Battle of Cape Matapan
Part of World War II
Vittorio Veneto after the torpedo hit at Matapan
Date March 27, 1941–March 29, 1941 Location Mediterranean off Cape Matapan, Greece Result Decisive Allied victory
Combatants
United Kingdom Australia	Italy
Commanders
Andrew Cunningham	Angelo Iachino
Strength
1 aircraft carrier 3 battleships 7 light cruisers 17 destroyers	1 battleship 6 heavy cruisers 2 light cruisers 17 destroyers
Casualties
4 light cruiser lightly damaged 1 torpedo bomber destroyed 3 dead	1 battleship heavily damaged 3 heavy cruisers sunk 2 destroyers sunk 2,300+ dead

The Battle of Cape Matapan was a World War II naval battle fought off the Peloponnesian coast of Greece from March 27 to March 29, 1941. A combined force of British Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy ships under the command of the British Admiral Andrew Cunningham intercepted and sank or severely damaged those of the Italian Regia Marina, under Admiral Angelo Iachino. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Image File history File links Vittorio_Veneto_after_hit_at_Matapan. ... is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... is the 88th day of the year (89th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... Cape Tenaro (Greek: Ταίναρο) also known as Cape Tainaro (older forms: Tenaron and Tainaron) and Cape Matapan is situated in Mani, Laconia, Greece. ... Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_Australia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy_(1861-1946)_crowned. ... Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Bronze bust of Lord Cunningham, looking at Nelsons column and Whitehall Andrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope (7 January 1883 - 12 June 1963), familiarly known as ABC, was the most famous British admiral of World War II, winning distinction in Mediterranean battles in 1940 and 1941, then... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy_(1861-1946)_crowned. ... Angelo Iachino was the Italian navy commander during the Battle of Cape Matapan. ... Combatants Allied Nations Axis Powers The Naval Battle of the Mediterranean was waged during World War II, to attack and keep open the respective supply lines of Allied and Axis armies, and to destroy the opposing sides ability to wage war at sea. ... Combatants United Kingdom France Commanders James Somerville Marcel-Bruno Gensoul Strength 1 aircraft carrier 3 battleships 2 light cruisers 11 destroyers 4 battleships 6 destroyers 1 seaplane tender Casualties 3 Blackburn Skua 3 Fairey Swordfish 2 dead 1 battleship sunk 2 battleships heavily damaged 1 destroyer damaged 1,297 dead... The Battle of Calabria, also known as the Battle of Punta Stilo, was a naval battle between ships of Italian Regia Marina on one side and the British Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy on the other. ... The battle of Cape Spada was a naval battle of World War II fought in the Mediterranean off Cape Spada, the north-western extremity of Crete on 19 July 1940. ... Combatants United Kingdom Italy Commanders Lumley Lyster Inigo Campioni Strength 21 bombers 6 battleships Casualties 2 bombers destroyed 1 battleship sunk 2 battleships damaged 1 cruiser damaged The naval Battle of Taranto took place on the night of 11 November – 12 November 1840 during World War II. The Royal Navy... Combatants United Kingdom Italy Commanders James Somerville Inigo Camponi Strength 1 carrier 1 battleships 1 battlecruiser 1 heavy cruiser 5 light cruisers 1 anti aircraft cruiser 4 destroyers 4 corvettes 4 freighters 2 battleships 6 heavy cruisers 14 destroyers Casualties 1 heavy cruiser damaged 1 destroyer damaged The Battle of... Combatants United Kingdom Italy Commanders Captain P J Mack Captain Pietro de Cristofaro Strength 4 destroyers 3 destroyers Casualties 1 destroyer sunk 41 killed 3 destroyers sunk 5 merchant ships sunk 1800+ men lost The Battle of the Tarigo Convoy (sometimes referred to as the Action off Sfax) was fought... Combatants Greece United Kingdom New Zealand Australia Germany Italy Commanders Bernard Freyberg Kurt Student Strength United Kingdom: 15,000 Greece: 11,000 Australia: 7,100 New Zealand: 6,700 Total: 40,000 (10,000 without fighting capability. ... Combatants United Kingdom Italy Commanders Captain W.G Agnew Captain Ugo Bisciani Strength 2 light cruisers 2 destroyers 2 heavy cruisers 10 destroyers Casualties none? 2 destroyers sunk, 5 merchant ships sunk, ?? lost The Battle of the Duisburg Convoy was fought on the night of 8-9 November 1941 between... The Battle of Cape Bon was a Second World War naval action off Cape Bon, Tunisia. ... Combatants United Kingdom Australia Netherlands Italy Commanders Andrew Cunningham Angelo Iachino Strength 6 light cruisers 10 destroyers 4 battleships 2 heavy cruisers 3 light cruisers 19 destroyers 1 torpedo boat Casualties 1 light cruiser sunk 1 destroyer sunk 2 destroyers damaged 767 killed None ? The First Battle of Sirte was... The Second Battle of Sirte was a naval battle between the Royal Navy and the Regia Marina during the World War II. It took place on 22 March 1942, in the Mediterranean, north to the Gulf of Sirte, west of Malta. ... In World War II, Operation Harpoon was one of two simultaneous Allied convoys sent to supply Malta in the Axis-dominated Mediterranean Sea in mid-June 1942. ... Operation Vigorous was a World War II operation to deliver a supply convoy (MW-11) that sailed from Haifa and Port Said on the 12th June 1942 to Malta. ... The HMS Eagle, sunk by the German submarine U-73 Operation Pedestal was a British operation to get vital supplies to the island of Malta in August 1942, during World War II and the height of the Axis siege of Malta. ... During World War II, Operation Agreement consisted of ground and amphibious attacks by British, Rhodesian and New Zealand forces on German- and Italian-held Tobruk (Operation Daffodil), Benghazi (Operation Snowdrop), Jalo oasis (Operation Tulip) and Barce (Operation Hyacinth) launched on 13 September 1942. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Free French Forces Vichy France Commanders Dwight Eisenhower Andrew Cunningham François Darlan Strength 73,500 60,000 Casualties 479+ dead 720 wounded 1,346+ dead 1,997 wounded Operation Torch (initially called Operation Gymnast) was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in... Combatants Vichy France Germany Commanders Jean de Laborde André Marquis Johannes Blaskowitz Casualties whole fleet scuttled ; 12 killed ; 26 wounded. ... Combatants United Kingdom Italy Germany¹ Commanders C. H. J. Harcount Aldo Cocchia Strength 3 light cruisers 2 destroyers 3 destroyers 2 torpedo boats convoy of 4 ships Casualties no ships lost 1 destroyer entire convoy ¹one ship in the convoy was German The Battle of Skerki Bank was a World... Combatants  United States United Kingdom  Canada Free French Nazi Germany Italy Commanders Dwight D. Eisenhower Harold Alexander Bernard Montgomery George S. Patton, Jr. ... Roma was an Italian Vittorio Veneto class battleship that served in the Regia Marina during World War II. She was built in 1940. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The French battleship Orient burns, 1 August 1798, during the Battle of the Nile A naval battle is a battle fought using ships or other waterborne vessels. ... Peloponnesos (Greek: Πελοπόννησος, sometime Latinized as Peloponnesus or Anglicized as The Peloponnese) is a large peninsula in Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Isthmus of Corinth. ... is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 88th day of the year (89th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ... The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. ... Bronze bust of Lord Cunningham, looking at Nelsons column and Whitehall Andrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope (7 January 1883 - 12 June 1963), familiarly known as ABC, was the most famous British admiral of World War II, winning distinction in Mediterranean battles in 1940 and 1941, then... The Italian Regia Marina (literally: Royal Navy) dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification. ... Angelo Iachino was the Italian navy commander during the Battle of Cape Matapan. ...

The battle, or at least its opening actions, is also known as the Battle of Gaudo in Italy.

Orders of Battle

The Allied force was the Mediterranean fleet, consisting of the aircraft carrier HMS Formidable, the modernised World War I battleships HMS Barham, Valiant and Warspite (as flagship). The main fleet was accompanied by two flotillas of destroyers: This article is about the independent states that comprised the Allies. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... Four aircraft carriers, (bottom-to-top) Principe de Asturias, amphibious assault carrier USS Wasp, USS Forrestal and light V/STOL carrier HMS Invincible, showing size differences of late 20th century carriers An aircraft carrier is a warship designed to deploy and in most cases recover aircraft, acting as a sea... HMS Formidable was an Illustrious class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy during World War II. She was constructed by Harland & Wolff, Belfast and commissioned on 24 November 1940. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Battleship (disambiguation). ... HMS Barham was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the Royal Navy named after Admiral Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham, built at the John Brown shipyards in Clydebank, and launched in 1914. ... HMS Valiant was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the Royal Navy built at the Fairfield shipyards in Glasgow and launched in November 1914. ... HMS Warspite was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the British Royal Navy. ... This article is about the lead ship, store, or product of a group. ... A flotilla (from Spanish, meaning a flota of small ships, and this from French flotte), or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet. ... USS McFaul underway in the Atlantic Ocean. ...

• 10th Flotilla: HMS Greyhound, HMS Griffin and HMAS Stuart

• 14th Flotilla: HMS Jervis, HMS Janus, HMS Mohawk and HMS Nubian

Also present were HMS Hotspur and HMS Havock. HMS Greyhound (H05) was a G-class destroyer laid down by Vickers Armstrong Naval Construction Works at Barrow-in-Furness on 20 September 1934, launched on 15 August 1935 and completed on 31 January 1936. ... HMS Griffin (H31) was a G-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by Vickers Armstrong Naval Construction Works at Barrow-in-Furness on 20 September 1934, launched on 15 August 1935 and commissioned on 6 June 1936. ... The first HMAS Stuart (D-00/100) was a Scott class destroyer, laid down by Hawthorn, Leslie and Company at Newcastle-on-Tyne in England on 18 October 1917, launched on 22 August 1918, commissioned into the Royal Navy on 21 December 1918, transferred to the Royal Australian Navy on... HMS Jervis (F00), named for Admiral John Jervis (1735–1823), was a J-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company, Limited, at Hebburn-on-Tyne on 26 August 1937. ... HMS Janus (F53), named after the Roman god, was a J-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Limited at Wallsend-on-Tyne on 29 September 1937, launched on 10 November 1938 and commissioned on 5 August 1939. ... HMS Mohawk (L-31/F-31/G-31) was a Tribal-class destroyer laid down by John I. Thornycroft and Company at Woolston in Southampton on 16 July 1936, launched on 5 October 1937 and commissioned on 7 September 1938. ... HMS Nubian (pennant number L36, later F36) was a Tribal-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service in World War II. Categories: | | | ... HMS Hotspur (H01) was an H-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. ... HMS Havock (H43) was an H-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by William Denny, Brothers and Company, Limited, of Dumbarton in Scotland on 15 May 1935, launched on 7 July 1936 and commissioned on 18 January 1937. ...

A second force, under Admiral Sir Henry Pridham-Wippell, consisted of the British light cruisers HMS Ajax, HMS Gloucester and HMS Orion, the Australian light cruiser HMAS Perth and the British destroyers HMS Hasty, HMS Hereward and HMS Ilex. A light cruiser is a warship that is not so large and powerful as a regular (or heavy) cruiser, but still larger than ships like destroyers. ... HMS Ajax was a Leander-class light cruiser. ... HMS Gloucester was a member of the second group of three ships of the Town class of light cruisers. ... The Leander-class light cruiser HMS Orion: Royal Navy, Penant 85 Displacement: 7,215 tons Speed: 32. ... The HMAS Perth was a modified Leander class light cruiser which served with the Royal Australian Navy during World War II. Description The Perth, the first ship to be named after the city of Perth, was the first of its class to be modified for Australia. ... HMS Hasty (H24) was an H-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by William Denny, Brothers and Company, Limited, of Dumbarton in Scotland on 15 April 1935, launched on 5 May 1936 and commissioned on 11 November 1936. ... HMS Hereward (H93), named after Hereward the Wake, was an H-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by the High Walker Yard of Vickers Armstrong at Newcastle-on-Tyne on 28 February 1935, launched on 10 March 1936 and commissioned on 9 December 1936. ... HMS Ilex (D61), named after the Holly genus, was an I-class destroyer laid down by John Brown and Company, Limited, at Clydebank in Scotland on 10 March 1936, launched on 28 January 1937 and commissioned on 7 July 1937. ...

The Australian Vendetta had returned to Alexandria. The second HMAS Vendetta(D-08) was a Daring-class destroyer laid down by the Williamstown Dockyard at Melbourne in Victoria on 4 July 1950, launched on 3 May 1954 and commissioned on 26 November 1958. ... This article is about the city in Egypt. ...

In addition, Allied warships attached to convoys were available: HMS Defender, HMS Jaguar and HMS Juno waited in the Kithira Channel and HMS Decoy, HMS Carlisle, HMS Calcutta HMS Bonaventure and HMAS Vampire were nearby. A convoy is a group of vehicles traveling together for mutual support. ... HMS Jaguar (F34) was a J class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by William Denny, Brothers and Company, Limited, of Dumbarton in Scotland on 25 November 1937, launched on 22 November 1938 and commissioned on 12 September 1939. ... HMS Juno (F46) was a J class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited, at Govan in Scotland on 5 October 1937, launched on 8 December 1938 and commissioned on 25 August 1939. ... At least four vessels of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Decoy. ... For other ships of the same name, see HMS Carlisle. ... For other ships of the same name, see HMS Calcutta. ... HMS Bonaventure was a Dido-class cruiser of the Royal Navy. ... HMAS Vampire (D68/I68) was a V-class destroyer of the British and Royal Australian navies. ...

The Italian fleet was led by Iachino's vessel, the modern battleship Vittorio Veneto. It also included almost the entire Italian heavy cruiser force: the Zara (under Vice-Admiral Carlo Cattaneo), Fiume and Pola; four destroyers of the 9th Flotilla (Alfredo Oriani, Giosué Carducci, Vincenzo Gioberti and Vittorio Alfieri). The heavy cruisers Trieste (carrying Vice-Admiral Luigi Sansonetti), Trento and Bolzano were accompanied by three destroyers of the 12th Flotilla (Ascari, Corazziere and Carabiniere), plus the light cruisers Luigi di Savoia Duca Degli Abruzzi (Vice-Admiral A. Legnano) and Giuseppe Garibaldi and nine destroyers of the 6th Flotilla (including Emanuel Pessagno and Nicolosa de Recco). None of the Italian ships had radar, although several Allied ships did. Vittorio Veneto was an Italian Vittorio Veneto class battleship, that served in the Regia Marina during the World War II. Her keel was laid down 1934 at Cantieri Riuniti dellAdriatico, Trieste; she was launched on 25 July 1937, and her construction was completed in 1940, after Italy entered in... Zara was an Italian Zara class heavy cruiser, which served in the Regia Marina during World War II. Her keel was laid down 1928 at , La Spezia; she was launched on 27 April 1930, and her construction was completed in 1931. ... The Italian Poeti class destroyer Oriani at full speed. ... The Trento class was an Italian heavy cruiser design of the Regia Marina from the late 1920s. ... The Trento class was an Italian heavy cruiser design of the Regia Marina from the late 1920s. ... The Trento class was an Italian heavy cruiser design of the Regia Marina from the late 1920s. ... Giuseppe Garibaldi (1933) was an Italian Duca degli Abruzzi class light cruiser, that served in the Regia Marina during World War II. After the war she was retained by the Marina Militare and re built. ...

The 10th and 13th Flotillas of Italian destroyers: the Alpino, Bersagliere, Fuciliere, Granatiere, Grecale, Libeccio, Maestrale and Scirocco were also involved.

Background

As ships of the Mediterranean Fleet covered troop movements to Greece, intelligence was received reporting the sailing of an Italian battle fleet with one battleship, six heavy and two light cruisers plus destroyers to attack the convoys. The interception was made possible by Ultra (cryptanalysis of intercepted signals) but as ever this was concealed from the enemy by ensuring there was a plausible reason for the Allies to have detected and intercepted the Italian fleet. In this case it was a carefully directed reconnaissance plane. As a further deception Admiral Cunningham is said to have made a surreptitious exit from a club in Egypt to avoid being seen going aboard ship. Ultra (sometimes capitalized ULTRA) was the name used by the British for intelligence resulting from decryption of German communications in World War II. The term eventually became the standard designation in both Britain and the United States for all intelligence from high-level cryptanalytic sources. ... Cryptanalysis (from the Greek kryptós, hidden, and analýein, to loosen or to untie) is the study of methods for obtaining the meaning of encrypted information, without access to the secret information which is normally required to do so. ...

At the same time, there was a failure of intelligence on the Axis side. The Italians had been wrongly informed that the Royal Navy's Mediterranean Fleet had only one operational battleship. In fact there were three and a lost British aircraft carrier had been replaced. This article is about the independent states that comprised the Axis powers. ... The British Mediterranean Fleet was part of the Royal Navy. ...

The battle

On the 27th, Vice-Admiral Pridham-Wippell with the cruisers Ajax, Gloucester, Orion and the Australian Perth and destroyers sailed from Greek waters for a position south of Crete. Admiral Cunningham with Formidable, Warspite, Barham and Valiant left Alexandria on the same day to meet the cruisers. Image File history File links Www2mR130BMatapan. ... Image File history File links Www2mR130BMatapan. ...

At 7:55 on the 28th the Trento group encountered Adm Pridham-Wippell's cruiser group, which was heading to the southeast. Thinking they were attempting to run from their larger ships, the Italians gave chase, opening fire at 08:12 from 22,000 metres. As was always the case, the Italian guns had trouble grouping their rounds, and had little effect. After an hour, the Italians broke off the chase and turned northwest to rejoin the Vittorio Veneto. The Allied ships also reversed course, and followed the Italians at extreme range.

At 10:55 the Vittorio Veneto met the Italian cruisers, and immediately opened fire on the shadowing Allied ships from about 23,000 meters. The Allied cruisers withdrew, with slight damage from 15" round splinters, although the Italians started a pursuit.

Air attacks

By this point Cunningham's forces, which had been attempting to join up with Pridham-Wippell's, had launched a sortie of Fairey Albacore torpedo bombers from HMS Formidable. They attacked the Vittorio Veneto without effect, but the required manoeuvring made it difficult to maintain their pursuit. Realising that they might not be so lucky next time, Iachino broke off the pursuit at 12:20, retiring towards his own air cover at Taranto. The Fairey Albacore is a single-engine carrier-borne biplane torpedo bomber built by Fairey Aviation between 1939 and 1943 for the Fleet Air Arm. ... A torpedo bomber is a bomber aircraft designed primarily to attack ships with torpedoes, but they could also carry out conventional bombings. ... Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, southern Italy. ...

A second sortie surprised the Italians at 15:09. Lieutenant-Commander Dalyell-Stead flew his Albacore to 1,000 metres from Vittorio Veneto, hitting it at the outer port propeller and causing 4,000 tons of water to be taken on. The ship stopped while damage was repaired, but was able to get underway again at 16:42 making 19 knots. Cunningham heard of the damage to the Veneto, and started to pursue her.

A third strike, by six Albacores and two Swordfish from 826 and 828 Squadrons on Formidable as well as two Swordfish from 815 Squadron on Crete was made between 19:36 and 19:50. A torpedo, apparently dropped by Lieutenant F.M.A. Torrens-Spence, crippled the cruiser Pola, forcing her to stop. Unaware of Cunningham's pursuit, a squadron of cruisers and destroyers were ordered to return and protect Pola, formed on the Pola's sister ships, the Zara and Fiume. The Vittorio Veneto and the other ships continued to Taranto. Captain Frederick Michael Alexander Torrens-Spence DSO, DSC, AFC (10 March 1914 – 12 December 2001) was a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm pilot in the Second World War. ...

Night action

The Allies detected the Italians on radar shortly after 22:00, and were able to close without detection. The battleships Barham, Valiant and Warspite were able to open fire at only 3,500 metres. The Allied searchlights illuminated their enemy. In five minutes two Italian heavy cruisers, Fiume and Zara, had been destroyed. Zara was an Italian Zara class heavy cruiser, which served in the Regia Marina during World War II. Her keel was laid down 1928 at , La Spezia; she was launched on 27 April 1930, and her construction was completed in 1931. ...

The Italian destroyers moved to attack the battleships, but were intercepted by the Allied destroyers. Two Italian destroyers (Vittorio Alfieri and Giosué Carducci) were sunk. Towing Pola to Alexandria as a prize was considered, but it was getting light and it was thought that the danger of enemy planes was too high. Pola was sunk with torpedoes after her crew had been taken off.

The Allied ships took on survivors but left the scene in the morning when German bombers appeared and attacked them. The location of remaining survivors was broadcast and the Italian hospital ship Gradisca came to recover them. Allied losses were a single torpedo bomber shot down by the Veneto 90 mm AA batteries. The three man crew was killed in action.

Impact of the battle

After the defeat at Cape Matapan, the Regia Marina never ventured into the eastern Mediterranean, conceding it to the Allied fleet. The Italian naval command lost all faith in German promises to protect their fleet from attack here. Hence, Cape Matapan was an important strategic victory for the Allies who could now concentrate most of their stretched resources against the Afrika Korps in North Africa under General Rommel after the fall of Greece to German forces in late April 1941. The seal of the Deutsches Afrikakorps. ... Rommel is the family name of Eddie Rommel baseball pitcher; Erwin Rommel (German Field Marshal), and his son Manfred Rommel (former Mayor of Stuttgart). ...

Order of battle

From Ordine di Battaglia Italiano.

Regia Marina

• Admiral of Squad Angelo Iachino
  • 1 battleship: Vittorio Veneto (damaged)
  • 4 destroyers (10a Squadriglia Cacciatorpediniere): Grecale, Libeccio, Maestrale, Scirocco
  • 4 destroyers (13a Squadriglia Cacciatorpediniere): Alpino, Bersagliere, Fuciliere, Granatiere

• Commodore Antonio Legnani
  • 2 light cruisers (8a Divisione Incrociatori): Luigi di Savoia Duca degli Abruzzi, Giuseppe Garibaldi
  • 2 destroyers (6a Squadriglia Cacciatorpediniere): Emanuele Pessagno, Nicoloso da Recco

• Admiral of Division Sansonetti
  • 3 heavy cruisers (3a Divisione Incrociatori): Bolzano, Trento, Trieste
  • 3 destroyers (12a Squadriglia Cacciatorpediniere): Ascari, Carabiniere, Corazziere

• Admiral of Division Carlo Cattaneo
  • 3 heavy cruisers (1a Divisione Incrociatori): Fiume (sunk), Pola (sunk), Zara (sunk)
  • 4 destroyers (9a Squadriglia Cacciatorpediniere): Vittorio Alfieri (sunk), Giosué Carducci (sunk), Vincenzo Gioberti, Alfredo Oriani

Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy_(1861-1946)_crowned. ... For other uses, see Battleship (disambiguation). ... Vittorio Veneto was an Italian Vittorio Veneto class battleship, that served in the Regia Marina during the World War II. Her keel was laid down 1934 at Cantieri Riuniti dellAdriatico, Trieste; she was launched on 25 July 1937, and her construction was completed in 1940, after Italy entered in... USS McFaul underway in the Atlantic Ocean. ... A light cruiser is a warship that is not so large and powerful as a regular (or heavy) cruiser, but still larger than ships like destroyers. ... Luigi Di Savoia Duca Degli Abruzzi was an Italian Duca degli Abruzzi class light cruiser, which served in the Regia Marina during World War II. After the war, she was retained by the Marina Militare and decommissioned in 1961. ... Giuseppe Garibaldi (1933) was an Italian Duca degli Abruzzi class light cruiser, that served in the Regia Marina during World War II. After the war she was retained by the Marina Militare and re built. ... A heavy cruiser is a type of large warship which originated with the British Hawkins class during World War I. They entered service after the war. ... Trento class was an Italian heavy cruiser design of the Regia Marina from the late 1920s. ... Trento class was an Italian heavy cruiser design of the Regia Marina from the late 1920s. ... Trento class was an Italian heavy cruiser design of the Regia Marina from the late 1920s. ... Zara was an Italian Zara class heavy cruiser, which served in the Regia Marina during World War II. Her keel was laid down 1928 at , La Spezia; she was launched on 27 April 1930, and her construction was completed in 1931. ...

Allies

Force A, 14th Destroyer Flotilla, 10th Destroyer Flotilla (of Force C), Force B, 2nd Destroyer Flotilla, Force D Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_the_United_Kingdom. ...

• Admiral Andrew Cunningham
  • 3 battleships: HMS Barham, Valiant, Warspite
  • 1 aircraft carrier: HMS Formidable
  • 9 destroyers: HMS Greyhound, Griffin, Jervis, Janus, Mohawk, Nubian, Hotspur, Havock, HMAS Stuart
• Admiral Henry Pridham-Wippell
  • 4 light cruisers: HMS Ajax, Gloucester, Orion, HMAS Perth
  • 3 destroyers: HMS Hasty, Hereward, Ilex
• AG 9 convoy (from Alexandria to Greece)
  • 2 light cruisers: HMS Calcutta, Carlisle
  • 3 destroyers: HMS Defender, Jaguar, HMAS Vampire
• GA 8 convoy (from Greece to Alexandria)
  • 1 anti aircraft cruiser: HMS Bonaventure
  • 2 destroyers: HMS Decoy, Juno
  • 1 merchant ship: Thermopylæ (Norwegian)

HMS Barham was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the Royal Navy named after Admiral Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham, built at the John Brown shipyards in Clydebank, and launched in 1914. ... HMS Valiant was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the Royal Navy built at the Fairfield shipyards in Glasgow and launched in November 1914. ... HMS Warspite was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the British Royal Navy. ... Four aircraft carriers, (bottom-to-top) Principe de Asturias, amphibious assault carrier USS Wasp, USS Forrestal and light V/STOL carrier HMS Invincible, showing size differences of late 20th century carriers An aircraft carrier is a warship designed to deploy and in most cases recover aircraft, acting as a sea... HMS Formidable was an Illustrious class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy during World War II. She was constructed by Harland & Wolff, Belfast and commissioned on 24 November 1940. ... HMS Greyhound (H05) was a G-class destroyer laid down by Vickers Armstrong Naval Construction Works at Barrow-in-Furness on 20 September 1934, launched on 15 August 1935 and completed on 31 January 1936. ... HMS Griffin (H31) was a G-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by Vickers Armstrong Naval Construction Works at Barrow-in-Furness on 20 September 1934, launched on 15 August 1935 and commissioned on 6 June 1936. ... HMS Jervis (F00), named for Admiral John Jervis (1735–1823), was a J-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company, Limited, at Hebburn-on-Tyne on 26 August 1937. ... HMS Janus (F53), named after the Roman god, was a J-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Limited at Wallsend-on-Tyne on 29 September 1937, launched on 10 November 1938 and commissioned on 5 August 1939. ... HMS Mohawk (L-31/F-31/G-31) was a Tribal-class destroyer laid down by John I. Thornycroft and Company at Woolston in Southampton on 16 July 1936, launched on 5 October 1937 and commissioned on 7 September 1938. ... HMS Nubian (pennant number L36, later F36) was a Tribal-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service in World War II. Categories: | | | ... HMS Hotspur (H01) was an H-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. ... HMS Havock (H43) was an H-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by William Denny, Brothers and Company, Limited, of Dumbarton in Scotland on 15 May 1935, launched on 7 July 1936 and commissioned on 18 January 1937. ... The first HMAS Stuart (D-00/100) was a Scott class destroyer, laid down by Hawthorn, Leslie and Company at Newcastle-on-Tyne in England on 18 October 1917, launched on 22 August 1918, commissioned into the Royal Navy on 21 December 1918, transferred to the Royal Australian Navy on... HMS Ajax was a Leander-class light cruiser. ... HMS Gloucester was a member of the second group of three ships of the Town class of light cruisers. ... The Leander-class light cruiser HMS Orion: Royal Navy, Penant 85 Displacement: 7,215 tons Speed: 32. ... The HMAS Perth was a modified Leander class light cruiser which served with the Royal Australian Navy during World War II. Description The Perth, the first ship to be named after the city of Perth, was the first of its class to be modified for Australia. ... HMS Hasty (H24) was an H-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by William Denny, Brothers and Company, Limited, of Dumbarton in Scotland on 15 April 1935, launched on 5 May 1936 and commissioned on 11 November 1936. ... HMS Hereward (H93), named after Hereward the Wake, was an H-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by the High Walker Yard of Vickers Armstrong at Newcastle-on-Tyne on 28 February 1935, launched on 10 March 1936 and commissioned on 9 December 1936. ... HMS Ilex (D61), named after the Holly genus, was an I-class destroyer laid down by John Brown and Company, Limited, at Clydebank in Scotland on 10 March 1936, launched on 28 January 1937 and commissioned on 7 July 1937. ... For other ships of the same name, see HMS Calcutta. ... For other ships of the same name, see HMS Carlisle. ... HMS Jaguar (F34) was a J class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by William Denny, Brothers and Company, Limited, of Dumbarton in Scotland on 25 November 1937, launched on 22 November 1938 and commissioned on 12 September 1939. ... HMAS Vampire (D68/I68) was a V-class destroyer of the British and Royal Australian navies. ... HMS Bonaventure was a Dido-class cruiser of the Royal Navy. ... At least four vessels of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Decoy. ... HMS Juno (F46) was a J class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited, at Govan in Scotland on 5 October 1937, launched on 8 December 1938 and commissioned on 25 August 1939. ...

References

• Royal Navy Website history section, Battle of Cape Matapan

• Regiamarina.net Operationn Gaudo & Battle of Cape Matapan
• Historynet.com Battle of Cape Matapan

External links

• (English) "Battle of Cape Matapan: World War II Italian Naval Massacre" by Anthony M. Scalzo at HistoryNet.com
• (Italian) Battaglia di Gaudo at Plancia di Comando
• (Italian) La notte di Matapan at Plancia di Comando