|
|
|
|
The integration of Betasom with the German Command Structure |
by Cristiano D'Adamo |
| Betasom was officially instituted on September
1st, 1940. Organizationally, it reported to two distinct commands: MARICOSOM
(Marina, Comando, Sommergibili, or Navy Command Submarines) controlled
personnel and technical and administrative functions, while SUPERMARINA
controlled operations. MARICOSOM was created in 1939 following the
reorganization of the “Comando Divisione Sommergibili” and was headquartered
at the Ministry of the Navy, in a beautiful palace on the Tiber in Rome. The
fact that this submarine base would operationally report directly to
SUPERMARINA was an exception to the established practice and had been
dictated by several factors. First, the size of the base (over 30 vessels)
made it unusually large; second, the commanding officer was very senior in
rank (a rear-admiral), and lastly, the base would be integrated with the
existing German naval command structure. |
|
| In fact, to allow for a successful integration
of the Italian forces with Admiral Donitz’s U-Boats, the Italian command
issued the following directives: “For the coordinated deployment of
submarines in war operations in the Atlantic, the group will receive
directives from Admiral Donitz, Commander U-Boat Force”. The decision to
integrate the Italian forces with the German ones had both tactical and
organizational advantages. Tactically, the Germans did not have the required
number of boats to properly impede British commercial traffic on a
continuous basis; the Italian submarines would assist in providing this
numerical advantage. Operationally, it would have been dangerous if the two
forces had operated independently of each other, creating the real peril of
dramatically increasing the possibility of losses due to friendly fire.
After all, the Germans were not the only submarines operating in the
Atlantic; British boats were always lurking along the coastline of occupied
France. Nevertheless, although officially reporting to the B.d.U., the German submarine command, the Italian base had a large degree of independence and the right to preserve Italian interests. Since the inception of the base, talented officers from both sides contributed to establishing a true spirit of comradeship. The first German liaison officer was Franz Hans Rosing, who was later replaced by Franz Becker. The Italian liaison officer to B.d.U. was Lieutenant Commander Fausto Sestini, who served for the duration of the conflict. The German command for the Atlantic coast was in Royan, a small city opposite La Pallice at the estuary of the Gironde, and it was later transferred to Nantes, much further north. The integration of the Italian forces called for the utilization of the existing German defenses, and the establishment of new ones. The port of Bordeaux and the shipyards were under the control of the Maritime Defenses of Guascony [Aquitaine] with headquarters in Royan. |
|
| The naval forces reported to the Kriegsmarine
headquarters in Paris and were organized under the 4th Division and
commanded by Kapitän zur See Lautenschlager who, in 1944, he was replaced by
Kapitän zur See John. The Paris-based command was under Admiral Kranche,
while the Maritime Defense forces were the responsibility of Vice-Admiral (Vizeadmiral
) Breuning. This high command of the Kriesgmarine was originally called
Oberbefehlshaber des Admirals West, but after the 22nd of June 1940, it was
renamed Oberbefehlshaber des Admirals Frankreich. This command was
principally responsible for personnel and provisioning. The commanding
officer was Admiral Karl-Georg Schuster until the end of February 1941,
later replaced by Admiral Otto Schultze until August 1942, and then Admiral
Wilhelm Marschall. Admiral Karl-Georg Schuster was the officer responsible
for the first survey of former French installations along the Atlantic Coast
and it is know that he visited the facilities later occupied by the Regia
Marina. |
|
|
The 4th Division included the 8th Flotilla, organized in several groups.
This flotilla was equipped with about 15 minesweepers of the M35, M39 and
M40 type. They ranged from 755 to 908 tons in displacement and were armed
with two 105 mm guns and antiaircraft machine guns. The 8th Flotilla was
commanded by Kapitäleutnant Kamptz and was headquartered in Royan, but the
vessels were distributed over several locations, and more precisely Royan,
Pauillac, and La Pallice. According to Francis Sallaberry, the well-known
Bordeaux-based author, there was also the 28th flotilla based in Pauillac
and commanded by Korvettenkapitän Bidingmaier. This unit was also equipped
with 15 minesweepers, but all of the M40 type. Naval defenses also
included the very unusual 2nd Flotilla “Sperrbrecher”, often mentioned in
the Italian documentation. These “obstruction breakers” were under the
command of Kapitäleutnant Körner and based in Royan. The odd-looking fleet
included former German, Norwegian, and French cargo ships ranging from a
small one of only 480 tons, to the 7,090 tons former “Saurland”. These
ships had been militarized with the installation of 105 mm naval guns, and
37 mm and 20 mm antiaircraft machine guns. Their task was to meet the
submarines out at sea and escort them to safer waters by opening a path
through the insidious magnetic mines launched by the Royal Air Force or
deposited by the Royal Navy. They also provided escort for
blockade-runners entering or leaving port. |
|
|
The defense of the waterways around Bordeaux was the responsibility of the
4th flotilla, a group of about 28 smaller patrol and service vessels no
larger than 500 tons and mostly imported from Germany. These vessels were
armed with small machine guns and an 88 mm gun. The dockyards and the
arsenal, as already mentioned, were the responsibility of the
Kriegsmarine. The first commanding officer was Kapitäleutnant Siegfried
Punt, who held the assignment until November 1942 and was later replaced
by Kapitäleutnant Heinrich Wagner, who commanded until January 1944.
During the period between January and August 1944, the commanding officer
was Kapitäleutnant Carl Weber, an engineer. The defense of the city of Bordeaux was instead the responsibility of the Wehrmacht. The area was organizationally under the 1st Army, and the local commander was Colonel Seiz, the military commander of Bordeaux, later replaced (1942) by General Knoerger. The port itself, including the submarine bases, remained under the Krigsmarine, while the airport of Merignac remained under the Luftwaffe. The Wehrmatcht built bunkers throughout the area, including three in Gradignan (Château Brandier), town later to become the base of the Italian command. The defenses around the base included 88 mm and 75 mm guns and 20 mm antiaircraft machine guns, along with a number of searchlights. |
|
|
 |
||
|
|
||
| © 1996-2007 REGIAMARINA (TM) - Terms and Conditions | ||
