The Midget Submarine That Changed the Course of WWII

TL;DR

British x-craft submarines, only 15 meters long, played a vital role in damaging or sinking enemy vessels and aiding major operations during WWII, earning numerous awards and sacrificing many lives.

Transcript

in Winston Churchill called her the Beast 251 meters long and displacing 53 000 tons she could cruise at 30 knots and engage targets up to 35 kilometers away with massive one-ton shells using IH 38 centimeter guns she was the turpid the largest and most powerful German battleship of the second world war throughout the conflict the deadly threat ter... Read More

Key Insights

• ☺️ The x-craft submarines were a unique and effective weapon used by the British during WWII.
• 😚 Their small size allowed them to infiltrate enemy naval bases and get close to heavily guarded enemy vessels.
• ☺️ The x-craft submarines played a vital role in damaging or sinking enemy vessels and aiding major operations, such as the Normandy landings.
• ☺️ The bravery and sacrifice of the x-craft submarine crews resulted in numerous awards, including Victoria Crosses and Distinguished Service Orders.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did the Italian rigia Marina utilize miniature submarines during WWII?

The Italian rigia Marina deployed the SLC, an electrically powered torpedo piloted by two drivers. They infiltrated enemy naval bases by being carried close to the target harbor by larger submarines and launched from special cradles on the deck.

Q: What was the first successful mission of the British x-craft submarine?

The first successful mission of the British x-craft submarine was Operation Title, an attempt to attack the turpit battleship in Norway. It involved disguising the x-craft submarines as a fishing trawler and launching them near the turpit's anchorage.

Q: How were the x-craft submarines used during the Normandy landings?

The x-craft submarines played a crucial role in Operation Gambit, where they surfaced on the morning of June 6, 1944, and deployed light and radio beacons to guide the invading fleet onto the landing beaches.

Q: What was the significance of Operation Struggle?

Operation Struggle involved two x-craft submarines attacking the Japanese heavy cruisers takao and miyoko in Singapore Harbor. The successful operation severely damaged the takao, rendering it out of action for the remainder of the war.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The turpit, a powerful German battleship, posed a significant threat to Allied forces during WWII. Multiple attempts to attack it from the air failed until a small four-man craft, the x-craft submarine, succeeded.

• The x-craft submarines were fully functional enclosed submarines, measuring only 15 meters long. They were armed with explosive sidecargos and manned by a crew of three or four.

• The x-craft submarines participated in various operations, including attacking the turpit and other enemy vessels, cutting Japanese submarine communication cables, and providing intelligence for the Normandy landings.