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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. The action was an Italian victory, but their timidity in pressing their advantage made it a minor one. RN Giovanni dalle Bande Nere and Gorizia during the Second Battle of the Sirte File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons like the atom bomb. ...
March 22 is the 81st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (82nd in Leap years). ...
This article is about the year. ...
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. ...
Categories: Stub | Seas ...
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Philip Vian GCB KBE DSO was a British naval officer best known for the incident early in 1940 when a force under his command released captured British merchant sailors from the German supply ship Altmark in Norway. ...
Angelo Iachino was the Italian navy commander during the Battle of Cape Matapan. ...
Battle of Mediterranean Conflict World War II Date Place Mediterranean Sea Result Allied victory 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...
The Destruction of the French Fleet at Mers-el-Kebir, French North Africa (now Algeria), by the British Royal Navy took place on 3 July 1940. ...
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. ...
The naval Battle of Taranto took place on the night of 11 November – 12 November 1940 during World War II. The Royal Navy launched the first all-aircraft naval battle in history, flying a small number of aircraft from a single aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean and attacking the Italian...
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. The battle ended in a draw, but served to convince the...
Battle of Cape Matapan Conflict World War II Date March 27, 1941 – March 29, 1941 Place Mediterranean off United Kingdom, Italy Commanders Andrew Cunningham Angelo Iachino Strength 3 battleships, 1 carrier, 7 light cruisers, 17 destroyers 1 battleship, 6 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers, 17 destroyers Casualties 1 torpedo plane...
To lose Crete because we had not sufficient bulk of forces there would be a crime. ...
Military history records three operations named Harpoon. ...
British shells fall astern of the Italian light cruiser Muzio Attendolo during the battle Operation Pedestal was an attempt to get vital supplies to the island of Malta during World War II in 1942. ...
Operation Torch was the Anglo-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started November 8, 1942. ...
The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the senior service of the British armed services, being the oldest of its three branches. ...
The Royal Italian Navy, Regia Marina, was created after the Italian unification. ...
World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons like the atom bomb. ...
March 22 is the 81st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (82nd in Leap years). ...
This article is about the year. ...
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. ...
Categories: Stub | Seas ...
By 1942 the action in the Mediterranean had increased in tempo, with both the Italian and German air forces attempting to block the Royal Navy from resupplying their forces currently engaged in North Africa. Malta had long been a major factor in the Royal Navy's successes against similar missions by the Italians, and had been receiving an increasing amount of Axis attention in the early spring. Short of aircraft, fuel and ammunition, convoy MW10 was arranged from Alexandria to resupply the island, leaving on March 21st. Antiquity and modernity stand cheek-by-jowl in Egypts chief Mediterranean seaport (This template has been listed for deletion) Located on the Mediterranean Sea coast, Alexandria (in Arabic, الإسكندرية, transliterated al-ʼIskandariyyah) is the chief seaport in Egypt, and that countrys second largest city, and the capital of the...
The British were aware that any attempt to resupply the island would be met both by German and Italian aircraft as well as Italian surface units. However the threat from the ships was deemed smaller than that from the air, as the repeated battles during 1941 had made the Regia Marina fairly "gun shy". Thus the escort was heavy on destroyers and included anti-aircraft cruiser Carlisle to provide heavy anti-aircraft and anti-submarine forces, and included only three light cruisers for protection from surface threats. Additional destroyers and another light cruiser were also sent for from Malta. British plans were to leave Carlisle and half the destroyers with the cargo ships under any circumstance, while the rest of the ships would lay smoke and delay the approach of Italian surface units if they approached. USS Lassen, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and manouverable 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). ...
USS Port Royal, a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser, launched in 1994. ...
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. ...
At 2:30PM the next day smoke was spotted on the horizon. The British were surprised to learn they were facing not a small high-speed force as they expected, but a force of heavy cruisers and escorting destroyers. They immediately put their plans into action, with the convoy and her escorts turning away for Malta, while the cruisers and destroyers laid smoke and charged the Italians. After an exchange of fire the Italian cruisers backed off, but soon returned with battleship Littorio and its own screening destroyers. 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. ...
HMS Victory in 1884 In naval history, battleships were the most heavily armed and armored warships afloat. ...
Littorio, high speed manoeuvres, summer 1940. ...
The battle raged for two and a half hours, with the British ships exiting their huge smoke screen to fire a few volleys, returning when the Italian fire got too close. At 6:30PM the British decided to force the issue, and sent their destroyers in to launch torpedo attacks from about six miles, the closest the Italians would close. None of the torpedoes hit their targets, but Havock and Kingston were both hit by shells from the Littorio. Meanwhile Littorio had been hit with basically no damage, while another cruiser was on fire but not damaged. 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. ...
HMS Kingston (F64) was a K-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by J. Samuel White and Company at Cowes on the Isle of Wight on 6 October 1937, launched on 9 January 1939 and commissioned on 14 September 1939. ...
As darkness fell the Italians eventually gave up and turned for home at about 7:00PM. Not equipped with radar, they would be at a significant disadvantage if the battle continued. Throughout the battle the Italians completely outgunned their British counterparts, and could have easily charged the convoy with either of the two groups. However they appeared unwilling to close for a decisive blow, perhaps in fear of torpedo attacks from the numerically superior British destroyer force. This long range radar antenna (approximately 40m (130ft) in diameter) rotates on a track to observe activities near the horizon. ...
According to British reports, Cleopatra had its turret destroyed by Giovanni dalle Bande Nere. Cruisers Euryalus and Penelope were heavily damaged. Havock was dead in the water by a direct hit (although later able to get underway), and the destroyers Sikh, Lively, Legion, Lance and Kingston all had damage. Giovanni dalle Bande Nere was an Italian Condottieri class light cruiser, that served in the Regia Marina during World War II. Her keel was laid down 1928 at Cantieri Navali di Castellammare di Stabia, Castellammare di Stabia; she was launched on 27 April 1930, and her construction was completed in...
HMS Euryalus was a Dido-class cruiser of the Royal Navy, one of the second group of the class with ten 5. ...
H.M.S. Penelope was built by Messrs. ...
HMS Sikh was a Tribal class destroyer of the Fourth destroyer flotilla of the British Navy. ...
Most of the escort force, now short of fuel, turned back for Alexandria. The damaged destroyers and convoy were sent on to Malta, with Carlisle, Penelope and Legion. The next day they were subjected to continuous air attacks. Cargo ship Clan Campbell was sunk twenty miles from harbour, oil tanker Breconshire was damaged and anchored outside, while only Talabot and Pampas reached Grand Harbour intact. Breconshire was later towed to a protected bay.
The next day German dive bombers appeared, hitting all three of the remaining ships. Breconshire rolled over in the bay, but much of her oil was salvaged through the hole in her hull. Talabot and Pampas were both sunk in the harbour. By this point only about 5,000 tons of cargo had been unloaded, of the 26,000 tons that had been loaded in Alexandria. A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy. ...
The Italians were no more lucky after the battle. After failing to make any serious attacks, they were caught en-route to their bases by a severe storm that sank destroyers Scirocco and Lanciere.
Order of Battle
 Regia Marina - "IInd division", admiral Parona
Ensign of the Regia Marina. ...
HMS Victory in 1884 In naval history, battleships were the most heavily armed and armored warships afloat. ...
Littorio, high speed manoeuvres, summer 1940. ...
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). ...
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. ...
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. ...
Giovanni dalle Bande Nere was an Italian Condottieri class light cruiser, that served in the Regia Marina during World War II. Her keel was laid down 1928 at Cantieri Navali di Castellammare di Stabia, Castellammare di Stabia; she was launched on 27 April 1930, and her construction was completed in...
 Royal Navy - Carlisle squad:
- 1 cruiser: Carlisle;
- 6 destroyers;
- 4 cargo ships;
- Admiral Vian squad:
- 2 cruisers: Dido, Euryalus (slightly damaged)
- 1 light cruiser: Cleopatra (damaged);
- 4 destroyers;
- Support squad from Malta:
Royal Navy destroyers were: The source for an SVG image of the White Ensign can be found at User:David Newton/SVG Graphics/White Ensign. ...
HMS Euryalus was a Dido-class cruiser of the Royal Navy, one of the second group of the class with ten 5. ...
H.M.S. Penelope was built by Messrs. ...
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 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. ...
HMS Hero (H99) 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 23 October 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, launched on 9 September 1938 and commissioned on 5 August 1939. ...
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. ...
HMS Kingston (F64) was a K-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by J. Samuel White and Company at Cowes on the Isle of Wight on 6 October 1937, launched on 9 January 1939 and commissioned on 14 September 1939. ...
HMS Sikh was a Tribal class destroyer of the Fourth destroyer flotilla of the British Navy. ...
The second HMS Zulu of the Royal Navy was a Tribal-class destroyer. ...
References and external links Second battle of the Gulf of Syrte
The 2nd Battle of the Sirte
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