Transports separate in the Skerki Banks area and stood for Malta with Force H and Force X (Five cruisers and destroyers COSSACK, ZULU ORIBI, LAFOREY, HEYTHROP and FARNDALE.
The Italians five submarines: BEILUL, DA PROCIDA, H-1, H-4, and H-6 stood off the Ligurian coast.
117 Italian aircraft were available and operational from Sardinia; 217 available and operational from Sicily with a further 32 MC200 being flown in to Sardinia from the mainland.
At 0710 the two British Goups merged into one as shown. Speed 16 knots
At 0720 hours radar indicated that enemy reconnaissance aircraft were in the vicinity of the Force.
At 0800 hours ARK ROYAL flew off four Fulmars
(At 0810 hours an Italian Cant Z 506B reconnaissance aircraft of 287 Squadriglia sighted units of Operation HALBARD west of La Galite Island and sent off the following signal; “position 37-43N, 06-55E,course 90¼, speed 12 nm per hour; 1 battleship, 1 carrier, 4 cruiser, unspecified number of destroyers and steamboats‘)
At 1000 hours, in expectation of air attacks, Force H, less ARK ROYAL, EURYALUS and HERMIONE who manoeuvred ahead of the convoy, joined the convoy escort.
At 1158 hours radar detected an aircraft bearing 210¼, at 14 miles. LEGION reported this aircraft as an Italian Fiat BR 20. ARK ROYAL’s Fulmars failed to shoot it down and a sighting report was subsequently intercepted.
At 1255 hours radar reported two formations at 30 miles and closing, one from the north and one from the east. These were eleven Savoia-Marchetti S 84’s torpedo bombers from Decimomannu airfield, north of Cagliari. Severn attacked from the north with top cover of five Fiat CR 42 fighters and four from the east.
At 1259 hours 8 Fulmars of 808 Sqd. attacked the northern group of six S 84’s, shooting down one.
The torpedo attack was made against the port wing of the force; this was where RODNEY was stationed.
At 1302 hours an S 84 flown by Capitano Rotolo was shot down either by RODNEY and PRINCE OF WALES; the damaged aircraft collided with his right wingman, Tenente Barro and both crashed into the sea.
At 1300 hours two S 84’s targeted RODNEY one flown by Maggiore Arduino Buri of 256 Squadriglia and the other flown by Tenente Piercarlo Amante of 257 Squadriglia. As the two torpedoes were approaching RODNEY made an emergency turn of 60¼ to port and both torpedoes were avoided.
At 1303 hours two destroyers of the port screen were targeted these were the LANCE and ISAAC SWEERS, however the destroyers took evasive action and avoided the torpedoes.
At 1327 hours radar reported another wave of aircraft closing from the east. These were five S 84 torpedo bombers of 258 and 259 Squadriglia, from Decimomannu airfield and they attacked the Force from the starboard side.
At 1330 hours two aircraft flown by Colonnello Seidl and Tenente Tomasino targeted NELSON who was hit by a torpedo (probably Seidl’s) on the port bow, the second torpedo missed. As they pulled away both Seidl and Tomasino were shot down by AA fire from the PRINCE OF WALES and SHEFFIELD. The damage to NELSON caused her to immediately reduce speed to 18 knots. (15 knots according to another report)
During this action, a Fulmar was shot down by RODNEY, but luckily the crew, Sub-Lieutenant Percy Guy and Leading Airman Jones, were rescued by DUNCAN.
At 1345 hours the Force was attacked by twelve Savoia-Marchetti SM 79’s torpedo bombers of 278, 280, 282 and 283 Squadriglia, from Decimomannu airfield, escorted by twelve CR 42’s, attacked from the north, south and west. The attackers were met by the Fulmars and intense AA fire, which prevented them from attaining a dropping position.
At 1359 hours a CR 42 flown by Sergente Maggiore Luigi Valiotti of the 354a Squadriglia, in an attempt to divert the AA from the torpedo-bombers, began to perform aerobatic manoeuvres over the heads of the starboard wing destroyers, who after a while started to shoot at him. Valiotti avoided their shells for six minutes before being killed when his CR.42 crashed into the sea. However Valiotti’s sacrifice was in vain as after several unsuccessful attempts, to penetrate the AA barrage the remaining SM 79,s gave up and returned to base.
At 1404 hours the CinC Force H received an emergency report from aircraft B, a RAF Maryland of 69 Squadron on a reconnaissance flight from Malta, timed at 1340 hours. The signal read, 2 battleships and 8 destroyers in position 38-20N, 10-40E, steering 190¼, speed 20 knots. At the time of receipt NELSON’s position was 37-46N, 09-04E, the enemy was therefore 74 miles, bearing 076¼ from NELSON.
At 1408 hours the CinC Force H ordered ARK ROYAL to fly off two Swordfish to take over shadowing duties and to prepare an air strike force.
At 1417 hours the CinC Force H ordered RODNEY and PRINCE OF WALES to form up on NELSON ahead of the convoy.
At 1425 hours the CinC Force H received a further emergency report from aircraft B, timed at 1350 hours. The signal read 4 cruisers and 8 destroyers some 15 miles WSW of the enemy battle fleet and steering same course and speed.
At 1430 hours NELSON was forced to reduce speed to 15 knots to reduce flooding and further damage from her torpedo hit and the CinC Force H ordered Vice Admiral Curteis in PRINCE OF WALES to proceed with PRINCE OF WALES, RODNEY, EDINBURGH, SHEFFIELD and 6 destroyers at best speed to close the enemy. At the same time NELSON took station astern of the convoy.
At 1506 hours a signal was received from the RAF shadowing aircraft, timed at 1445 hours stating that the enemy had reversed course and was now steering 360¼.
The PRINCE OF WALES, RODNEY, SHEFFIELD and EDINBURGH plus six destroyers detached at 1530 to “close and drive off the enemy” to the NE but were recalled at 1700 without making contact. The surface strike force steered north at their best speed with the two cruisers ahead and working up to 30 knots and PRINCE OF WALES and RODNEY trailing behind.
At 1540 hours a strike force of 12 Swordfish of 816 and 825 Sqds, escorted by 4 Fulmars of 807 Sqd were launched from ARK ROYAL.
At 1543 hours a further signal was received from the RAF shadowing aircraft, timed at 1503 hours stating that the enemy was now steering 060¼.
At 1658 hours with no news from the Swordfish shadowing aircraft, the RAF Maryland had departed, or the strike force; the CinC Force H ordered Vice Admiral Curteis to return to the convoy.
At 1830 hours PRINCE OF WALES, RODNEY, EDINBURGH, SHEFFIELD and the 6 destroyers rejoined the convoy.
At 1855 hours in approximate position 37-30N, 10-15E, Force A comprising NELSON, PRINCE OF WALES, RODNEY, ARK ROYAL and destroyers DUNCAN, GARLAND, GURKHA, ISAAC SWEERS, LANCE, LEGION, LIVELY and PIORUN detached from the convoy and turned on to 285¼ and proceeded at 14 knots, this being NELSON’s best speed.
There were air attacks at 1300, 1337 and 1345. 28 torpedo bombers (S.79s and S84s) with an escort of 20 Cr42s. Severn torpedo bombers and one Cr42 were lost
COSSACK evades torpedo dropped outside the screen.
COSSACK ordered out to port under the protection of FORESIGHT’s paravane together with ZULU and HEYTHROPE.
At 1915 COSSACK detects an incoming aeroplane on her port side and sights it at 2000. Torpedoes dropped by enemy aircraft.
According to Able Seaman George Gilroy of LIGHTING there were almost continuous, intense, very accurate air attacks on the ships from dawn to dusk.
The Italian fleet consisted of LITTORIO, cruisers ABRUZZI, ATTENDOLO, TRENTO, TRIESTE and GORIZIA. Destroyers CARAZZIERE, CARABINIERE, ASCARI, LANCIERE, MAESTRALE, GRECALE and SCIROCCO.
During the night Force H turned back and Force X was detached to take the convoy onwards. An attack by a number of torpedo bombers hit the IMPERIAL STAR which had to be scuttled.
