STRUGGLE FOR THE MIDDLE SEA STRUGGLE FOR THE MIDDLE SEA The Great Navies at War in the Mediterranean Theater, 1940–1945 Vincent P. O’Hara NAVAL INSTITUTE PRESS Annapolis, Maryland The latest edition of this work has been brought to publication with the generous assistance of Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest. This book was originally brought to publication with the generous assistance of Edward S. and Joyce I. Miller, as well as Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest. Naval Institute Press 291 Wood Road Annapolis, MD 21402 © 2009 by Vincent P. O’Hara All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. ISBN 978-1-61251-408-6 (eBook) The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows: O’Hara, Vincent P., 1951-Struggle for the Middle Sea : the great navies at war in the Mediterranean theater, 1940-1945 / Vincent P. O’Hara. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. World War, 1939-1945—Mediterranean Sea. 2. World War, 1939-1945—Naval operations. 3. Mediterranean Sea—History, Naval—20th century. 4. Great Britain. Royal Navy—History—World War, 1939-1945. 5. France. Marine—History—World War, 1939-1945. 6. Italy. Regia Marina—History—World War, 1939-1945. 7. Germany. Kriegsmarine—History—World War, 1939-1945. 8. United States. Navy— History—World War, 1939-1945. I. Title. D779.M43O34 2009 940.54’293—dc22 2009006310 Print editions meet the requirements of ANSI/NISO z39.48-1992 (Permanence of Paper). 14 13 12 11 10 09 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 First printing Contents List of Tables and Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1. The Eve of War: June 1940 Chapter 2. The Defeat of France Chapter 3. Italy’s Parallel War: June and July 1940 Chapter 4. No Quick Peace: August–December 1940 Chapter 5. Enter the Germans: Winter 1941 Chapter 6. The Red Sea: 1940–41 Chapter 7. A Close-Run Thing: Spring 1941 Chapter 8. France Defends the Empire Chapter 9. The Convoy War Intensifies: Summer and Fall 1941 Chapter 10. The Axis Resurgent: 1942 Chapter 11. The Allies Resurgent: Torch to Tunis Chapter 12. The Italian Armistice Chapter 13. Germany’s War: 1943–45 Conclusion Abbreviations Notes Bibliography Index Tables and Illustrations Tables Table 1.1 Italian Forces and Dispositions, 10 June 1940 Table 1.2 French Forces and Dispositions in the Mediterranean, 10 June 1940 Table 1.3 British Forces and Dispositions, 10 June 1940 Table 1.4 Mediterranean/Black Sea Minor Navies Table 2.1 Operation Vado, 14 June 1940, 0410–0425 Table 2.2 Mers-el-Kébir, 3 July 1940, 1656–1920 Table 2.3 Organization of the Forces Maritimes Françaises, 1 October 1940 Toulon Table 3.1 Attack on Espero, 28 June 1940, 1833–2200 Table 3.2 Battle of Calabria, 9 July 1940, 1520–1645 Table 3.3 Battle of Cape Spada, 19 July, 0617–0930 Table 4.1 Battle of Dakar, 23–25 September 1940 Table 4.2 Action off Gibraltar, 25 September 1940 Table 4.3 Action off Cape Passero, 12 October 1940, 0135–0300 Table 4.4 Action in the Strait of Otranto, 12 November 1940, 0125–0155 Table 4.5 Battle of Cape Spartivento (Teulada), 27 November 1940, 0128– 0155 Table 4.6 Encounter in the Sicilian Narrows, 27–28 November 1940, 2334– 0127 Table 5.1 Action off Pantelleria, 10 January 1941, 0741–0820 Table 5.2 Castelorizzo Harbor, 27 February 1941, 0200–0215 Table 5.3 Encounter off Gavdos, 28 March 1941, 0741–1118 Table 5.4 Battle of Cape Matapan, 28–29 March 1941, 2228–0403 Table 6.1 Attack on Convoy BN7 and Battle of Harmil Island, 20–21 October 1940, 2320–0640 Table 6.2 Attack on Convoy BN14, 3 February 1941 Table 7.1 Action off Sfax, 16 April 1941, 0220–0400 Table 7.2 Tripoli Harbor, 21 April 1941, 0502–0545 Table 7.3 Attack on Convoy GA 15, 29–30 April 1941, 2315–0300 Table 7.4 Lupo Convoy Action, 21–22 May 1941, 2230–0030 Table 7.5 Sagittario Convoy Action, 22 May 1941, 0840–0930 Table 8.1 Engagement off Sidon, 9 June 1941, 1335–1445 Table 8.2 First Encounter off Beirut, 16 June 1941, 0400–0415 Table 8.3 Second Encounter off Beirut, 22 June 1941, 0145–0200 Table 9.1 Beta Convoy Battle, 9 November 1941, 0057–0140 Table 9.2 Maritza Convoy Action, 24 November 1941, 1535–1630 Table 9.3 Mantovani Convoy Action, 1 December 1941, 1800–1953 Table 9.4 Battle of Cape Bon, 13 December 1941, 0323–0328 Table 10.1 First Battle of Sirte, 17 December 1941, 1753–1804 Table 10.2 Second Battle of Sirte, 22 March 1942, 1427–1858 Table 10.3 Battle of Pantelleria, 15 June 1942, 0542–1420 Table 10.4 Prelude to Pedestal, 11 August 1942, 2225–2245 Table 11.1 First Battle of Oran, 8 November 1942, 0315–0755 Table 11.2 Second Battle of Oran, 9 November 1942, 1000–1120 Table 11.3 French Forces at Toulon, November 1942 Table 11.4 Battle near Skerki Bank, 2 December 1942, 0038–0130 Table 11.5 Destruction of Lupo, 2 December 1942, 2346–2355 Table 11.6 D’Annuzio Action, 16 January 1943, 0321–0350 Table 11.7 Number/Tonnage of Axis Merchant Ships over 500 GRT Lost in the Mediterranean Table 11.8 Belluno Convoy, 16 April 1943, 0248–0315 Table 11.9 Campobasso Convoy, 3–4 May 1943, 2340–0100 Table 12.1 Messina Convoy, 2 June 1943, 0134–0315 Table 12.2 Status of the Regia Marina, 8 September 1943 Table 12.3 Action off Bastia, 9 September 1943, 0700–0845 Table 12.4 Fate of Italian Units after the Armistice Table 12.5 German Navy Deployment in the Mediterranean, 9 September 1943 Table 13.1 Large German Warships Commissioned in the Aegean Sea Table 13.2 Action South of Rhodes, 23 September 1943, 0100 Table 13.3 Kalymnos Bay, 17 October 1943 Table 13.4 Encounter in the Strait of Otranto, 22 September 1944, 0550–0630 Table 13.5 Action in the Gulf of Salonika, 7 October 1944, 0100 Table 13.6 Action off Skiathos, 19 October 1944, 2340 Table 13.7 Large German Warships Commissioned in the Adriatic Sea Table 13.8 Battle off 1st, 29 February 1944, 2144–2210 Table 13.9 Ambush off Pag Island, 1 November 1944, 1950–2300 Table 13.10 Large German Warships Commissioned in the Ligurian Sea and Southern France Table 13.11 Major Allied Warships Deployed for Operation Anvil, 15 August 1944 Table 13.12 Action off Port Cros, 15 August 1944, 0440–0722 Table 13.13 Action off La Ciotat, 17 August 1944, 0430–0830 Table 13.14 Encounter off Imperia, 2 October 1944, 0020–0035 Table 13.15 Battle of the Ligurian Sea, 18 March 1945, 0300–0420 Table 13.16 Major German Surface Warships Lost in the Mediterranean Table C.1 Surface Engagements by Ocean/Sea Table C.2 Surface Engagement by Belligerent Charts Chart 9.1 Monthly Delivery of Materiel to Libya, 1941 Chart 11.1 Monthly Delivery of Materiel to Libya, 1942 Chart C.1 Ships Sunk and Damaged in Surface Actions, 1940–1945, Mediterranean and Red Sea Chart C.2 Impact of the Mediterranean Strategy, British Imports and Tonnage Lost Chart C.3 Personnel and Materiel Escorted or Carried by the Regia Marina, June 1940–8 September 1943