welcome Regia Marina sailors to the German base. The first BETASOM patrols from 9 October to 9 November 1940, from 5 January to 28 February 1941 were unsuccessful; but during a third patrol Malaspina damaged the British liner Lycaon on 3 May 1941. Malaspina then sank two ships on the next patrol. Malaspina sailed from Bordeaux on 7 September 1941; and is believed to have been sunk on 10 September by No. 10 Squadron RAAF Short Sunderland "U". Maggiore Baracca (pennant number BC) was launched 21 April 1940 and completed on 10 July 1940. Its first patrol was through the Strait of Gibraltar on 7 September for an Atlantic patrol. Baracca sank one ship before reaching Bordeaux on 6 October. Baracca sank one ship on its first BETASOM patrol from Bordeaux, but last four patrols were unsuccessful. On the final patrol, Baracca was sunk by on 7 September 1941. Thirty-two members of the submarine crew survived the sinking. See also Italian submarines of World War II Notes References Marconi class at regiamarina.net Bagnasco, Erminio (1977) Submarines of World War Two London, Cassell & Co, Brice, Martin (1981) Axis Blockade Runners of World War II Annapolis, MD, Naval Institute Press, Kafka, Roger & Pepperburg, Roy L. (1946) Warships of the World Cornell Maritime Press Taylor, J.C. (1966) German Warships of World War II Doubleday & Company Willmott, H.P. (2009) The Last Century of Sea Power: From Port Arthur to Chanak, 1894-1922 Indiana University Press, External links Guglielmo Marconi (1939) Marina Militare website Submarine classes Marconi