HMS X2 was an Archimedes-class submarine operated by the British Royal Navy during World War Two. Originally the Italian Regina Marina submarine Galileo Galilei, it was captured on 19 June 1940 after an engagement with the British anti-submarine warfare trawler HMS Moonstone.
Towed to Port Said, she was repaired and commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS X2. This was later changed to HMS P711. During her service she as used as a training submarine in the east. Following the conclusion of the Second World War she was scrapped in January 1946.
Galileo GalileiGalileo GalileiGalileo Galilei being captured 19 June 1940 by the British armed trawler MoonstoneGalileo Galilei after her capture along with along with HMS KandaharHMS X2 (ex-Galileo Galilei) at Aden after her capture showing the damage to her finGalileo Galilei after her captureGalileo Galilei after being capturedGalileo Galilei after being captured
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
