The Most Secret Ship of World War 2

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  • Опубліковано 21 лис 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 69

  • @HiddenHistoryYT
    @HiddenHistoryYT  22 дні тому +5

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  • @georgesmith5708
    @georgesmith5708 19 днів тому +33

    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.

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  18 днів тому +3

      Fantastic comment! Thanks for watching & have a great week :)

    • @ignaziopasella3388
      @ignaziopasella3388 14 днів тому +6

      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.

    • @georgesmith5708
      @georgesmith5708 6 днів тому

      ​@@ignaziopasella3388
      Noi ANMI Sondrio abbiamo pubblicato un libro su Nave Olterra e sul Comandante Gianoli.

    • @pg123ab
      @pg123ab 5 днів тому

      Onore.

  • @dslaphead
    @dslaphead 21 день тому +28

    I'm struck by the bravery of the Italian divers, respect to them and buster crabs crew.

  • @garyvigorito3289
    @garyvigorito3289 22 дні тому +27

    The museum at the Italian naval base at La Spezia is well worth a visit.

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  18 днів тому +1

      Need to get there! Thanks for watching & have a great week :)

  • @Hiddensecret9
    @Hiddensecret9 21 день тому +36

    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.

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  20 днів тому +3

      Indeed! Appreciate you watching and have a great weekend :)

  • @gerardlinehan3547
    @gerardlinehan3547 21 день тому +10

    Saw surviving elements, including the Oltera's nameplate, at La Spezia 2022... incredibly brave men.

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  20 днів тому +1

      Very cool! Appreciate you watching and have a great weekend :)

  • @stephenvictorbailey4055
    @stephenvictorbailey4055 21 день тому +11

    My uncle Richard Humphrey's was on the HMS formidable...he did tell me about this

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  18 днів тому +1

      Very cool and thank you to him for his service! Thanks for watching & have a great week :)

  • @lilcoffeypot8982
    @lilcoffeypot8982 11 днів тому +2

    Thank you for making this video brother, I never knew this ever happened

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  9 днів тому +1

      Appreciate you watching & have a great week :)

  • @PatMcRutch
    @PatMcRutch 8 днів тому +3

    I remember reading about this as a lil kid in the 8os, amazing me, the ingenuity.

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  5 днів тому

      Appreciate you watching & have a great week :)

  • @JSav07
    @JSav07 20 днів тому +5

    What an incredible set of people!

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  18 днів тому

      Indeed! Thanks for watching & have a great week :)

  • @AnimatedWarMapper
    @AnimatedWarMapper 20 днів тому +3

    Super interesting, never,knew this. Another solid video my friend. Cheers

  • @phmwu7368
    @phmwu7368 10 днів тому +4

    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).

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  9 днів тому

      Very nice! Appreciate you watching & have a great week :)

  • @mitty76
    @mitty76 21 день тому +5

    Great video,very interesting and informative. Thanks again 👍🇦🇺

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  20 днів тому

      Appreciate you watching and have a great weekend :)

  • @randywise5241
    @randywise5241 21 день тому +13

    Sounds like one of Italy's most successful navy operation of the war.

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  18 днів тому

      Thanks for watching & have a great week :)

    • @ducadan81
      @ducadan81 14 днів тому +1

      Yes, maybe just after operation Pedestal and the attack on Alexandria

  • @markpaul-ym5wg
    @markpaul-ym5wg 22 дні тому +8

    HIDDEN HISTORY, your skill and knowledge of creating videos have peaked to the zenith of maximum effort.

  • @chrissycarr1618
    @chrissycarr1618 10 днів тому +2

    Pretty cool how they disguised the ship.

  • @MGB-learning
    @MGB-learning 20 днів тому +2

    Great video and presentation.

  • @MrSO48
    @MrSO48 16 днів тому +3

    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).

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  14 днів тому

      Appreciate you watching & have a great weekend :)

  • @gracelandone
    @gracelandone 18 днів тому +11

    Fascinating. It’s never wise to underestimate the creativity of Italians. Not in food, motor sports, wine, fashion, or in this case, human torpedoes.

  • @somethingelse4878
    @somethingelse4878 3 дні тому +1

    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

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  2 дні тому +1

      Interesting. Thanks for watching and have a great week :)

    • @somethingelse4878
      @somethingelse4878 2 дні тому

      @HiddenHistoryYT you maybe should Google it and do a video on that
      I think he was trying to fit limpit mine

  • @usernamesreprise4068
    @usernamesreprise4068 13 днів тому +1

    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.

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  11 днів тому +1

      Thank you to him for his service and the very interesting comment! Appreciate you watching & have a great week :)

    • @usernamesreprise4068
      @usernamesreprise4068 11 днів тому

      @@HiddenHistoryYT Thank you.....and you too !

  • @bullettube9863
    @bullettube9863 16 днів тому +2

    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.

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  14 днів тому

      I will have to look for that! Appreciate you watching & have a great weekend :)

  • @jaydeister9305
    @jaydeister9305 22 дні тому +4

    • @allangibson8494
      @allangibson8494 21 день тому +2

      It would have been part of the secret papers passing over Ian Fleming’s desk…

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  3 дні тому

      Thanks for watching and have a great week :)

  • @antoniocappione4259
    @antoniocappione4259 17 днів тому +2

    Italians had very good ideas, but too bad luck....😮

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  14 днів тому +1

      Appreciate you watching & have a great weekend :)

  • @fjordking
    @fjordking 14 годин тому +1

    The best place to hide is where everyone can see it

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  2 години тому +1

      Indeed! Appreciate you watching & have a great weekend :)

  • @kylelee9474
    @kylelee9474 18 днів тому +1

  • @Trebelsi
    @Trebelsi 22 дні тому

    Do any of my fellow ww2 enthusiasts know about the "haavara agreement"?

    • @scottabc72
      @scottabc72 21 день тому

      Its a fairly well known arrangement prior to WW2 but has nothing to do with Italian and British naval operations

  • @RebeccaCampbell1969
    @RebeccaCampbell1969 22 дні тому +8

    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

    • @bettyschnauber8238
      @bettyschnauber8238 22 дні тому +1

      Spitfire, Lancaster, Mosquito, firefly, Sten and all of Hobart's funnies proves you don't know history

    • @georgesmith5708
      @georgesmith5708 19 днів тому +2

      ​​@@bettyschnauber8238
      And what about FIAT G55 ?
      ...Just asking for a friend...

    • @HiddenHistoryYT
      @HiddenHistoryYT  18 днів тому

      Agreed! Thanks for watching & have a great week :)

  • @Trebelsi
    @Trebelsi 22 дні тому +3

    Reminder lsrael did 9ll

    • @allangibson8494
      @allangibson8494 21 день тому

      Reminder - you need psychiatric help (take your medication)…
      911 was a Saudi Arabian financed operation…

    • @mikearmstrong8483
      @mikearmstrong8483 21 день тому

      Just because you hate jews, don't expect anybody to believe your stupid delusions.

    • @SeveralWeezelsInaTrenchcoat
      @SeveralWeezelsInaTrenchcoat 21 день тому

      Oh go suck a lemon