Raid on Algiers

{{short description|Italian frogman raid on Allied ships in Algiers harbour in 1942 }}

{{Infobox military conflict

| conflict = Raid on Algiers

| image = Maiale SLC.jpg

| image_upright = 1.23

|caption:Italian manned torpedo

| partof = the battle of the Mediterranean during World War II

| date = 11 December 1942

| place = Algiers, French Algeria

| result = Italian victory

| combatant1 = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
{{flag|United States|1912}}
{{flag|Norway}}

| combatant2 = {{flagcountry|Fascist Italy (1922–1943)}}

| commander1 = {{flagicon|United Kingdom|naval}} Morgan Morgan-Giles

| commander2 = {{flagicon|Fascist Italy (1922–1943)}} Mario Arillo

| strength1 = Harbour defences

| strength2 = 1 submarine
3 Human torpedoes
10 frogmen

| casualties1 = 1 cargo ship sunk
1 tanker damaged
2 cargo ships damaged
1 military transport ship damagedSchofield, p. 178

| casualties2 = 16 captured

|campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Mediterranean Campaign}}

}}

The raid on Algiers, known in Italy as Operation N.A. 1 ({{Langx|it|Operazione N.A. 1}}), 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 {{sclass|Perla|submarine}} {{ship|Italian submarine|Ambra||2}}. The participating commandos were captured after setting limpet mines which sank two Allied ships and damaged two more.

The raid

On 4 December 1942, {{ship|Italian submarine|Ambra||2}}, a submarine of the {{lang|it|Regia Marina}} (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 {{cvt|18|m|ft}}. One of the swimmers was employed as scout on the surface, and he guided the submarine toward a position {{cvt|2000|m}} from the southern entrance to the harbour. He spotted six steamers at 21:45, and informed the presence of targets to Ambra by phone.Borghese, pp. 227–229

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.Borghese, pp. 229−230 At 05:00, the explosions started to rock the freighters. The Norwegian[http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?168427 SS Berto (+1942)] Berta ({{GRT|1,493}}) was sunk, while Ocean Vanquisher (7,174 GRT),{{Cite web|url=https://fortships.tripod.com/oceans.htm#Va|title=The Oceans}} 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.Borghese, p. 233

Notes

References

"Frogmen First Battles" by retired U.S. Captain William Schofield. {{ISBN|0-8283-2088-8}}
"Sea Devils" by J. Valerio Borghese, translated into English by James Cleugh, with introduction by the United States Naval Institute {{ISBN|1-55750-072-X}}

External links

[http://www.regiamarina.net/xa_mas/actions_us.htm "Principal Operations of the 10th Light Flotilla" - RegiaMarina.net ] {{in lang|en}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070318145620/http://www.regiamarinaitaliana.it/FineIl.html La fine delle Illusioni - RegiaMarinaItaliana.it ] {{in lang|it}}
[http://bascogrigioverde.blogspot.com/2007/08/lincredibile-impresa-del-comandante.html L'incredibile impresa del Comandante Arillo con il sommergibile "Ambra" nella tana del lupo per uscirne indenne e vittorioso - BascoGrigioverde] {{in lang|it}}
[http://www.anaim.it/ambra.htm Ambra] {{in lang|it}}

Category:Naval battles of World War II involving the United Kingdom

Category:1942 in Italy

Category:Conflicts in 1942

Category:1942 in Algeria

Category:Naval battles of World War II involving Italy

Category:Naval battles of World War II involving the United States

Category:World War II raids

Category:Frogman operations

Category:Italian naval victories in the battle of the Mediterranean

Category:December 1942 in Africa

Category:Military history of Algeria during World War II

Raid