HMS Seal was a Grampas-class minelaying submarine of the British Royal Navy. Launched on 28 September 1938, she was commissioned on 28 January 1939.
On 4 May 1940 after laying a minefield in the Skagerrak, Seal was hunted by German trawlers after being spotted by aircraft. Successfully avoiding the trawlers, she ran into an uncharted minefield. Suffering considerable damage she sank to the bottom and waited until nightfall before attempting to surface.
After considerable difficulty, the crew managed to raise her, but she could no longer submerge and damage to her rudder meant she could only steer in reverse. After destroying all confidential papers and equipment Seal made for Sweden and internment. Unfortunately she was spotted by two Arado Ar 196 floatplanes, which were soon joined by a Henkel He 115. With his guns out of action, wounded crew members and unable to dive, Captain Lonsdale surrendered.
Despite the crew’s expectation that the submarine would sink by herself as she was listing and holed, the Germans managed to salvage her. She was repaired at huge cost, renamed UB and used as a training ship and for propaganda purposes. A lack of spares and high maintenance costs saw her paid off, stripped and abandoned in 1943. KMS UB was never used operationally against British forces.
HMS SealHMS SealHMS Seal after being capturedFlags after the surrender of HMS SealKMS UJ 128 towing HMS Seal toward Frederikshavn, Denmark. Note the white surrender flag on Seal’s periscopeHMS Seal after being capturedGermans examining HMS Seal20mm cannon damage to HMS SealHMS Seal riddled with gunfire at Frederikshavn after she was captured on May 5th 1940HMS Seal after being capturedHMS Seal in Kiel after her captureHMS Seal at the Krupp Shipyard ready to be refurbished as a German U-boat. Note the unidentified German light cruiserHMS Seal undergoing repairs at Frederikshavn, Denmark, May 1940The first German crew to man UB (ex-HMS Seal). The photo was probably taken at the commissioning ceremonyKMS UB (ex-HMS Seal) being taken by its German crew for a trial run. UB was never used as a warships against the British
The lead ship of her class of three dreadnought battleships (along with Giulio Cesare and Leonardo da Vinci), Conte Di Cavour was launched om 10 August 1911 and commissioned into the Italian Regia Marina on 1 April 1915. She saw no action during World War One.
During World War Two, she took part in the Battle of Calabria on 9 June 1940 when, along with Giulio Cesare she engaged elements of the British Mediterranean Fleet. The Italian fleet retired when Giulio Cesare was hit by a shell from HMS Warspite.
While in Taranto, Conte Di Cavour was struck by a torpedo during the British night attack of 11/12 November 1940. She was grounded to prevent her sinking the next morning. She was still undergoing repairs at Trieste on 8 September when Italy surrendered to the Allies. Although captured by the Germans they made no attempt to continue the repairs. She was damaged in an air raid on 17 February 1945, and capsized on 23 February. Refloated shortly after the end of the war, Conte di Cavour was scrapped in 1946.
Launch of the battleship Conte di Cavour, Arsenale di La Spezia, 10 August 1911Conte di Cavour 1917Conte di Cavour off Taranto, Italy, 1919Conte di CavourConte di Cavour entering TarantoCrew on the deck of the battleship Conte di CavourConte di CavourConte di CavourConte di Cavour with her deck flooded with personnelConte di Cavour
Post Re-fit
Conte di Cavour after her 1933-37 reconstruction, probably off Naples in 1938Conte di Cavour (foreground) and Giulio Cesare (following her) during the H naval review, Gulf of Naples, 5 May 1938Conti de Cavour 5 May 1938Conte Di Cavour alongside four Navigatori-class destroyers all four would be sunk during World War 2. Genoa, May 1938Conte di Cavour, left, and the heavy cruiser Fiume, right, sometime between 1937 and 1940Conte di Cavour maneuvering in the Grand Harbour of Malta, between 21 and 24 June 1938Conte di Cavour and Giulio Cesare at Napoli, 1938Conte di Cavour in MaltaConte di Cavour opening fire during the Battle of CalabriaCamouflaged Conte Di Cavour in Trieste, 1942Conte Di Cavour 30 June 1944 PalermoConte di CavourConte Di CavourConte Di CavourConte Di CavourThe capsized hulk of Conte di Cavour in Trieste, February 1945
Damage Caused at Taranto
Conte di Cavour in the morning of 12 November 1940, after being torpedoed by British torpedo-bombersConte di Cavour in the morning of 12 November 1940, after being torpedoed by British torpedo-bombersConte di Cavour in the morning of 12 November 1940, after being torpedoed by British torpedo-bombersConte di Cavour in the morning of 12 November 1940, after being torpedoed by British torpedo-bombersConte di Cavour being transferred from Taranto
Armament
Conte Di Cavour main armamentConte Di Cavour main armamentConte Di Cavour secondary armamentConte Di Cavour secondary armamentConte Di Cavour secondary armamentConte di Cavour’s torpedo room
Bolzano was a heavy cruiser of the Italian Regia Marina. Based on the Trento-class and sometimes considered part of that class, Bolzano was launched on 31 August 1932 and commissioned on 19 August 1933.
Not long after Italy’s entry into World War Two, Bolzano took part in the Battle of Calabria (9 July1940) where she was hit by three 6″ shells fired by HMS Neptune. This damaged was repaired and on the night of 11/12 November 1940, she was at Taranto when the British launched an attack on the Italian fleet. As she did not fire on the attacking aircraft her position was not revealed and she received no damage.
Bolzano took part in the Battles of Cape Spartivento (26 November 1940) and Cape Matapan (27-29 March 1941). She then undertook convoy escort to and from North Africa. During a convoy escort in July 1941 she was torpedoed by the British submarine HMS Triumph. After repairs, she resumed convoy duty in November 1941.
On 11 August 1942 while attempting to intercept a British convoy, she was torpedoed by the submarine HMS Unbroken. The torpedo started a fire which threatened to spread to the forward magazine. The crew flooded to area to prevent a detonation and then grounded her to prevent the ship sinking. First towed to Naples for temporary repairs, she was later transferred to La Spezia. At this stage of the war, Italy was unable to repair the ship and she was still at La Spezia when Italy surrendered in September 1943.
On the night of 21–22 June 1944, a team of British and Italian frogmen—Italy having re-entered the war on the side of the Allies—entered La Spezia using Chariot manned torpedoes to sink Bolzano and Gorizia to prevent the Germans from sinking them as blockships. They succeeded in sinking Bolzano but Gorizia remained afloat. In September 1949, salvage workers raised the ship and she was subsequently broken up for scrap.
Bolzano ready for launchconning tower and the fore turrets of Bolzano during its fitting out, Genoa, 1933Bolzano during fitting out, 1932
In Service
Bolzano soon after commissioningBolzano undergoing early sea trials, late 1932 or early 1933Bolzano on 10 March 1938Bolzano, being illuminated at night, in the 1930sBolzano photographed before World War IIBolzano in September 1940Bolzano in the morning of 27 November 1940, during the Battle of Cape SpartiventoBolzano at Messina on 26 August 1941, showing the serious structural damage suffered in the aft section by a torpedo launched by HMS TriumphTrieste, Bolzano and Trento followed by Zara, Fiume, Pola and GoriziaThe day before the Battle of Calabria Italian heavy cruisers from the left to the right are the cruisers Bolzano, Trento, Fiume, Zara, Pola, GoriziaBolzano early 1942Bolzano June 1942Bolzano June 1942Bolzano’s foredeckBolzano BolzanoBolzanoBolzanoBolzano under attack by Swordfish of the Fleet Air Arm on 28th March 1941Bolzano and Trento underwayBolzano
Armament
Bolzano’s two twin 203mm aft turretsBolzano’s two twin 203mm aft turretsAft turrets of Bolzano during its fitting outBolzano’s two twin 203mm forward turretsBolzano’s two twin 203mm forward turretsBolzano Bolzano’s 100mm secondary armament
Interior
A toilet aboard the Italian heavy cruiser BolzanoA bathroom of the Italian heavy cruiser Bolzano
Aircraft
View amidships. Two IMAM Ro. 43 floatplanes can be seenIMAM Ro. 43 floatplane on the Italian heavy cruiser BolzanoIMAM Ro. 43 floatplane on the Italian heavy cruiser BolzanoIMAM Ro. 43 floatplane on the Italian heavy cruiser BolzanoView of the forward superstructure. An IMAM Ro. 43 floatplane can be seen amidships
Torpedo Damaged Caused by HMS Unbroken
Bolzano shortly after being torpedoed by HMS Unbroken on 12 August 1942Bolzano shortly after being torpedoed by HMS Unbroken during Operation PedestalBolzano shortly after being torpedoed by HMS Unbroken during Operation Pedestal, 13 August 1942Bolzano, listing heavily to port and threatening to capsize, near the island of Panarea (Thyrrenian Sea), early afternoon of 13 August 1942Bolzano lies on the seabed after she was torpedoed by the British submarine UnbrokenBolzano, refloated after being torpedoed
