kts (subm.)
– Range: 5000 NM at 8 kts - 2200 NM at 14 Kts (surf.); 72 NM at 4 kts - 7 NM at 7,5 kts (subm.)
– Armament: 6 x 533 mm torp. tubes (4 bow and 2 aft); 1 deck gun 100 mm / 47 cal. ; 2 Anti-Aircraft guns -13,2 mm
– Crew: 36 (4 Officers)

Operational Life

Upon entering service in March 1934, the RUBINO was deployed in La Spezia and assigned to the 3rd Squadron. First it completed training activity in the Tyrrhenian Sea, and later in 1938, having moved to the 13th Squadron also in La Spezia, completed cruises in the Adriatic Sea, the Dodecanese, and North Africa.

During the Spanish Civil War, from August 27th to September 4th, 1937, the RUBINO under the command of Lieutenant Paolo Comel completed a patrol in the waters off Tunisia near Galite, but without any result.

Upon Italy’s entry into the war (June 10th 1940), the RUBINO was assigned to the 47th Squadron of the 4th Submarine Group based in Taranto. From here, under the command of Leiutenant Luigi Trebbi, the boat left port on June 18th to reach Tobruk for its first and last war patrol. The area assigned to the submarine was about 20 miles west of Alexandria and it reached it on the 21st.

Those days, in preparation for the transit of a large convoy, “MA.3”, the British were conducting an antisubmarine sweep in the waters between Alexandria and Tobruk with 5 ships and several reconnaissance airplanes.

The RUBINO was located, and almost immediately underwent an intense hunt with depth charges, but it escaped with little and not too serious damage. It decided to change area and moved to a point 40 miles more to the north of the previous one where it arrived on the 25th. The same night, MARICOSOM, by then aware of the British operation taking place, ordered the RUBINO, and other submarines in the area, to abort the mission and return to base.

On the way back, while navigating on the surface toward Taranto, and almost in proximity of the Italian coast, the RUBINO sighted at around 13:00 of the 29th an airplane which went away without attacking. This behavior made the crew believe that it was an Italian airplane, thus the RUBINO continued on the surface without interruption.

It was a fatal mistake! The plane was part of a screen of 14 antisubmarine flying boats type “Sunderland” which, from Malta were patrolling the Ionian coast while protecting the already mentioned convoy “MA.3”. Thus, one hour later, in position, 39°10’N, 18°49’E, about 45 miles for 150° from Cape Santa Maria di Leuca, the “Sunderland” L 5804 attacked the RUBINO hitting it with two bombs aft of the cunning tower.

The sinking was almost immediate. Only four people saved their lives, amongst them the second in command, Lieutenant Bracco, who was rescued along with the others by the British plane which had immediately landed.

With the boat were lost:

- Ten. Vasc. Luigi TREBBI, Comandante (CO)
- Ten. G.N. Arturo GODANO, Direttore di Macchina (CE)

- C° 1^ cl. Antonio MACCARONE
- C° 1^ cl. Giuseppe MANZI
- C° 2^ cl. Gino FELICINI
- 2°C° Carlo BEDONI
- 2°C° Antonio CALABRO
- 2°C° Italo DE ZUONO
- 2°C° Mario MALAGUTI
- 2°C° Bruno RANGHIERI
- Sc. Oscar CECERE
- Sc. Adriano GANDOLFO
- Sc. Pietro GASPARI
- Sc. Giovanni IAMIGLIO
- Sc. Luigi MATERA
- Sc. Igino ORLANDI
- Sc. Carlo SCALTRITO
- Com. Mario BESSONE
- Com. Luigi BUONO
- Com. Otello CEVASCO
- Com. Gianfranco FERRARI
- Com. Francesco FILARDI
- Com. Antonio GENNARO
- Com. Costantino GHIDELLA
- Com. Carmine GIORNETTA
- Com. Giulio GUERRIERI
- Com. Aldo GUIDI
- Com. Giovanni ILLIANO
- Com. Stefano LOPRESTI
- Com. Armando MALTA
- Com. Salvatore PECCARISI
- Com. Ezio RADICI
- Com. Gaetano RAIOLA
- Com. Ugo RIVETTI
- Com. Angelo ROTOLO
- Com. Cesare SALESSE
- Com. Vincenzo Vittorio SITRA
- Com. Bruno SORESINA
- Com. Ginesio TRIPALDI
- Com. Pasquale VAZZANA

Honour to Them !

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