How Fascist Fleet Was Caught

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 80, 3 April 1941, Page 7

How Fascist Fleet Was Caught

Battleship Hit Five Times Ifalians Were Out to Destroy Convoys Going to Greece (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 1. A consecutive hour-by-hour account of the Mediter ranean naval engagement which resulted in an 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 Italy's crushing defeat, but world opinion has been most immediately and most deeply impressed by the fact that, while the enemy's losses were, at a conservative reckoning, 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 damage or casualties. The total British losses during these operations were two naval aircraft.

A naval officer, in discussing the battle to-day, said: “These highlysuccessful engagements can be accounted historic for two reasons: It was 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 action upon a reluctant enemy. It was also the first occasion in naval history in which such severe losses had been imposed upon the enemy while our own forces were completely unscathed.

about eight miles west of Gavdos 1 Island. This force consisted of two Cavour-class battleships, three cruisers, and four destroyers.

“About this time, another torpedobomber attack try our naval aircraft Was launched against the enemy forces which included the Littorio-clas* battleship. One hit was claimed.

“During the early afternoon, often touch had been temporarily lost, but the enemy was again located by naval aircraft. A tor-pedo-bombing attack was lauched, and three torpedo hits on the Littorio - class battleship were claimed. Between 3 p.m. and 5 pjm., R.A.F. Blenheim bomberi 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 his * aircraft that the speed of the Littorio-class battleship had been drastically reduced. He at once ordered the vice-admiral of the light forces to press on with his foils cruisers to regain touch. “At dusk, two further torpedobombing attacks were launched by naval aircraft. It is not thought that the Littorio-class battleship was again hit during- these attacks, -but one more enemy cruiser was definitely hit by a torpedo. Cruiser Pola Disabled. “The vice-admiral of the light force* regained touch just after dusk, and some destroyers were ordered to attack, others being retained with the battle fleet for screening duties against submarines. Having led the destroyers to the position from which they were to commence their attack, the viceadmiral of the light forces led his cruisers clear of his destroyers to the north-eastward.

“It was about mid-day on March 27 that air reconnaissance reported that enemy cruisers were at sea to the south-east of Sicily.” the naval officer added. “The Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet 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 foroes—the vice-admiral commanding the light forces, Vice-Admiral Pridham-Whipple, with his flag flying on H.M.S. Orion (Flag-Captain Back) 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 Admiral Cunningham ordered to proceed south of Crete, in' which it would be strongly placed to intercept any enemy forces attempting to interfere with our traffic with Greece. Main Fleet Puts to Sea. “Admiral Cunningham, whose flag was flying in the battleship Warsoite (Flag-Captain Fisher), had with him the battleships Valiant (Captain Morgan) and Barham (Flag-Captain Cooke), the new aircraft-carrier Formidable (Flag-Captain Bissett) and some destroyers. This force was ordered to raise steam with all dispatch. “On March 27, Admiral Cunningham took the main fleet to sea from Alexandria and steamed to the northwestward in the hope of intercepting the enemy forces and bringing them to action. “At 7.49 a.m. on March 28, air reconnaissance reported an enemy force consisting of one Littorio-class battleship, six cruisers, and seven destroyers about 35 miles south of Gavdos Island, which is 30 miles south of Crete. This enemy force was steering to the southeastwards and, soon'after being sighted, was joined by two more cruisers and at least two more destroyers. At the time of this fighting, the vice-admiral of the light forces, with the cruiser force, was about 40 miles to the southeastward of the enemy. Admiral Cunningham, with the main fleet, was then about 95 miles to the southeastward of the cruiser force and to the north-west.

“At 10.10 p.m., it was reported that an enemy vessel was lying damaged and hove to three miles to the port of the battle fleet’s course. Admiral Cunningham at once turned the battle fleet to engage this unit—the Italian cruiser Pola. While the fleet wa» approadhing the Pola, three enemy cruisers were sighted on the starboard bow—namely, two Zara-class cruisers, led by a smaller cruiser of the Colleoni-class.

“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 cruisers. Our battle fleet at once opened fire. The enemy must have been taken completely by surprise. The first salvos hit at the very short range of about 4,000 yards and practically wrecked both heavy cruisers of the Zara class.

“The enemy destroyers astern of the cruisers were then seen to turn and fire torpedoes, and our battle fleet turned away to avoid them. Exactly what followed is still obscure, but H.M.S. Stuart (Captain Waller) and H.M.S. Havock (Lieutenant Watkins) certainly did considerable execution.

Cruisers Make Contact, “Acting on the aircraft report of the sighting of the enemy, our cruiser force altered course northward and made contact with the enemy cruisers at 8.02 a.m. The vice-admiral of the light forces then turned his cruisers to the south-eastwards in order to draw tha enemy on towards the battle fleet. “About 9 a.m., enemy cruisers turned 16 points and began to steer northwestwards. The British cruiser force followed suit to keep in touch. They did this until 10.58 a.m., when they sighted the Littorio-class battleship 19 miles to the northward. The viceadmiral then turned his cruisers once again to the south-eastward to keep outside the range of the heavy guns of the enemy battleship and to draw the enemy forces towards Admiral Cunuingham. “A torpedo-bomber attack was launched from the Formidable, and this developed the Littorio-class battleship at 11.30 p.m. One possible hit was claimed iu this attack. Either this attack or the knowledge of the presence of an aircraftcarrier caused the Littorio-class battleship and her accompanying cruisers to turn to the northwestward. The enemy was thus again heading for his bases. “This abrupt turn by the enemy caused the vice-admiral of the light forces to lose touch, but our cruiser force almost immediately came in sight of our own battle fleet, and the whole oT our forces pressed on after the enemy. “At 11.15 a.m. our aircraft sighted and reported a second enemy forcei

Italians Fire On Each Other “The destroyer attacking force searching for the damaged Littorio-clas* battleship failed to locate her, and it seems probable that she moved off during the action between our . battle fleet and the enemy cruisers. Some destroyers from this attacking force subsequently made touch with destroyers sent in by Admiral Cunningham to mop up, and they assisted in sinking the Zara and the Pola. “It is presumed that, uunng til uiglit, the Littorio-class battieshi became heavily engaged with her ow forces, as heavy gunfire was heard t the time and from a direction whic made it impossible for any of our forc< to bo engaged. “An extensive air search next morj ing failed to disclose any of the remaii ing Italian ships, who must have mac their escape under cover of darkness. “The results at present known are:— “The Zora, Pola and Fiume sunk. “One six-inch gun cruiser of the Colleoni class probably sunk. “The largo Italian destroyer Vincenzo Gioberti and the destroyer Maestrale sunk. ‘ 1 The large destroyer Alfieri probably sunk. “A new battleship of the Littorio class sustained serious underwater damage, and other enemy units also were certainly damagod. Rescue Work Interrupted. “On the following day, some 56 officers and 850 men from the Italian vessels sunk were picked up by our force? and by Greok destroyers which were attentively co-operating. The lifesaving operations were interrupted by an ineffective dive-bombing attack by the German Air Force, One Junkers-88

was shot down during these attack*. One Junkers*Sß which attempted to interfere with the operations the previous day had also been shot down. “When Admiral Cunningham reluctantly decided to abandon the rescue work, he made a signal in clear language to the Chief of the Italian Naval Staff stating that more than 350 Italian survivors were believed to be on rafts, giving their position, and stating that a fast hospital ship would be needed to pick u.p such survivors. Admiral Cunningham received the following reply from the Commander-in-Chief of the Italian Navy: ‘Thank you for your communication. The hospital ship Gradisca has already left Taranto yesterday evening at 5 o’clock.’ “Admiral Cunningham made a signal thanking the Greek Navy for its very prompt and valuable co-operation.’’