THE ITALIAN DEFEAT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 146, 2 April 1941, Page 5

THE ITALIAN DEFEAT

DETAILS OF ENCOUNTER TWO HISTORIC ASPECTS HOUR BY HOUR NARRATIVE (United Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 9.50 a.m.) LONDON, April 1. A consecutive Hour by hour account of the naval engagement in the Mediterranean, which resulted in overwhelming victory for the British forces and will probably rank as one of the most impressive battles in naval history, can now be given.

Strategists are already discussing the significance of the crushing defeat of Italy, but world opinion has been most immediately and most deeply impressed by the fact that while the enemy’s losses conservative reckoning, are seven warships and probably 4000'personnel, of whom nearly 1000 are prisoners, the British ships escaped without a scratch to their paint or loss to their personnel. They sustained no danlagc or casualties. The total British losses during these operations were two naval aircraft.

enemy caused the Vice-Admiral of the light forces to lose, touch, but our cruiser force almost immediately came in sight. Our own battle fleet and the whole of our forces pressed on after the enemy. At 11.15 a.m. our aircraft sighted and reported a second enemy force about eight miles west of Gavdos Island. This force consisted of two Cavour class battleships, three cruisers and four destroyers. .

About this time another torpedo bomber attack by our naval aircraft was launched against the enemy forces which included a Littorio class battleship, one hit was claimed. During the early afternoon touch had been temporarily lost, but the enemy was again located by naval aircraft. Torpedo Bombing Attacks. A torpedo bombing attack was launched and three torpedo hits on the Littorio class battleship were claimed. Between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. R.A.F. Blenheim bombers attacked the'enemy, claiming two direct hits on one cruiser, one direct hit on a destroyer and two probables on another cruiser. At 4 p.m. Admiral Cunningham received a report from the aircraft that the speed of the Littorio class battleship had, been drastically v reduced. He at once ordered the vice-admiral of tho light forces to press on with his four cruisers to regain touch. At- dusk two further torpechf bombing attacks wore launched by naval air-

A naval officer, discussing the battle to-day, said: “These highly-suecessful engagements can he accounted historic for two reasons. It is the first occasion in history in which skilful co-ordination, of naval operations with attacks launched by aircraft resulted in the enemy’s speed being reduced and our,main units being able to force an action upon a reluctant enemy. It is also the first* occasion in naval history in which such severe losses have boon imposed upon an enemy while our own forces were completely unscathed.” Disposition of British Forces. . It was about mid-day on Thursday that air reconnaissance reported enemy cruisers, at sea to the south-east of Sicily. The Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean was then at Alexandria with the main body of his fleet. It was

immediately clear >to him that these enemy cruisers could not be up to any good and he concluded that their probable intentions were to attack our convoys between Egypt and Greece. Acting on this supposition he made the following dispositions of his fences: forces (Vice-Admiral PridhamAVippell) forces (Vice-Admiral Pridham-Whippcll) with his flag flying on H.M.S. Orion (Flag Captain Back) who had with him the cruisers Ajax (Captain McCarthy), Perth, of the Royal Australian Navy (Captain Sir.P. W. Bowyer-Smith) and Gloucester (Flag Captain Rowley) and some destroyers. This force Sir Andrew Cunningham ordered to proceed south of Crete, in which it would bo strongly placed to intercept any enemy forces attempting to interfere with our traffic with Greece.

craft. It is not thought the Littorio class battleship was again hit during these attacks, hut one more enemy cruiser was definitely hit bv a torpedo. The vice-admiral’s light forces regained touch just after dusk and some destroyers were ordered to attack, others being retained with- the battle fleet, for screening duties against submarines. More Cruisers Sighted. Having led the destroyers to a position from which they were to commence their attack the vice-admiral of the light forces led his cruisers clear of his destroyers to the north-eastward.

At 10.10 p.m. it was reported that an enemy vessel was lying damaged and hove-to three miles to port of the battle fleet’s course .Admiral Cunningham at once turned the battle fleet to engage this unit: —the Italian ciuiiser Pola. While approaching the Pola three enemy cruisers were sighted on the starboard how, . namely two Zara class cruisers led by a smaller cruiser of the Colleoni class. Salvo Surprises the Enemy. This enemy, force was crossing the bows of our battle fleet from starboard to port. As the enemy cruisers passed ahead of the screen H.M.S. Greyhound (Commander Marshall Adean) illuminated the leading heavy cruiser. Our battle fleet at once opened fire. The enemy must have been taken completely by surprise. The first salvoes hit at very short range, about 4000 yards, and practically wrecked both heavy cruisers of the Zara class. The enemy destroyers astern of tho cruisers were then seen to turn and fire their torpedoes and our battle fleet turned away to avoid them. Exactly what followed is still . obscure, hut H.M.S. Stuart (Captain Waller) and H.M.S. Havock (Lieutenant Watkins) certainly did considerable execution. .

Admiral Cunningham, whose flag was flying in the War spite (Flag Captain Fisher), had with him the battleships Valiant (Captain Morgan) and Barham (Flag Captain Cooke), the aircraftcarrier Formidable (Flag Captain Bissett) and some destroyers. This forco was ordered to raise steam with all dispatch. The Enemy Sighted. -Admiral Cunningham on Thursday took the main-fleet to sea from Alexandria and steamed to the north-westward in the hope of intercepting the enemy forces and bringing them to action. At 7.49 a.m. on Friday the air reconnaissance reported an enemy force consisting of one Lit tor io class battleship, six cruisers and seven destroyers about 35 miles south of Govdo.s Island, which is 30 miles south of Crete. This enemy force w r us steering to south-eastward and soon after being sighted was joined by two more cruisers and at least two more destroyers.

At the time of this sighting the ViceAdmiral of the light forces with a cruiser force was about 40 miles to tho south-eastward of the enemy. Admiral Cunningham with the main fleet ivas then about 95 miles to the south-east-ward of the cruiser force and steaming to north-west. Light Forces Make Contact. Acting on aircraft report of sighting the enemy onr cruiser force altered course to the northward and made contact with the enemy cruisers at 8.02 a.m. The Vice-Admiral of the light

Tho destroyer attacking force was searching lor the damaged Littorio class battleship but failed to locate her and it seems probable that she moved off during tho action btween our battle fleet and the enemy cruisers. Some destroyers from this attacking force subsequently mndo touch with the destroyers sent in by Admiral Cunningham to mop up, and they assisted in the sinking of the Zara and Pola. Escape Under Cover of Darkness.

forces then turned his cruisers to the south-eastward in order to draw the enemy on toward the battle fleet. About 9 n'.m. the enemy cruisers turned 16 points and began to stcei north-westward. The British cruiser force followed suit to keep in touch. They did this until 10.58 a.m., when they sighted a. Littorio class battleship 16 miles to the northward. The ViceAdmiral then turned his cruisers again to the south-eastward to keep outside the range of the heavy guns of tho enemy battleship and to draw tho enemy forces toward Admiral Cunningham. Whole Forces Press After Enemy. A torpedo bomber attack was launched from tho Formidable and this developed on the Littorio class battleship at 11.30 a.m. One possible hit is claimed* in this attack. Either this attack or the knowledge of the presence, of the aircraft-carrier caused the Littorio class battleship and her accompanying cruisers to turn to the north-westward. The enemy was thus again heading for his bases. This abrupt turn by the

It is presumed that during the night the Littorio class battleship became heavily engaged with her own forces as heavy gunfire was heard at a, time and from a direction which made it impossible for any of onr forces to he engaged. Extensive air search next morning failed to disclose any remaining Italian ships, who must have made their escape, under tht cover of darkness.

The results at present known are: Zara, Pola and Fiiime sunk; one sixinch gun cruiser of the Colleoni class probably sunk; the large Italian destroyer Vincenzo Gioberti and destroyer Maestrale sunk, and the large destroyer Alfieri probably sunk. A new battleship of the Littorio class sustained serious underwater damage and other enemy units wore also certainly damaged. On the following day some 56 officers and 850 men from the Italian vessels sunk were picked up by our forces and by Greek destroyers, which were atten-

tively co-opera ling. Tho life-saving operations were interrupted by an ineffective dive-bombing attack by the German Air Foi'ce. One Junkers 88 was shot down during these attacks. One Junkers 88 which attempted to interfere with the operations on the previous day had also been shot down.

When Admiral Cunningham reluctantly decided to abandon rescue work he mado the .signal “enelair” to the chief of the Italian Naval Staff, stating that over 350 Italian survivors were bolieved to be on rafts, giving, their positions and stating that a fast hospital ship would be needed to pick up such survivors.

Admiral Cunningham received tho following reply from the Commander-in-Chief. of the Italian Navy: “Thank you for your communication. Hospital ship Gradisca already left Taranto yesterday evening at 5 p.m.”

Admiral Cunningham mado a signal thanking the Greek Navy for its very prompt and valuable co-operation.— British Official Wireless.