An old conspiracy: The Barbarigo claims

[Hans]

In World War Two the Italian Submarine Barbarigo claimed to have sunk two US battleships, one of the California class in April 1942 and one of the Mississippi class in Oct 1942. Needless to say they were not sunk nor even hit. After the war certain members of the Italian navy were so certain that the American's were hiding this war loss that they proposed - when given undeniable evidence for the existence of all these battleships. That the US had secretly rebuilt the two battleships and silence all "knowers" of the secret........

Not quite as good as the flat earth theory conspiracy, but interesting.

[MG1962]

In World War Two the Italian Submarine Barbarigo claimed to have sunk two US battleships, one of the California class in April 1942 and one of the Mississippi class in Oct 1942. Needless to say they were not sunk nor even hit. After the war certain members of the Italian navy were so certain that the American's were hiding this war loss that they proposed - when given undeniable evidence for the existence of all these battleships. That the US had secretly rebuilt the two battleships and silence all "knowers" of the secret........

Not quite as good as the flat earth theory conspiracy, but interesting

LOL - yes the fog of war. I am having a debate with some revisionists at the moment about the London Blitz- While doing some research I came across a RAF log - said 187 claimed kills for week - later revised to 60 lol

[kookbreaker]

The Japanese reported sinking the submarine Tang 25 times before she did sink (due to a torpedo malfunction). They also claimed to have sunk the Enterprise 6 times.

[njslim]

MG1962 - excellent book if you can find it is "BATTLE OVER BRITAIN" by
Francis K Mason. First published in 1969, reprinted in 1990, detailed
listing of British and German losses day by day from exhaustive research
through records including combat damage and non combat loss.

[Hans]

In a more scientific area, a professor whose name now escapes me was part of the debate about the realism of the Norse Sagas, i.e he held the position that the trips to North America didn't happen. His reaction to the evidence of the Maine Penny and especially the dig at L'anse aux Meadows was not to accept but to fight back.

He refused to accept this 'defeat' and countered with his own theory, that yes L'anse and the penny were evidence but that Native Americans had gone to Greenland and Iceland, become knowledgeable of Norse culture and returned.......talk about fighting to the end!

[Corsair 115]

During the Battle of Midway, the Japanese thought they had already sunk one USN carrier when they attacked the Yorktown. In reality, they were attacking the Yorktown a second time. Excellent damage control on the Yorktown had made what seemed like a crippled ship to the Japanese after the first attack look like an undamaged ship when the second wave came in.

[MG1962]

MG1962 - excellent book if you can find it is "BATTLE OVER BRITAIN" by
Francis K Mason. First published in 1969, reprinted in 1990, detailed
listing of British and German losses day by day from exhaustive research
through records including combat damage and non combat loss.


Thanks for the tip - I will see if I can get hold of a copy

I have a recollection that the Japanese reported the US Cruiser Chicago sunk so many times they began to call her the grey ghost. I need to check references on that though

[Dave Rogers]

False sinking claims were pretty commonplace in WW2 - google "Where is the Ark Royal" for Germany's most often repeated claim.

Dave

[Comsat Angel]

Italian military journalism wasn't exactly of the highest order. Famously, after the Italian 10th Army invaded Epypt in 1940, stirring communiques loudly proclaimed that "the trams were running again" in Mersah Matruh once Il Duce's finest had occupied it. This came as a considerable surprise to the inhabitants, who had never had a tram service in the first place.

[Zep]

Thanks for the tip - I will see if I can get hold of a copy

I have a recollection that the Japanese reported the US Cruiser Chicago sunk so many times they began to call her the grey ghost. I need to check references on that thoughFYI, the Chicago was berthed in Sydney Harbour when the Japanese midget subs infiltrated and attacked in May 1942. She was their prime target. They did get a torpedo away at her, but it actually passed underneath her and hit a ferry, HMAS Kuttabul, moored at a wharf.

Kuttabul had been pressed into service to the Navy for sleeping accomodation for new naval ratings at Garden Island. The torpedo exploded against the wharf under her, she sank, and 21 seamen were killed.

http://www.ww2australia.gov.au/underattack/sydharbour.html