Wreck of the Greek submarine Y-1 "Katsonis" found after 73 years!

The Greek Navy has managed to find the wreck of the Y-1 submarine “Katsonis”, dating back to World War II. The ship was sunk 73 years ago in September 1943 during a clash with the German submarine chaser UJ-2101. Before its destiny was fulfilled, the Y-1’s crew was famous for several successful combat missions.

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The wreck of the submarine “Katsonis” was located in the waters near the island of Skiatos at a depth of 170 metres by an oceanographic vessel belonging to the Greek navy HS “Naftilos A-478” (Υ/Γ-Ω/Κ Ναυτίλος), which was on duty in the area on 4 July. The ship Y-1 “Katsonis” was one of six submarines belonging to the Greek Royal Navy during World War II.

Y-1 and her crew took part in the Greek-Italian War (1940-41). During that time it sank one Italian unit and carried out four patrols. After the German invasion and occupation of Greece in April, 1941 the “Katsonis” fled with the rest of the Greek fleet to the Middle East.

On July 2, 1942 leaving the dry dock in Port Said the ship was damaged. After the repair of the hull the “Katsonis” carried out three more patrols in the area of the Aegean Sea. On April, 2nd, 1943 the victim of the Greek submariners was the Italian mine-layer near Gytheio, and three days later the Spanish merchant ship “San Isodorio”, sailing from Kythnos. The next blow “Katsonis” struck on May, 29th sinking the German ship Rigel near the island of Skiatos.

The Greeks’ good fortune ended on 14 September 1943 when, while trying to intercept a ship carrying German soldiers, Y-1 was attacked by the German submarine chaser UJ-2101 (the former Greek minesweeper “Strymon”).

“Katsonis” was spotted on the surface, after which she immediately submerged. Unfortunately, the Greek ship did not avoid being hit by depth charges, which forced the crew to surface and fight on the surface, where at the climax she was rammed by her enemy.

31 crew members went down with the vessel – including the ship’s commander Vasileios Laskos, and 15 were taken prisoner. However, 3 members of the Y-1 crew managed to escape and after 9 hours they swam to the island of Skiatos. They then made their way to Egypt and continued fighting in the ranks of the Greek navy.

The ship Y-1 “Katsonis” was built between 1925-27 in the French shipyard in Bordeaux. It entered service on 8 June 1928, and the first commander was Κ. Arvanitis. Y-1 measured 62.4 metres long and 5.3 metres wide. The maximum achievable draught was 73 metres. She was powered by 2×2-cycle Schneider-Carels diesel 1,300hp, 2×electric 1,000hp engines, which provided a speed of 14 knots on the surface and 9.5 when submerged. The vessel took its name from the 18th century Greek naval hero Admiral Lambros Katsonis.

Source: economywatch.gr, wikipedia.org, pierrekosmidis.blogspot.gr