On July 7 & 8, 1940 the Italian submarine Smeraldo, while on patrol off the coast of Tobruk, was the target of
perhaps the most intense depth charge attack of the second world war. Over the course of these two days
ships of the Royal Navy dropped about 200 depth charges on the boat, but miraculously the boat survived.
She was damaged and leaking, at least one motor was out of commission, but she made port under her own
power.

Temporary repairs were made at Tobruk and then she was moved to Augusta, Sicily where it took until Dec. to
make her seaworthy again. She made a few more patrols including one cut short by battery failure. On
Sept. 15, 1942 under the command of Lieutenant Bartolomeo La Penna she sailed from Augusta never to
be seen again. To this day the wreck has not been found.