Italian 8th SM Group

[Colin Tabeart]

Here is a card cancelled 24 Feb 1941 from the 8th Gruppo Sommergible. Can anyone please tell me: where the 8th Group was in Feb 1941; and secondly, the name of the boat? I can make out "M.M. Rom..." but cannot find any Italian submarine answering even remotely to that. There are no backstamps.
Thanks, Colin

[Frank Schofield]

Colin

Found two Italian submarines beginning ROM
both transport submarines  ROMO and ROMOLO, both sunk later in the war

BUT is the third letter a 'M' ? it looks more like a 'W' to me

Cannot find a reference to 8th SM Group anywhere

www.regiamarina.net might help

Frank Schofield

[Colin Tabeart]

Hi Frank, Many thanks for looking, but these two boats won't do - built after 1941. Cannot find anything about 8th Gruppo - but must have existed if handstamp provided. Strange!

[Alan Baker]

Not sure where you found 1941, unless it was on the reverse. The second digit of the year looks to me like it could be a 2

[Michael Dobbs]

Colin

I'm a bit out of my depth here!  John Leathes is our submarines man - I'll let you have his email address in case he might be able to help.

I note the initials M.M. before the vessels name and wondered what do they stand for.  As far as I can ascertain the Italian Navy in World War 2 was called Regia Marina - the navy of the Kingdom of Italy.  With the coming into being of the Italian Republic in 1946 the name was changed to Marina Militare (M.M.).  This make the comment by Alan on the date more relevant.

The datestamp appears to be inscribed: 8º GRUPPO SOMMERGIBILI (which translates as 8th Submarine Division).

Sorry I cannot be more helpful.

Mike  :)

[Frank Schofield]

Colin

With everybody including me, looking sideways at the senders details, we seem to have missed
a possible location clue i.e.
The Naval Base, La Spezia postmark, the year in unclear, Alan could be right??

Frank Schofield

[Frank Schofield]

Colin

Had another a good look and rethink on this item, the La Spezia postmark is a transit mark

Have found a town in Google Earth called. CAMPIGLIA, a few miles from La Spezia, cannot find a street called Via alla Marina in Campiglia

The way the writer makes his 'M' look like a 'W' this makes, as you first thought, the name starting ROM, but the only submarine  beginning ROM was  the ROMOLO, she was not laid down until 20th July 1942.

Frank Schofield

[Colin Tabeart]

Many thanks for all thoughts. The date on the back of the card in manuscript is definitely 24-2-941. A friend says the message is, roughly: "The message is from Francesco, Head Carpenter to his parents. The address he gives himself is La Spezia the military base in Liguria. The message is just about acknowledging receipt of their postcard to him. He says he always replies immediately so some of his may have gone astray.  He says he is well and hopes they are. He signs off with good wishes to all, your Francesco." Not sure what a "head carpenter" would be doing on a submarine, unless that was the Italian equivalent of a shipwright in the RN, which also included skills such as welding and coppersmithing.
I am beginning to think the card may be from a support ship for the Group - depot ship, torpedo recovery vessel, or whatever that was entitled to use the 8Th GRUPPO h/s for free postage. The annoying thing is can find absolutely no info on 8th Gruppo - must surely be something somewhere - they were allocated an official h/s after all, and it was accepted as authorising free postage.
All further thoughts welcome,
Colin