Divers locate wreck of battleship sunk on way to Malta

Francis Saliba M.D.

Jun 29th 2012, 17:09

I still remember the pride and the thrill of watching elements of the surrendered Italian fleet at anchor in St Paul'd Bay before moving to Alexandria, and the terse message from Admiral Cunningham to the Admirality in London:

"May it please your Lordships,
Pleased to report the Italian battle fleet is now anchored under the guns of Malta."

The joy and relief was tempered by the loss of the Roma sunk off Sardinia on its way to Malta, by a secret new radio-controlled gliding bomb launched out of range of the unsuspecting Italian naval guns.

Francis Saliba M.D.

Jun 29th 2012, 16:57

I still remember the pride and the thrill of watching elements of the surrendered Italian fleet at anchor in St Paul'd Bay before moving to Alexandria, and the terse message from Admiral Cunningham to the Admirality in London:

"May it please your Lordships,
Pleased to report the Italian battle fleet is now anchored under the guns of Malta."

The joy and relief was tempered by the loss of the Roma sunk off Sardinia on its way to Malta, by a secret new radio-controlled gliding bomb launched out of range of the unsuspecting Italian naval guns.

Denis A. Darmanin

Jun 29th 2012, 08:49

The late Prof Captain Carlo Sabatini, then just a young Mid-shipman in the Regia Marina's Medical Branch, had described to me what they had seen, heard and experianced during the fleet's surrender and the German attacks. They were so relieved when they anchored at St. Paul's Bay but were still expecting to see the Germans bombing them. He eventually returned to Malta 60 years later.

Craig Lynch

Jun 29th 2012, 08:33

Not sure of the Malta Aircover bit, but I do recall reading there was a misunderstanding between the allies and the Italians as to where an when the Aircover was expected. It was many years ago but the suggestion was that the initial fighter cover ran short on fuel and had to turn back. Not sure if this is true.
I do know from recent reading it was not the western allies fault what happened in Warsaw in 1944 and had nothing to do with the Jewish uprising a couple of years earlier. In 1944the ghetto had long been crushed when soviet forces approached the last river before Warsaw. Soviet propaganda broadcasts called on the Polish Underground army to support the expected assault. They did and Stalin immediately ordered a "logistical pause" and that no soviet forces cross the River. Ironically a Soviet controlled Polish Corps was amongst this force. The pause ended when word was confirmed the Home Army had surrendered. There would be no democratic opposition to a soviet puppet government. The British supported Polish Army in the West begged to be allowed to parachute into Warsaw but was denied permission. The soviets had refused landing and refueling permission to any aircraft involved in such missions and a useful load could not be carried that far with fuel enough to return. It was beyond allied fighter range and there would be no soviet cover for them. The western allies risked massive air loses to do so if they did. Special Operations aircraft attempted to drop weapons and supplies to the Poles but it was too little. The Poles protests became an unaffordable embarrassment, one the Western allies couldnt risk pursuing beyond words, lest they spark another war on the eve of German defeat. This sowed the seeds for east west mistrust and the Cold War as the Western Allies, particularly the Americans realised what Stalin was all about, and one of the Reseasons they sort to finish the war with Japan before the full weight of Soviet military might could be bought to bare.

Joseph Micallef

Jun 28th 2012, 20:38

Looking forward for developments into this case. Will they bring it to surface? Would like to see it in a museum. The Roma was very advanced for its time. Italian battleships seemed to be ahead of others in terms of military hardware, speed, maneuverability and luxury. Please bring it up. Viva la Regia marina :)

Victor Pace

Jun 28th 2012, 19:26

How can divers locate a 1000m deep wreck?

Matthew Farrugia

Jun 28th 2012, 17:23

a submarine scuttled close to Qawra can be viewd on this link http://matfar.co.uk/?portfoliocpt=hms-stubborn

Joe Portelli

Jun 28th 2012, 17:11

With friends like that , who needed enemies ?