Anglo/Italian SF's attacks against Italian Cruisers

Andy H · Post by **Andy H** » 19 Jan 2003 01:15

The Italian heavy Cruisers Gorizia & Bolzano were sunk June 26th & 21st 1944 respectively whilst in harbour-La Spezia? by a combined Anglo-Italian SF's units.

Can anyone add some detail to these feats!

Andy from the Shire

Galahad · Post by **Galahad** » 21 Jan 2003 23:58

Oddly enough, I just researched this in looking up background on a model I'm thinking of buying; there's not much on it on the net. What you're referring to is Operation QWZ. Here's the best rundown I was able to find; it doesn't mention Gorizia though.

"June 1944.

A single chariot forced its way through dense anti-submarine nets into La Spezia harbour and sank the last Italian heavy cruiser Bolzano, which the Germans had seized at the time of the Italian surrender and withdrawn to the north. Operation 'QWZ', as it was known, was a joint operation with the Italian Navy. Two chariots - Sub.Lt. M.R. Causer (the veteran of the Trondheim attempt on Tirpitz and the walk to Sweden), with AB Harry Smith, and PO Cook Conrad Berey with Stoker Ken Lawrence, were carried in Italian Motor Torpedo Boat MS74. Causer and Smith made a textbook attack securing the warhead underneath Bolzano. Berey had failed to find the entrance to the harbour and, as dawn was breaking, decided to scuttle his Chariot. Both Chariot teams failed to make the rendezvous with their MTB transports and, by coincidence, succeeded in joining the same group of Italian partisans ashore. Berey managed to cross the River Arno in August 1944 to rejoin British forces, but Lawrence, Causer and Smith were all captured while trying to make the same crossing."

Andy H · Post by **Andy H** » 22 Jan 2003 00:25

Hi Galahad

Thanks for the post, at least with some names to work with I can naval records & medal sites (Presuming they were awarded some medal for the deed)

Andy from the Shire