Battle of Cape Spartivento
Part of World War II
A 381 mm salvo of Vittorio Veneto
Date 27 November 1940 Location Mediterranean Sea, near Sardinia, Italy Result Inconclusive
Combatants
United Kingdom	Italy
Commanders
James Somerville	Inigo Campioni
Strength
1 carrier 1 battleship 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 Cape Spartivento, known as the Battle of Cape Teulada in Italy, was a minor engagement between naval forces of the British Royal Navy and the Italian Regia Marina on 27 November 1940, during World War II. 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... RN Vittorio Veneto at the battle of Cape Spartivento. ... is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Composite satellite image of the Mediterranean Sea. ... For the place in the United States, see Sardinia, Ohio. ... Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy_(1861-1946)_crowned. ... Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Fownes Somerville, GCB GBE DSO, (17 July 1882 – 19 March 1949) was one of the most famous British Admirals of World War II. // The son of Arthur Fownes Somerville (1850-1942, who appears to have spent some time farming sheep in New Zealand), James... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy_(1861-1946)_crowned. ... Inigo Campioni (November 14, 1878 - May 24, 1944) was an Italian admiral. ... 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 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... 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. ... This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ... The Italian Regia Marina (literally: Royal Navy) dates from the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 after Italian unification. ... is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 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...

Origins

On the night of 11 November the British had incapacitated or destroyed half of the Italian battleships during the Battle of Taranto. Until then the Italians had been happy leaving their battlefleet in harbour, using it as a threat against British shipping even if it never left port, as a Fleet in Being. After the attack the Italians realised their battlefleet was no safer sitting still than in combat and started using their remaining units. is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 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... In naval warfare, a fleet in being is a naval force that extends a controlling influence without ever leaving port. ...

On the night of 17 November an Italian force containing two battleships (Vittorio Veneto and Giulio Cesare) and a number of other units were about to intercept British cruisers and two carriers (Ark Royal and Argus) on their way to deliver aircraft to Malta (Operation White). The British convoy was warned of their approach and immediately turned about and returned to Gibraltar, sending off their aircraft (2 Skuas and 12 Hurricanes) prematurely. In the aftermath, nine aircraft (1 Skua and 8 Hurricanes) were lost at sea as they run out of fuel well before they could reach their destination. 17 November is also the name of a Marxist group in Greece, coinciding with the anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic uprising. ... 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... RN Giulio Cesare, speed tests, 1914 The Giulio Cesare was an Italian Conte di Cavour-class battleship that served in the Regia Marina in both World Wars before joining the Soviet Navy. ... HMS Ark Royal (91), was the third ship of the Royal Navy to carry the name and the second to be an aircraft carrier. ... Argus in harbour in 1918, painted in dazzle camouflage, with a Renown class battlecruiser. ... The Blackburn Skua was a navaI combat aircraft operated by the British Fleet Air Arm and combined the dual functions of dive-bomber and fighter. ... The Hawker Hurricane was a British single-seat fighter aircraft designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. ...

This Italian success in preventing the aerial reinforcement of Malta seriously upset British plans for a further convoy to supply the island (Operation Collar). The convoy was then rerun with much more support, including ships from Gibraltar, Force H and Alexandria, Force D. The convoy from Gibraltar was spotted by the Italians, who once again set out to intercept it. During World War II, Operation Collar was a small, fast three-ship convoy that left Britain on 12th Novemeber, 1940 and passed Gibraltar on 24 November, escorted by two cruisers for Malta and Alexandria. ... Force H was a British naval squadron during World War II. It was formed in 1940 to replace French naval power in the western Mediterranean that had been removed by the French armistice with Nazi Germany. ... This article is about the city in Egypt. ...

Battle

The British, aware of the Italian fleet's movements, sent their forces north to intercept them before they could come anywhere near the cargo ships. At 11:45 on the 27th the British were informed that the Italians were only 50 miles away and closing for battle. At this point Force D had not yet arrived from Alexandria and the British were outgunned, but only 15 minutes later Force D was spotted and the tables turned. The two forces were fairly even; although the Italian ships had better range and heavier fire, the British had an aircraft carrier, which had recently proven itself to be equal to a battleship at Taranto. However the Italians had a very serious limitation: their commander had been given orders to avoid combat unless it was heavily in their favour, so a decisive battle was out of the question. This article is about the city in Egypt. ... 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... For other uses, see Battleship (disambiguation). ...

Admiral Somerville deployed his forces into two main groups, with five cruisers under Rear Admiral Lancelot Holland in front and two battleships and seven destroyers in a second group to the south. Much further south, aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal was preparing to launch a force of Fairey Swordfish. The Italians were organised into three groups, two from six heavy cruisers and seven destroyers and a third of two battleships and another seven destroyers in the rear. At 12:07 it was clear a battle was about to start with evenly matched forces, so the Italian commander ordered the cruiser groups to re-form on the battleships and prepare to depart. However by this point the lead cruiser formation had already angled toward the British and was committed to combat. USS Port Royal (CG-73), a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser (really an uprated guided missile destroyer), launched in 1992. ... Lancelot Ernest Holland (September 13, 1887–May 24, 1941) was an admiral who commanded the British force in the Battle of Denmark Strait in May, 1941 against the German battleship Bismarck. ... For other uses, see Battleship (disambiguation). ... USS McFaul underway in the Atlantic Ocean. ... HMS Ark Royal (91), was the third ship of the Royal Navy to carry the name and the second to be an aircraft carrier. ... Fairey Swordfish The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during World War II. Affectionately known as the Stringbag by its crews, it was outdated by 1939, but achieved some spectacular successes during the...

Italian heavy cruiser Bolzano during the battle.

At 12:22 the lead groups of both cruiser forces had come into range and Fiume opened fire at 23,500 metres. Rapid fire between the two forces continued as the distance between them dropped, but of the two groups the Italian forces outgunned the British. An older battleship, the HMS Ramillies, evened the odds but was too slow to maintain formation and dropped out of battle after a few salvos at 12:26. Four minutes later Vice Admiral Angelo Iachino, commander of the Italian cruiser group, received order to disengage although at this point the battle was slightly in their favour. Iachino ordered an increase in speed to 30 knots, laid smoke and started to withdraw. During this time the Italian destroyer Lanciere was hit by a broadside from Manchester and seriously damaged, although she was towed to port after the battle. The British heavy cruiser Berwick was hit at 12:22 by a single 8" shell on her Y Turret which was knocked out, killing seven men of her complement, and a second hit at 12:35 which did little damage. Image File history File links Italian cruiser Bolzano, during the battle of Capo Teulada From [1] File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Italian cruiser Bolzano, during the battle of Capo Teulada From [1] File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... HMS Ramillies was a Revenge-class battleship of the Royal Navy, named after the battle of Ramillies. ... Angelo Iachino was the Italian navy commander during the Battle of Cape Matapan. ... The second HMS Manchester (15) was a Town-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. ... HMS Berwick (65) was the Kent class cruiser for the Royal Navy. ...

For the next few minutes the tables turned in favour of the British, when the battlecruiser Renown closed the distance on the Italian cruisers. This advantage was soon negated when Vittorio Veneto opened fire from 29,000 yards at 13:00. Vittorio Veneto fired 19 shells in 7 salvos from long range and that was enough for the now outgunned British cruisers. Both forces withdrew, the battle lasting a total of 54 minutes and causing little damage to either side. [[Image:HMS Hood and HMS Barham. ... HMS Renown was the lead ship of the three 26,500-ton Renown class battlecruisers of the Royal Navy; the other two were HMS Repulse and the cancelled HMS Resistance. ...

Order of battle

Regia Marina

• Admiral Angelo Iachino
  • 6 heavy cruisers: Bolzano, Fiume, Gorizia, Pola, Trieste, Trento.
  • 7 destroyers: Ascari, Carabiniere, Lanciere (damaged), Oriani, Alfieri, Carducci, Gioberti
• Admiral Inigo Campioni
  • 2 battleships: Vittorio Veneto, Giulio Cesare
  • 7 destroyers: Alpino, Bersagliere, Fuciliere, Granatiere, Dardo, Freccia, Saetta

Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy_(1861-1946)_crowned. ... 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. ... The Trento class was an Italian heavy cruiser design of the Regia Marina from the late 1920s. ... Gorizia was an Italian Zara class heavy cruiser, which served in the Regia Marina during World War II. Gorizia (left) and Bande Nere, during the Second Battle of Sirte This article is a stub. ... 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. ... USS Lassen, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet or battle group and defend them against smaller, short-range attackers (originally torpedo boats, later submarines and aircraft). ... This article is about a battleship as a type of warship. ... 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... RN Giulio Cesare, speed tests, 1914 The Giulio Cesare was an Italian Conte di Cavour-class battleship that served in the Regia Marina in both World Wars before joining the Soviet Navy. ... USS Lassen, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet or battle group and defend them against smaller, short-range attackers (originally torpedo boats, later submarines and aircraft). ...

Royal Navy

• Admiral Holland
  • 1 heavy cruiser: Berwick (damaged)
  • 4 light cruisers: Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield, Southampton
• Admiral Sir James Sommerville
  • 1 battleship: Ramillies
  • 1 battlecruiser: Renown
  • 9 destroyers: HMS Encounter, Faulknor, Firedrake, Forester, Gallant, Greyhound, Griffin, Hereward
• not entered in battle
  • 1 aircraft carrier: Ark Royal (carrying 12 fighters, 12 dive bombers, 40 torpedo planes)
  • 2 destroyers: Jaguar, Kelvin
• escort and convoy
  • 1 anti-aircraft cruiser: Coventry
  • 1 light cruiser: Despatch
  • 3 destroyers: Duncan, Hotspur, Wishart
  • 4 corvettes: Peony, Salvia, Gloxinia and Hyacinth
  • 4 freighters

Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... HMS Berwick (65) was the Kent class cruiser for the Royal Navy. ... 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. ... The second HMS Manchester (15) was a Town-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. ... The seventh HMS Newcastle was a Town-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. ... HMS Sheffield (24) was a Southampton class cruiser in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. ... HMS Southampton was a member of the first group of five ships of the Town class of light cruisers. ... HMS Ramillies was a Revenge-class battleship of the Royal Navy, named after the battle of Ramillies. ... [[Image:HMS Hood and HMS Barham. ... HMS Renown was the lead ship of the three 26,500-ton Renown class battlecruisers of the Royal Navy; the other two were HMS Repulse and the cancelled HMS Resistance. ... HMS Gallant (H59) was a G-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited, at Govan in Scotland on 15 September 1934, launched on 26 September 1935 and completed on 25 February 1936. ... 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 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. ... 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 Ark Royal (91), was the third ship of the Royal Navy to carry the name and the second to be an aircraft carrier. ... 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 Kelvin HMS Kelvin (F37) was a K-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 19 January 1939 and commissioned on 27 November 1939. ... For other ships of the same name, see HMS Coventry. ... HMS Duncan was a D-class destroyer launched in 1931 that served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. ... HMS Hotspur (H01) was an H-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. ...

References and external links

• Battle of Cap Spartivento
• The Battle of Cape Teulada
• Battaglia di Capo Teulada - Plancia di Comando