Platon Alexiades Posted August 28, 2021 Report Share Posted August 28, 2021 (edited) Hello, A friend forwarded this photograph from the Australian War Memorial which shows a supposed U-boat sunk at Tobruk. The image is not very clear. Perhaps someone has a clue which wreck is this? Many thanks, Platon Edited September 4, 2021 by Platon Alexiades Error in text sandokan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platon Alexiades Posted September 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2021 (edited) A little correction to above: could this be the submarine Antonio Sciesa which was scuttled at Tobruk on 13 November 1942? I know the details are not clear but perhaps someone has a better picture? Many thanks, Platon On 8/28/2021 at 10:04 AM, Platon Alexiades said: Hello, A friend forwarded this photograph from the Australian War Memorial which shows a supposed U-boat sunk at Tobruk. The image is not very clear. Perhaps someone has a clue which wreck is this? Many thanks, Platon Edited September 4, 2021 by Platon Alexiades sandokan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandokan Posted September 5, 2021 Report Share Posted September 5, 2021 Frankly it doesn't seem to me a submarine but more a capsized hull of vessel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platon Alexiades Posted September 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2021 Hello Sandokan, I agree it does not look much like it. Here is the Australian link: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C205965?image=1 Note that it mentions a "German" submarine but this is obviously an error as no U-boat was lost in Tobruk harbour. Do you know of any photo of Antonio Sciesa when she was scuttled? Many thanks, Platon sandokan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandokan Posted September 6, 2021 Report Share Posted September 6, 2021 Thank you Platon. There is a very interesting page in the link you posted! About RS Antonio Sciesa, actually the most probable wreck spotted in the picture, I found a full chronicle of her life and dead. http://conlapelleappesaaunchiodo.blogspot.com/2016/01/antonio-sciesa.html?m=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandokan Posted September 6, 2021 Report Share Posted September 6, 2021 Here few images of the A. Sciesa http://www.associazione-venus.it/galleriafotografica/index.php/COLLEZIONISTI/Alessandro-Burla/REGIA-MARINA/VITTORIO-VACCA/PERIPLO-DELL-AFRICA/IMG_8852-09-08-18-05-05 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Napy Posted September 6, 2021 Report Share Posted September 6, 2021 Hello Platon, sorry but I really cannot see a submarine in the shape of that wreck. In my humble opinion looks more like a motozattera or a LCT with the bow broken and twisted, but it's just my idea. Best regards Marco sandokan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platon Alexiades Posted September 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2021 On 9/6/2021 at 3:50 AM, sandokan said: Thank you Platon. There is a very interesting page in the link you posted! About RS Antonio Sciesa, actually the most probable wreck spotted in the picture, I found a full chronicle of her life and dead. http://conlapelleappesaaunchiodo.blogspot.com/2016/01/antonio-sciesa.html?m=1 Thank you Sandokan. I am quite familiar with this blog. It is excellent (notwithstanding the fact that I have been a contributor!). sandokan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platon Alexiades Posted September 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2021 On 9/6/2021 at 4:02 AM, sandokan said: Here few images of the A. Sciesa http://www.associazione-venus.it/galleriafotografica/index.php/COLLEZIONISTI/Alessandro-Burla/REGIA-MARINA/VITTORIO-VACCA/PERIPLO-DELL-AFRICA/IMG_8852-09-08-18-05-05 Many thanks for the interesting photograph. sandokan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platon Alexiades Posted September 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2021 22 hours ago, Napy said: Hello Platon, sorry but I really cannot see a submarine in the shape of that wreck. In my humble opinion looks more like a motozattera or a LCT with the bow broken and twisted, but it's just my idea. Best regards Marco Hello Marco, I agree with you that the identification of the "submarine" is doubtful. It would be good if someone had a photograph of Sciesa scuttled at Tobruk which could clear up the matter. Can you suggest a motozattera sunk there? We are not even sure of the date of the photograph but a guess is that it is ca. November 1942. Best regards, Platon sandokan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesco Mattesini Posted September 8, 2021 Report Share Posted September 8, 2021 The port is certainly Tobruk. The submarine cannot be the SCIESA which had huge turret superstructures. sandokan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesco De Domenico Posted September 8, 2021 Report Share Posted September 8, 2021 MZ 718 was sunk by air attack at Tobruk on 29 July, 1942; MZ 735 sank on a mine there on 9 August, 1942; MZ 752 was sunk by air attack on 20 August, 1942; MZ 762(i) and MZ 763(i) were also sunk by air attack on 26 August, 1942. So we have at least five motozattere lost there. sandokan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platon Alexiades Posted September 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2021 Many thanks Francesco for the suggestion. Unfortunately, the photograph is not very good and it still might be a submarine if it has capsized then the conning tower suggested by Franco might not be visible. I believe Sciesa was scuttled in a position to the east of the quay which is barely visible on the left side of the photo. If one can produce a better photo perhaps this mystery can be cleared. Platon sandokan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platon Alexiades Posted September 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2021 I have received a photo of Sciesa at Tobruk via my friend Andrzej Bartelski. It appears to be a different wreck than the Australian War Memorial photo. So the Australian photo is still open to question and is certainly not a submarine despite their caption. Many thanks to all who contributed. Platon sandokan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Napy Posted September 13, 2021 Report Share Posted September 13, 2021 Hello Platon, very nice discovery!!! About the photo you posted as first, the one coming from Australian War Memorial, I think the berth we can see is the extension of the submarine berth. Despite so, the depth where the wreck is sunk cannot be more than 2 or 3 meters, so I think is almost impossible a submarine could have reached that spot. My idea is still a barge, a LCT or a MZ. Best regards Marco sandokan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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