page_title: XII Squadriglia MAS
section_title: Operational history
hierarchical_section_title: XII Squadriglia MAS / Operational history
caption_attribution_description: Suomi: MAS 528 Ihalan asemalla klo 8.10. Ihala 1942.06.18 English: MAS 528 leaves Ihala railway station at 8.10 hours. Ihala 1942.06.18
context_page_description: The XIIª Squadriglia Squadriglia MAS was a formation of the Italian Royal Navy which served on Lake Ladoga as part of the Axis siege of Leningrad during World War II.
context_section_description: The XII MAS commenced operations on 25 June 1942, making reconnaissance sweeps across the lake, landing observers behind soviet lines, and searching for submarines.
  On 25 July MAS 526 was damaged in an accident, and was put out of action, reducing the force by a quarter.
  On 14 August MAS 527 and 528 intercepted  a force of three soviet gunboats; after an exchange of fire the MAS closed in and launched torpedoes, sinking one of the gunboats.
  On 27 August MAS 527 encountered a Soviet convoy comprising two tugs pulling a train of barges, escorted by a third tug. MAS 527 shadowed this group and summoned help, and with the arrival of MAS 528 attacked with torpedoes, causing the barge train to blow up.
  On 1 September MAS 529 met two Soviet gunboats while on patrol off  Verkkosaari island; she engaged them by gunfire, before retiring unharmed.
  On 29 September  MAS 528 and 529, commanded by Bianchini, encountered a Soviet convoy of a tug and barge train, escorted by a gunboat. They were able to manoeuvre into position to make a torpedo attack, but scored no hits.
  During October the force was involved in providing support to the land forces, as winter approached, and on 30 October the lake became too frozen for operations to continue. 
  The XII MAS was evacuated from the base at Sortanlahti, withdrawing to winter quarters at Reval (Tallinn).
  The spring of 1943 saw a change in the war situation; the RM decided to transfer the XII MAS to the Mediterranean, though the three MAS boats were handed over to the Finnish navy rather than being transported back to Italy.
caption: MAS 528 loaded on a train for railway transport to Lake Ladoga.
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