Battle
The British discovered through "Ultra" intelligence that the Axis were about to send a large convoy to Libya. The presence of the convoy was confirmed by a Martin Maryland on air reconnaissance from Malta (piloted by Adrian Warburton); this camouflaged the use of Ultra which came from reading German secret messages. Force K left Malta to intercept the convoy.
At the same time, a 12 Blenheim bombers from Malta were dispatched over Cape Spartivento to attack a smaller convoy of two merchantmen escorted by an Italian destroyer. One of the freighters was set ablaze, but the British lost two bombers to the escorts.
The British navy had the advantage of radar which the Italians lacked. Having located the main convoy they took up position with the moon silhouetting the convoy. The British gunnery was directed by radar and they fired from no more than 5,500 yards.
Grecale was hit by Aurora's first three salvos and was left dead in the water, with a fire aboard. The British destroyers opened fire on the convoy itself. Aurora then fired on Maestrale, which had already been hit by Penelope. Once the radio masts had been shot away, Captain Bisciani lost much of his ability to direct the convoy escort. Fulmine attacked the British force but was hit by both Lance and Penelope and as a result capsized and sank.
The distant covering force, despite being only nine nautical miles away, did not interfere constructively due to confusion, firing some rounds ineffectively in the dark. Although they circled the convoy it coincided with the British movements such that the convoy remained between them. In the course of the battle the British closed with the convoy which took no evasive action and finished them off with guns and torpedoes.
The convoy escort destroyers attempted to engage the British force while using smoke to cover themselves but caused no particular damage.
The British retired to Malta at high speed with ineffective pursuit by the covering force.
All told, Force K sank some 39,800 tons of Axis shipping.
Read more about this topic: Battle Of The Duisburg Convoy
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