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Andrea Gianoli didn't give up himself. He suffered due to the excessive depth for the correct operation of the oxigen rebreather, when the SLC maiale dived too much, than for the cold and strong currents too, and he was finally exausted by the effort of attaching the esplosive charge to the hull in the dark freezing water. He lost consciousness trying to swim back. When he regained control he found himself alone, without any contact with his number one, and in the coming dawn light. So he braced himself to the rudder of the oiler they had just mined, and remained there under the hull for more than two hours in the freezing water to let the chance to his unseen comrade of driving away unnoticed the maiale without compromising the mission. After enough time he tried to swim away to the spanish coast, but was seen in the morning light and captured. He spent the rest of the war in a POW camp in England, from where he escaped four times but was always recaptured. The last time he was already in Ireland. After the war he served in the new Italian Navy as a diver, at the beginning demining the ports from unexploded bombs and ordnances underwater. After retirement he became president of our local section of the Navy Sailors association. I knew him very well. He passed away in 2016. He gained the silver medal for his action from Olterra. Fact: he was born in Sondalo, a city in the northern alps. From the same city came Emilio Bianchi too, gold medal for his famous action of december 1941 with Durand De La Penne and two other maiale crews in Alessandria port against the british battleships HMS Valiant and HMS Queen Elizabeth with the maiale's launched by the Scire' submarine, when heavy damages occurred to HMS Jervis and oiler Sagona too.
Nel 1979/80 ho fatto il servizio militare di leva come sommozzatore allaMaddalena al nucleo SDAI il mio ufficiale comandante era il sig. Giannoli, medaglia d’argento per la storia che hai raccontato.
Disguised as a wreck, the Olterra allowed Italian divers to sabotage Allied shipping right in the heart of a strategic Allied port. Her daring use as an underwater base for surprise torpedo missions made her one of WWII’s most ingenious covert operations.
1958 movie " The Silent Enemy " tells the story of a British Navy diver arriving at Gibraltar and the involvement of the Italian ship Olterra launching Italian frogmen on " Maiale " torpedoes. Decima Flottiglia. Also check the use of Panerai & Rolex divers' wrist watches and the exciting life of British Navy frogman Lionel Kenneth Phillip " Buster " Crabb (1909-1956).
I think lieutenant crab, that's "buster" crab was found murdered after trying to plant a mine on a Russian ship during the cold war. The ship was in a British harbor on a visit of friendship Years later a Russian sailor showed the knife that he killed him with
The Olterra is really not all that secret, I had forgotten the name, but when they mentioned submarines and Gibraltar the story popped back into memory. There was also a British movie from 1958, "The Silent Enemy" about the Oleterra and her use until the British caught on and she mysteriously blew (at least in the movie).
My Grandad was an A/B at the time and served aboard Furious for the whole of the war and was aboard her during this attempted attack, Personally I am SO glad the raid was unsuccesful ! or me being born fifteen years later may never have had the privelage of knowing what a wonderful person and grandfather he was. the picture in this video was taken 15 years and two complete stem to stern refits before this event. her air compliment by then consisted of 2 naval air squadrons of sea Hurricanes at the time and not the outdated Blackburn Baffin bi planes seen in the picture, both she and Formidable also had two squadrons of non navalised Hurricanes and Spitfires deck parked on board ready to deliver to Malta for air defence of the island . a little known fact about Furybucket as her adoring crew lovingly christened her - besides being the worlds first operational aircraft carrier AND conducting the worlds first sea launched air attack on the German Zeppelin hangers at wilhelmshaven ,was she had trialed the worlds first purpose built ski ramp knocked together by the ships carpenters, it mystifies me why since it was so successful we didnt decide to incorporate it on any other ship until almost fifty years later.
Great video Italians had their technological and economical limitations, but their ingenuity was alway even if not superior to the English and the French, of course. Only thing I can ask... continue to avoid being a partisan, a propagandist, from any side in this war or another. Lets keep history be the judge, as it always should
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Andrea Gianoli didn't give up himself.
He suffered due to the excessive depth for the correct operation of the oxigen rebreather, when the SLC maiale dived too much, than for the cold and strong currents too, and he was finally exausted by the effort of attaching the esplosive charge to the hull in the dark freezing water.
He lost consciousness trying to swim back.
When he regained control he found himself alone, without any contact with his number one, and in the coming dawn light.
So he braced himself to the rudder of the oiler they had just mined, and remained there under the hull for more than two hours in the freezing water to let the chance to his unseen comrade of driving away unnoticed the maiale without compromising the mission.
After enough time he tried to swim away to the spanish coast, but was seen in the morning light and captured.
He spent the rest of the war in a POW camp in England, from where he escaped four times but was always recaptured. The last time he was already in Ireland.
After the war he served in the new Italian Navy as a diver, at the beginning demining the ports from unexploded bombs and ordnances underwater.
After retirement he became president of our local section of the Navy Sailors association.
I knew him very well.
He passed away in 2016.
He gained the silver medal for his action from Olterra.
Fact: he was born in Sondalo, a city in the northern alps.
From the same city came Emilio Bianchi too, gold medal for his famous action of december 1941 with Durand De La Penne and two other maiale crews in Alessandria port against the british battleships HMS Valiant and HMS Queen Elizabeth with the maiale's launched by the Scire' submarine, when heavy damages occurred to HMS Jervis and oiler Sagona too.
Fantastic comment! Thanks for watching & have a great week :)
Nel 1979/80 ho fatto il servizio militare di leva come sommozzatore allaMaddalena al nucleo SDAI il mio ufficiale comandante era il sig. Giannoli, medaglia d’argento per la storia che hai raccontato.
@@ignaziopasella3388
Noi ANMI Sondrio abbiamo pubblicato un libro su Nave Olterra e sul Comandante Gianoli.
Onore.
Wow, so much energy, an exceptional person.
Disguised as a wreck, the Olterra allowed Italian divers to sabotage Allied shipping right in the heart of a strategic Allied port. Her daring use as an underwater base for surprise torpedo missions made her one of WWII’s most ingenious covert operations.
Indeed! Appreciate you watching and have a great weekend :)
The museum at the Italian naval base at La Spezia is well worth a visit.
Need to get there! Thanks for watching & have a great week :)
I'm struck by the bravery of the Italian divers, respect to them and buster crabs crew.
Thanks for watching & have a great week :)
Saw surviving elements, including the Oltera's nameplate, at La Spezia 2022... incredibly brave men.
Very cool! Appreciate you watching and have a great weekend :)
My uncle Richard Humphrey's was on the HMS formidable...he did tell me about this
Very cool and thank you to him for his service! Thanks for watching & have a great week :)
HIDDEN HISTORY, your skill and knowledge of creating videos have peaked to the zenith of maximum effort.
Greatly appreciate that Mark!!
1958 movie " The Silent Enemy " tells the story of a British Navy diver arriving at Gibraltar and the involvement of the Italian ship Olterra launching Italian frogmen on " Maiale " torpedoes.
Decima Flottiglia. Also check the use of Panerai & Rolex divers' wrist watches and the exciting life of British Navy frogman Lionel Kenneth Phillip " Buster " Crabb (1909-1956).
Very nice! Appreciate you watching & have a great week :)
Great video,very interesting and informative. Thanks again 👍🇦🇺
Appreciate you watching and have a great weekend :)
Fascinating. It’s never wise to underestimate the creativity of Italians. Not in food, motor sports, wine, fashion, or in this case, human torpedoes.
Completely agree!
Thank you for making this video brother, I never knew this ever happened
Appreciate you watching & have a great week :)
Sounds like one of Italy's most successful navy operation of the war.
Thanks for watching & have a great week :)
Yes, maybe just after operation Pedestal and the attack on Alexandria
What an incredible set of people!
Indeed! Thanks for watching & have a great week :)
Super interesting, never,knew this. Another solid video my friend. Cheers
Thank you!!
I think lieutenant crab, that's "buster" crab was found murdered after trying to plant a mine on a Russian ship during the cold war.
The ship was in a British harbor on a visit of friendship
Years later a Russian sailor showed the knife that he killed him with
Interesting. Thanks for watching and have a great week :)
@HiddenHistoryYT you maybe should Google it and do a video on that
I think he was trying to fit limpit mine
Great video and presentation.
Greatly appreciate that!
I remember reading about this as a lil kid in the 8os, amazing me, the ingenuity.
Appreciate you watching & have a great week :)
The Olterra is really not all that secret, I had forgotten the name, but when they mentioned submarines and Gibraltar the story popped back into memory. There was also a British movie from 1958, "The Silent Enemy" about the Oleterra and her use until the British caught on and she mysteriously blew (at least in the movie).
Appreciate you watching & have a great weekend :)
My Grandad was an A/B at the time and served aboard Furious for the whole of the war and was aboard her during this attempted attack, Personally I am SO glad the raid was unsuccesful ! or me being born fifteen years later may never have had the privelage of knowing what a wonderful person and grandfather he was.
the picture in this video was taken 15 years and two complete stem to stern refits before this event. her air compliment by then consisted of 2 naval air squadrons of sea Hurricanes at the time and not the outdated Blackburn Baffin bi planes seen in the picture, both she and Formidable also had two squadrons of non navalised Hurricanes and Spitfires deck parked on board ready to deliver to Malta for air defence of the island . a little known fact about Furybucket as her adoring crew lovingly christened her - besides being the worlds first operational aircraft carrier AND conducting the worlds first sea launched air attack on the German Zeppelin hangers at wilhelmshaven ,was she had trialed the worlds first purpose built ski ramp knocked together by the ships carpenters, it mystifies me why since it was so successful we didnt decide to incorporate it on any other ship until almost fifty years later.
Thank you to him for his service and the very interesting comment! Appreciate you watching & have a great week :)
@@HiddenHistoryYT Thank you.....and you too !
Pretty cool how they disguised the ship.
Agreed!
Now I know where the M.V. Oregon came from
I vaguely remember a British movie about this but don't remember the name. It was obviously made after the war and the details were known.
I will have to look for that! Appreciate you watching & have a great weekend :)
It would have been part of the secret papers passing over Ian Fleming’s desk…
Thanks for watching and have a great week :)
Also Clive Custer used a ship disguised as a wreck in one of his books
Wow! What balls.
The best place to hide is where everyone can see it
Indeed! Appreciate you watching & have a great weekend :)
Italians had very good ideas, but too bad luck....😮
Appreciate you watching & have a great weekend :)
Thanks for watching & have a great week :)
Great video
Italians had their technological and economical limitations, but their ingenuity was alway even if not superior to the English and the French, of course.
Only thing I can ask... continue to avoid being a partisan, a propagandist, from any side in this war or another.
Lets keep history be the judge, as it always should
Spitfire, Lancaster, Mosquito, firefly, Sten and all of Hobart's funnies proves you don't know history
@@bettyschnauber8238
And what about FIAT G55 ?
...Just asking for a friend...
Agreed! Thanks for watching & have a great week :)
Do any of my fellow ww2 enthusiasts know about the "haavara agreement"?
Its a fairly well known arrangement prior to WW2 but has nothing to do with Italian and British naval operations
Reminder lsrael did 9ll
Reminder - you need psychiatric help (take your medication)…
911 was a Saudi Arabian financed operation…
Just because you hate jews, don't expect anybody to believe your stupid delusions.
Oh go suck a lemon