 These aircraft were few in number, however, and directly under "Luftwaffe" control; in addition, the pilots had little specialised training for anti-shipping warfare, limiting their effectiveness.The Germans received help from their allies.From August 1940, a flotilla of 27 Italian submarines operated from the BETASOM base in Bordeaux to attack Allied shipping in the Atlantic, initially under the command of Rear Admiral Angelo Parona, then of Rear Admiral Romolo Polacchini and finally of Ship-of-the-Line Captain Enzo Grossi.