Platon Alexiades Posted October 8, 2018 Report Share Posted October 8, 2018 I am looking for information on the post-capture activities (if any) of the MAS 452 taken by the British during the raid on Malta in July 1941. She appears to have been in Malta at least until February 1943 and may have been used by the SOE or SIS in clandestine operations. Many thanks, Platon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesco De Domenico Posted October 8, 2018 Report Share Posted October 8, 2018 As far as I know she was renamed XMAS (perhaps an ironical reference to her belonging to the Flotilla of the same name) and used locally as a patrol boat, perhaps also for target towing. Sold out of the service in 1946. Brooks Richards, in "Secret Flotillas Vol. 2", only mentions two sorties to land agents by fast boats from Malta to Tunisia, one by MTB 307 on 28/29 Jan. 1943 to the Gulf of Hammamet, another by MTBs (probably including again MTB 307) on 6 April 1943 to Kelibia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platon Alexiades Posted October 8, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2018 Dear Francesco, Many thanks for the quick response, The 6 April 1943 sortie you mentioned was carried out by MTB 261 and 264. There was also an attempted landing on 13 April 1943 but it is not clear if these were agents or a hit and run commando raid,I am particularly interested at the landing of two SIS agents on 28 November 1941 near Sillonville (Tunisia). There were previous discussions that either the ex-MAS 452 or the RAF motorboat CLYDE would be used but I am not sure if one of them was used. Can you provide the names of the MAS 452 crew who were killed (I believe eight bodies were found). All the best, Platon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesco De Domenico Posted October 9, 2018 Report Share Posted October 9, 2018 Two of them were from the boat's crew, tenente di vascello Gio' Batta Parodi and maro' Fedrico Fucetolo; and six were from the X Flottiglia MAS, namely capitano di fregata Vittorio Moccagatta, capitano di corvetta Giorgio Giobbe, capitano medico Bruno Falcomata', secondo capo motorista navale Vincenzo Montanari, sottocapo cannoniere Leonildo Zocchi, sottocapo motorista navale Luigi Costantini. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platon Alexiades Posted October 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2018 Dear Francesco, Many thanks again for the info. All the best, Platon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesco De Domenico Posted October 10, 2018 Report Share Posted October 10, 2018 Una foto nota. I due MAS 451 e 452 erano pitturati di nero per ridurne la visibilità.All'apparenza il colpo da un cannone da 6 pounder (57mm) arrivato in plancia, che ha fatto otto vittime, ha provocato scarsi danni superficiali. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platon Alexiades Posted October 11, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2018 Thanks again, Francesco. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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