Tilos attack

[Aris]

During the evening of Jan.11, 1944 three (?) British MTBs attacked the German cargo motor ships SEERAUBER, ESTE and VERA that were anchored in Livadia Bay at Tilos Island in the Dodecanesse.
According to the German war diary ESTE was sunk and the two others grounded. According to daily German reports ESTE and VERA were sunk, only SEERAUBER was temporarily grounded to avoid sinking.

Can anyone provide some information on the identity of VERA?
Also which were the British MTBs involved?

Thank you
Aris

[Platon Alexiades]

Hello Aris,

The culprits were MTB 309 and MTB 260. They claimed one vessel sunk (source: ADM199/1428).

Best regards,

Platon

[jan-olof]

Hello Aris and Platon,

As for Vera, she's called Vera Gioia in some sources, e.g. DEFE 3/637, page 832.

EMERGENCY MOST SECRET 546 A 1 K
1) IN LEROS-RHODES SHUTTLE TRAFFIC CALLS ARE MADE AT LIVADIA BAY, TILOS ISLAND.
2) ON 11/1 M.S. 'ESTE' AND 'VERA GIOIA' OF THE 'SEERÄUBER’ GROUP WERE DESTROYED THERE BY GUNBOATS WHICH WERE LURKING IN THE BAY.
3) THE PROTECTION OF THE BAY BY ANTI-TANK GUNS IS THEREFORE NECESSARY AND APPLICATION FOR THIS IS TO BE MADE TO ASSAULT DIVISION RHODES.
4) REPORT WHAT ACTION IS BEING TAKEN.

In one of Theo's old documents it is mentioned that she was built in 1943. Her tonnage is listed as 258.

Best regards,

Jan-Olof

[Darius]

Hello Aris,

what were your sources?:
a) German war diary --> ? --> KTB Skl, Teil A?
b) Daily German reports --> ? --> KTB Skl, Teil D?

Maybe there´s another source for checking.


Regards

Darius

[de domenico]

SEERAEUBER was the former Dutch NOVATIE, 184 grt. There is also a VERA, 1,854 grt, ex Italian VESTA, 3.7.43 torpedoed West of Leros by HMS TRIDENT, 14.7.43 towed to Piraeus, 9.10.1944 scuttled as a blockship in the Corinth Channel, and a VERA GIOIA, 258 grt, ex Italian, a motor-schooner sunk with ESTE 11.01.44 in the Gulf of Livadia, Tilos Island, by MTBs. ESTE, 212 grt, a motor vessel, since 30.10.1943 in the Aegean. Source: Byron Tesapsides, "Die Kriegsmarine in der Aegaeis im II. WK 1941-1944".

[jan-olof]

Here's a bit more information from DEFE 3/635, p. 847

FROM: N.O.I.C. RHODES
TO: ADMIRAL AEGEAN, 15TH L-FLOTILLA

EMERGENCY
SEERÄUBER ARRIVED IN RHODES AT 2300. ACTION TOOK PLACE FROM 0300 TO 0400 IN LIVADIA BAY (PISCOPI).
ON ARRIVAL OF THE CONVOY FIRST 2. THEN A THIRD M.T.B. PROCEEDED IN. SEERÄUBER BEACHED IMMEDIATELY.
LIKEWISE VERA. ESTE SUNK AT ANCHOR. VERA BURNT OUT. SEERÄUBER HAS SHOT HOLES ABOVE THE WATER LINE.
4 SERIOUSLY, 6 SLIGHTLY WOUNDED.
IT LOOKED AS IF THE BAY WERE FREQUENTLY USED BY M.T.B.S

Best regards,

Jan-Olof

[Aris]

Thank you all for your input. It seems that VERA was the VERA GIOIA that Francesco and Theo had mentioned.

Hello Aris,

what were your sources?:
a) German war diary --> ? --> KTB Skl, Teil A?
b) Daily German reports --> ? --> KTB Skl, Teil D?

Maybe there´s another source for checking.

Regards

Darius

Dear Darius, my information came from the translated "War Diary of the German Naval Staff, Operations Division" and from the "Kriegstagebuch des Koammandierenden Admirals Agais"