# Help with information on the Italian ship Italo Balbo which sank in 1941.



## amanda davies (Apr 3, 2008)

I am looking for any advice on how to find out about Italian merchant ships.

Specifically information on the *Italo Balbo* (143206) sank 1941. I know where and when she sank, who sunk her and her previous names. What I would like to know is a crew list / casualty list and an account of her sinking.

I assume that the Italians commemorated their merchant navy too, but I have not been able to find anything on the net to help me with this ( not speaking Italian probably doesn't help)

I have posted this request on two other forums but it goes strangly silent.

I assumed that because there is a wealth of info on the net for allied services that there would also be the same for non allies?

If anyone can shed some light on what I am doing wrong, where I should be looking, possible sites etc I would be really greatful, 

Thanks.


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## non descript (Nov 18, 2005)

*Italo Balbo*

Amanda, in a effort to secure you some constructive replies, I have taken the liberty of copying part of your original text to here so it forms a specific thread and request.

Hopefully some of the members can add to what you have told us; namely that she was sunk by Dutch submarine 024 on the 09.09.1941 and when your Grandfather served on her before the war, she was British owned and named "Lomas" 

In particular Amanda is looking for a list of crew and/or casualties, cargo, convoy etc., and what else she may have done during the war.


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## alastairjs (Feb 8, 2006)

Amanda,
I'm not sure how much the following will add to what you already know but I've put together a slightly fuller version of the vessels' history and have discovered a few additional bits of information on her sinking.
*ITALO BALBO ex BRAZILIER - O/N 143206*
Laid down as the tanker *War Pioneer* for the Shipping Controller, Glasgow, Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co. Ltd., managers. Sold on the stocks & launched Tuesday 1st April 1919 as the General Cargo ship *Brazilier*, completed in May of that year by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd., Govan, Yard No.537, for Lloyd Royal Belge (Great Britain) Ltd. 5,256 GRT, 3,181Net, 8,150 DWT. 400' 1¼" LOA, 52' 3½" Breadth, 28' 4¾" Summer Draught. 3 cyl Triple expansion steam engine by the shipbuilder driving a single screw shaft. 489 nhp, 2,100 ihp, 11.5 knot service speed.
1923 Transferred to Lloyd Royal Belge SA, Antwerp, registered Belgium name unchanged. 
1927 18th January, Sold to Buenos Ayres Great Southern Railway C° Ltd, London, (A. Holland & Co. Ltd. managers), renamed *Lomas*, registered London. 
1935 Sold to Kaye, Son & Co., Newcastle, name unchanged.
1936 Sold to Severn S.S. Co., Bristol, (Mark Whitwill (Shipping) Ltd., managers), renamed *Avon Cliff*. 
1937 Sold to S.A. Emanuele V.Parodi, Genoa, renamed *Italo Balbo*. Registered in Italy, O/N 2185
1941 9th September, Struck by a single torpedo in position 42°47'N-09°57'E fired from the Dutch submarine O 24 ( Captain - Lt.Cdr. Otto de Booy) while on passage from Livorno to Civitavecchia. The ship remained afloat for some time but eventually sank the following day approximately 10nm West of Cape Serre, Elba. I can find no record of casualties and given the length of time the vessel remained afloat and its proximity to land it's possible there were none. At the time of her sinking she was sailing unescorted on a comparatively short coastal voyage of 118 nm. I could find no details of her cargo. By that stage in the war she seems to have been largely employed in the coastal trade. Her owners continued to trade with a number of 'Liberty' type ships through until the mid to late 60s but I can find no trace of them beyond that. The O 24 was on patrol in the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Seas from the 28th August - 16th September 1941. She had experienced considerable problems with the Mark IV torpedoes with which she had been armed on her privious patrol. They kept breaking the surface once fired, making them easier to spot and avoid, and appeared to have difficulty holding a straight course. The submarine had carried out a number of patrols in this same area, in between undertaking convoy escort duties [Gibralter - UK]. She returned to the UK in December 1941 for a re-fit and was transferred to South Atlantic and far eastern theatres thereafter. She was finally de-commissioned from the Royal Dutch Navy in June 1955. 
I hope at least some of that is of interest. Further details may emerge from our Italian members who probably have a better idea where to look for more information and who have the advantage of speaking the language.
Regards,
Alastair


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## non descript (Nov 18, 2005)

Alastair, thank you. (Thumb)


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## alastairjs (Feb 8, 2006)

Wish I had been able to discover more Mark, I don't know how many Italian records survived from that period and, from looking at the "Dive Sites" on the web, the precise location of the wreck has yet to be established. Amanda may like to have a look at this link which seems to be a good image of the ship as *Lomas* in what looks like Kaye, Son & Co.'s livery:
http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20Ships/Old%20Ships%20L/slides/Lomas-01.html
Regards,
Alastair


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## non descript (Nov 18, 2005)

*Italo Balbo*

Alastair,
I am sure that Amanda will appreciate it, when she next logs on. - It would be nice if this Site was able to reach the parts others sites cannot. (Jester) 

At least we are getting her request some exposure and others may be able to add things as well.
(Thumb) 
Mark


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## amanda davies (Apr 3, 2008)

thank you very much for this info. I did have some of her details including the photo that you mentioned but not the details of her sinking. or the problems with the torpedos etc so this has filled another piece of the jigsaw for me.

My interest in the fate of this ship and its crew has come about through researching my grandfathers merchant navy history. some of the techo stuff re engines etc is sadly lost on me but my father, following in his fathers footsteps joined the MN and it is of interest to him so I will be passing this on.

you can pat yourselves on the back for being able to provide info that I have been unable to find elsewere!

My grandfather seems to have gone out of his way to serve on ships that no one has ever heard of, with the exception of the Uboats that sank them!
of the three ships I currently know of ,all were sunk within a few months of each other in 1941. If you assumption that the crew of the Italo Balbo survived is correct then at least two of the three ships crews survived virtually in tact. ( javanese prince,148717 lost one crew member, I think)

The Stork 165408, did not fair so well and all but three crew were lost and one of those was lost when the ship bringing him home was also sunk. 

I would be interested to know if anyone has researched these other ships but I guess that I should post seperate threads for these.

thanks again for your help.
Amanda.


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## alastairjs (Feb 8, 2006)

Amanda,
Glad to hear that some of the stuff I dug up was new to you and of interest. I hadn't reserched the other two that you mentioned but here's the Javanese Prince and her 'assasin':
*JAVANESE PRINCE - O/N 148717, Call Sign GDBT* 
Launched 10.11.1925 & Completed January 1926 by Deutsche Werft A. G., Betrieb Finkenwärder, Hamburg, Yard No. 82. Refrigerated Cargo ship for Rio Cape Line Ltd., (Prince Line Ltd. managers), for the company's "Round the World" service, Registered London. 6734 GRT, 3,656 Net. 441' 7¼" LOA, 60' 3½" Breadth, 39' 2½" Moulded Depth, 29' 2½" Summer Draught. 2 x 8 cyl 4 S.C.S.A oil engines built by Algemeine Elect., Ges., Berlin driving twin screw shafts. 1,313 nhp, 14 knot service speed.
*Sinking*
At 21.24 hours on 20th May 1941, while on passage in ballast from Cardiff & Milford Haven to New York, the *Javanese Prince*, (Master George Gillanders), was torpedoed and sunk by *U-138*, (Kapitänleutnant Franz Gramitzky) in position 59.46N, 10.45W, 155 miles northwest of the Butt of Lewis, Outer Hebrides. One crew member was lost. The master, 45 crew members, eight gunners and four passengers were picked up from the boats by *HMS Faulknor* (H 62) (Capt A. F. de Salis), *HMS Lincoln* (G 42) (Lt R. J. Hanson) and the Rescue tug *HMRT Assurance* (W 59) (Sub/Lt. E. E. Litts). All survivors were transferred to the Rescue Ship *Toward* (Master Arthur James Knell) and landed at Gourock on 28 May. The *Javanese Prince* was the last vessel to be sunk by the U 138, (see below).
*U-138*
U Boat Type IID 
Ordered 25 Sep, 1939, Laid down 16 Nov, 1939 Deutsche Werke, Kiel (Yard No.267) Launched 18 May, 1940. Commissioned 27 Jun, 1940. 
_Commanders:_ 27 Jun, 1940 - 20 Oct, 1940 Oblt. Wolfgang Lüth (Knights Cross). 21 Oct, 1940 - 31 Dec, 1940 Korvettenkapitän Peter Lohmeyer, 1 Jan, 1941 - 18 Jun, 1941 Kapitänleutnant Franz Gramitzky. 
_Career:_ Ships Sunk for a total of 48.564 GRT: 20 Sep. 1940: *Boka*, Panama, 5,560 GRT, Convoy OB-216. *City of Simla*, British, 10,138 GRT, Convoy OB-216. *New Sevilla*, British, 13,801 GRT, Convoy OB-216. 21 Sep, 1940 *Empire Adventure*, British, 5,145 GRT, Convoy OB-216. 15 Oct, 1940 *Bonheur*, British, 5,327 GRT, Convoy OB-228. 20 May, 1941 *Javanese Prince*, British, 6,734 GRT. _Damaged:_ 15 Oct, 1940 *British Glory*, British, 6,993 GRT, Convoy OB-228. 
_Fate:_ Sunk 18 June, 1941 west of Cadiz, in position 36.04N, 07.29W, by depth charges from the British destroyers *HMS Faulknor* (H62),* HMS Fearless* (H67), *HMS Forester* (H74), *HMS Foresight*, (H68) and *HMS Foxhound* (H69). 27 survivors (No casualties).

*Foot Note.*
Captain Gillanders of the *Javanese Prince* wrote in his report of her sinking:
"'We had a native crew, who completely lost their heads, and the Chief Steward and myself lowered the boats ourselves as the natives were completely panic stricken and absolutely useless." (The crew to whom he refers were Indian in origin).
There is a reasonable image of the *Javanese Prince* here:
http://www.photoship.co.uk/JAlbum%20Ships/Old%20Ships%20J/slides/Javanese%20Prince-01.html
I'll have a look at the *Stork* for you when time permits if someone doesn't beat me to it.
Regards,
Alastair


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Hello Amanda,
The last crew agreement for JAVANESE PRINCE should be held in piece *BT381/1485* held at TNA under the ship's official number at the link: here

I assume you are now familiar with the procedure for obtaining this. If not give a shout back.

Regards


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

*Italo Balbo*

Amanda,

Two cuttings from the *The Times*, Thursday, Mar 28, 1940 and Friday, May 03, 1940 respectively. I don't know if they are of use but I offer anyway.

Regards


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## amanda davies (Apr 3, 2008)

Thanks again for all the info. its been really helpful. 

a little bit of info for those who might be interested in such minor matters the "Stork" was carrying Barrelled fuel when she was hit and all the reports that I have found state exactly that. but My grandmother was told by the officals at the time that it was AVIATION fuel specifically.

This would fit with the accounts of the U boat that sunk her and other written accounts of her sinking. i.e. going UP somewhat spectacularly, before going Down. other forms of fuel not being quite so volatile!

I have other unoffical reports of some of the cargos that the stork carried but if anyone knows of a way of finding more details about this I would welcome a pointer in the right direction. I have her movement cards but the're not very helpful in this respect.


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## non descript (Nov 18, 2005)

Amanda, it is good to see the progress - well done to you and to all. (Thumb)


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## alastairjs (Feb 8, 2006)

Amanda,
Below is what I've put together on the *Stork* plus some other bits that I found interesting. The detail I've uncovered certainly supports your knowledge of her cargo. There is only a degree of difference between 'motor spirit' and 'aviation fuel'. They both have flash points of below -18°C and are highly volatile. 
*STORK - O/N 1165408* 
Launched 28.12.1936 & Completed in March 1937 by the Ailsa Shipbuilding Co. Ltd, Troon, Yard No. 424. Short Sea Cargo vessel for the General Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London. 785 GRT, 214' 3"LOA, 35' 6" Breadth, 11' 5" Summer Draught. 2 oil engines built by the Atlas Diesel Co. Ltd. and developing a total of 218 nhp. Geared to a single screw shaft, 10.5 knot service speed.
*Sinking*
The Stork was on passage to Gibraltar under the command of Captain Evan Atterbury Morris Williams as part of convoy OG 71 which had left Liverpool on 13th August 1941. She was carrying a cargo of cased motor spirit, (High Octane Petroleum in cans/drums), and had a total crew of 18 plus 4 DEMS gunners. At 02.14 hours on 23rd August the German submarine *U-201* fired a spread of four torpedoes at the convoy, then northwest of Lisbon. Two minutes later a stern torpedo was fired and a detonation heard on board the submarine. The *Stork* was hit by at least one and possibly two torpedoes and was sunk in position 40.43N/11.39W. 16 crew members including her Master and two gunners were lost. One crew member and two gunners were picked up by the 'Flower' class corvette *HMS Wallflower* (K 44) (Lt.Cdr I. J. Tyson) and landed at Gibraltar on 24 August.
*U-201* was a type VIIC U Boat, Ordered 23rd September 1939. Laid down 20th January 1940 by F Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel, (Yard No. 630), Launched 7th December and Commissioned 25th January 1941. Her Commander was Oberleutnant zur See Adalbert Schnee, Iron Cross 1st Class. Schnee was still in command of the* U 201* at the time of her attack on the convoy OG 71 and sank a total of four vessels as follows: 19 Aug. *Aguila* 3,255 GRT & the *Ciscar*, 1,809 GRT. 23 Aug, *Aldergrove* 1,974 GRT & the *Stork*, 785 GRT. He was awarded the Knights Cross on the 30th August for his exploits. In his patrol report Adalbert Schnee stated that during his August 23rd attack he saw one hit on a freighter and two on a tanker that sank burning after 15 minutes. In fact there was no tanker in OG 71, could he have mistaken the *Stork* for one with her cargo of cased petroleum that would certaily have caught fire?
The *U 201*, (Commander Kapitänleutnant Günther Rosenberg), was sunk on the 17th February 1943 in North Atlantic, in position 50.50N, 40.50W, by depth charges from the British destroyer *HMS Viscount* (D 92), Lt.Cdr. L. E. Woodhouse, RN. 49 dead (all hands lost).
*Footnotes*
The *Aguila*, (Master Arthur Firth), was a passenger ship owned by the Yeoward Line Ltd, Liverpool, and was the ship of the convoy commodore Vice-Admiral Patrick E. Parker DSO RN. She sank within 90 seconds of being hit. The commodore, four naval staff members, 58 crew members and 89 passengers were lost in the sinking. Among the passengers on board the Aguila were 22 women from the WRNS who had volunteered for cypher and wireless duties in Gibraltar. None of the Wrens survived the sinking.
_Adalbert Schnee_ survived the war, which he ended with the rank of Korvettenkapitän. On the 15th July 1942 he was awarded the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves. In total he sank 21 commercial ships for a total of 90,847 GRT & 2 auxiliary warships total of 5,700 GRT. He also damaged 3 ships damaged for a total of 28,820 GRT. After the war he entered commerce and following his retirement became director of a sailing school on the island of Elba. He died on 4th November 1982 in Hamburg. 
Hope that's of some interest,
Alastair


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

*Dutch submarines*

Hello Amanda,

You could try ADM199/1879 at the National Archives. This would be the patrol reports for the Dutch subs O.23 and O.24. The file is at this link: *National Archives *
The usual caveats apply: be specific this file holds reports for 1940 - 1945.

Regards


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## amanda davies (Apr 3, 2008)

thanks hugh, I'll give it a go.


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## tara (Apr 19, 2008)

I have also been doing research into my Grandfathers life in the MN during WW2 and I just wanted to say it seems you've been as lucky as me with all the help you've received. It's been great.


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## allalogie (Dec 27, 2005)

Don't know whether the following is of any use but there are Survivor reports for the Javanese Prince and the Stork at the National Archives.......

Javanese Prince reference ADM199/2136 (page 302)

Stork reference ADM199/2133 (page 2)


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## amanda davies (Apr 3, 2008)

just to confuse everyone, I responded to the last reply in another thread , along with my replies to the help given re ships photos there. ( i really shouldnt do this when I'm tired) but basically 

Thanks Allalogie. I didnt know that these files existed! and I definately will be getting a copy for the Stork. there were only three survivours and one of them was killed on the return journey. I have a letter from one of the survivors with an account of the sinking but the offical reports may be more informative.

Tara, I did a long respone to your post on Sunday but when I tried to submit it. the site was being upgraded and as it hasnt appeared I guess it's got lost in the process. never mind, thanks for the support.

Basically what it said was ,that without the support of these forums I wouldnt know ANYTHING and if the senior members ever question why they do this then please remember that they actually fill in gaps and give answers to questions that have effected people all their lives.

My father lost his father when he was four. because of the lack of info given at the time, offical secrets etc he knew very little about his dad or what he did. 

Thanks to the help given here and on other forums they have given him back , at least in part, the father he never knew and you cant put a price on that!


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## non descript (Nov 18, 2005)

Amanada, many thanks for the up-date, it is good to hear you have had success (Thumb)

_ps. as for writing a long message and then having it go missing in the final act of posting.... yes we have all been there and can sympathise._


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## Rommie (May 3, 2008)

*Found relative*

I had a relative on the SS Aguila - aged 19 - how do I find out more?


alastairjs said:


> Amanda,
> Below is what I've put together on the *Stork* plus some other bits that I found interesting. The detail I've uncovered certainly supports your knowledge of her cargo. There is only a degree of difference between 'motor spirit' and 'aviation fuel'. They both have flash points of below -18°C and are highly volatile.
> *STORK - O/N 1165408*
> Launched 28.12.1936 & Completed in March 1937 by the Ailsa Shipbuilding Co. Ltd, Troon, Yard No. 424. Short Sea Cargo vessel for the General Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., London. 785 GRT, 214' 3"LOA, 35' 6" Breadth, 11' 5" Summer Draught. 2 oil engines built by the Atlas Diesel Co. Ltd. and developing a total of 218 nhp. Geared to a single screw shaft, 10.5 knot service speed.
> ...


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## alastairjs (Feb 8, 2006)

For the benefit of other members, Rommie approached me with this question via a PM and I have replied, hopefully providing the information he was seeking. 
Amanda, many thanks for the update and well done on the huge amount of progress you have made.
Regards
Alastair


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## allalogie (Dec 27, 2005)

There are 2 survivor reports listed for the AQUILA

ADM199/2133 page 238 (this appears to relate to an incident? in 1940)

ADM199/2138 page 63 (this covers the period Aug-Oct 1941)


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