Cristina Di Giorgi: Theseus Tesei. To the assault of glory

Cristina Di Giorgi
Ed. Seaplane, Rome 2018
pagg.165

The author, a journalist, with this essay of hers, "He wanted to pay tribute to the Man Teseo and to the ideals to which he dedicated all his too short life." 

Born 3 January 1909 on the Island of Elba, by Ulisse Tesei and Rosa Carassale, Teseo, lost, a few years later, both parents when he was still a child, entered, in the 1925, at the Naval Academy of Livorno, from where it came out, in the 1930, after completing the studies of the Normal Course of the Naval Engineers, with the rank of lieutenant, and then enrolling in the Naval Engineering School of Naples, where, after 3 years, he obtained his degree .

In the 1934, obtained the patent at the Royal Palombari School of San Bartolomeo, he was assigned, in the 1936, to the 1 ^ Submarine Flotilla stationed in La Spezia. Here, in his spare time, he devoted himself, "Together with his colleague engineer Elios Toschi for the development of a project already conceived at the time of the Accademia di Livorno, aimed at the realization of a war weapon of the latest conception: the Slow Run Torpedo", a project - born as an evolution of Raffaele Paolucci's self-propelled torpedo - for which, even if some experts asked to evaluate it was considered "A madness of the moment, a smoke of youthful enthusiasm and nothing more", the Navy authorized the construction of a first specimen.

It was about "A small submarine that the operators, sitting on horseback, would have maneuvered with the aid of appropriate instrumentation, penetrating the enemy bases, up to the hull of the vessel to sink, on which they would then attack the bow - removable - of their vehicle , containing an explosive charge in time. "

After testing, Supermarina authorized the construction of a second specimen. The Bocca del Serchio was identified for the training of the personnel (the future raiders). In the 1939 Tesei was assigned to the newly established 1 ^ Flotiglia MAS, based in La Spezia, to which "It is assigned the task of organizing all activities related to the development and practical use of assault vehicles."

The attackers, renamed the "Apostles of Tesei", led a secluded life at the Bocca del Serchio, avoiding new friendships that could have become dangerous. For the transport of the "pigs" (as Tesei himself dubbed the Slow Running Torpedoes) it was decided to use the submarine, harnessing them on its deck.

The 10 June 1940 Italy entered the war. "The members of the crews of attackers who will take part in the official debut of the Siluri in Lenta Corsa during the war are drawn by lot, leaving aside grade and seniority."

Birindelli, Franzini, Tesei, Toschi, Paccagnini, Bianchi, Pedretti, Lazzari, Durand de la Penne: these are the names of the crew members. The first two companies, targeting the Port of Alexandria and a Gibraltar, were not successful.

On 14 March 41, the X MAS Flotilla was born under the command of the frigate captain Vittorio Moccagatta, which brought together the Assault Vehicles and was divided into two sections: Underwater Means Department, under the command of the lieutenant captain Junio ​​Valerio Borghese, and Surface Vehicles Department, under the command of the lieutenant captain Giorgio Giobbe. And the first successes also arrived, such as the attack on the British base of Suda (Crete), by 6 explosive boats, the night between 25 and 26 March 1941.

The attack in Malta was the next goal to which Tesei, despite some serious health problems, asked insistently to participate. His request was accepted. When, in fact, the order of departure for the mission arrived, it was decided that two Siluri Corsa Torpedoes, one with a Tesei crew and the diver Sergeant Pedretti, the other with crew, the vessel Lieutenant Costa and the diver Sergeant Barla. The executive order for forcing the port of Valletta (operation Malta 2) was given to the 18 of the 25 July. Explosive boats, two slow-running torpedoes and the 451 and 452 MAS took part. Unfortunately the operation failed with a balance of fallen 18 prisoners and 15.

The latest news related to Theseus Tesei date back to the 4.00 of the morning of 26 July, when 30 minutes were missing to finish its task: bring the torpedo under the protection net of the port. "From this moment on the destiny of the Elban hero and his second Alcide Pedretti becomes a mystery that will remain buried forever at the bottom of the sea." Among the hypotheses on the causes of his death is that which, while they were immersed, are "They were overwhelmed by the explosion caused by the small boat of Aristide Carabelli, launched on the Breakwater Viaduct to open a passage to the port."

For this operation he was awarded the Gold Medal for Military Valor, to memory. The redemption came on December 19, with the sinking, in the port of Alexandria, of the Valiant by De Le Penne and Bianchi, of the Queen Elizabeth by Marceglia and Schegrat, and by an oil tanker by Martellotta and Marino.

“The one in Alessandria of 19 December 1941 undoubtedly represents the undertaking that marks the consecration of all those who have dedicated themselves body and soul to the Slow-Running Torpedoes (Tesei and Toschi in the first place), and of the Decima Mas. Which, however, is not satisfied and does not stop: in fact, actions take place on different fronts of war. "

Gianlorenzo Capano