British Forces:
Western Convoy (Force X) from Gibraltar
Close Escort
CLAA Cairo
Captain Hardy—Flag
DD Bedouin* Commander
B. G. Scurfield
DD Marne
DD Matchless
DD Ithuriel
DD Partridge
DD Blankney
DD Middleton
DD Badsworth
DD Kujawiak* Polish
ML Welshman
MS Hebe
MS Speedy
MS Rye
MS Hythe
(6) MGB’s
Covering Force
BB Malaya
CV Argus
807 Sq. – (4) Fulmars
824
Sq. – (4) Swordfish
CV Eagle
813 Sq. – (9) Swordfish & (4) S. Hurricanes
801
Sq. – (12) Sea Hurricanes
CL Kenya
Vice-Admiral A. T. Curteis—Flag
CL Charybdis
CL Liverpool
DD Onslow
DD Icarus
DD Escapade
DD Wishart
DD Westcott
DD Wrestler
DD Vidette
DD Antelope
Tanker Force (Force Y)
T Brown Ranger
Corv. Coltsfoot
Corv. ‘?’
Western Convoy (Force X)
FR Troilus
FR Burdwan (5,601 tons)*
Sunk by aircraft & naval gunfire
FR Chant (5,601 tons)*
Sunk by aircraft & naval gunfire
FR Tanimbar (8,619 tons)*
Sunk by aircraft
FR Orari (10,350 tons)
T Kentucky (9,308 tons)*
Sunk by aircraft & naval gunfire
Eastern Convoy (MW.11) from Alexandria
Close Escort
Corv. Delphinium
Corv. Primula
Corv. Erica
Corv. Snapdragon
MS Boston
MS Seham
2nd DD Flotilla
DD Fortune
DD Griffin
DD Hotspur
5th DD Flotilla
DD Dulverton
DD Exmoor
DD Croome
DD Eridge
DD Airedale
DD Beaufort
DD Hurworth* Sunk by aircraft
DD Tetcott
DD Aldenham* Sunk by aircraft
Covering Force
15th Cruiser Sq.
CL Cleopatra
Rear-Admiral Philip Vian
CL Dido
CL Hermione* Sunk by U-205
CL Euryalus
CL Arethusa
CL Coventry
4th Cruiser Sq.
CL Birmingham
Rear-Admiral Tennant
CL Newcastle
7th DD Flotilla
DD Napier
DD Nestor* Sunk by aircraft
DD Nizam
DD Norman RAN
14th DD Flotilla
DD Jervis
DD Kelvin
DD Javelin
12th DD Flotilla
DD Parkenham
DD Paladin
DD Inconstant
22nd DD Flotilla
DD Sikh
DD Zulu
DD Hasty* Sunk by German MTB
S-55
Eastern Convoy (MW.11)
FR City of Pretoria
FR City of Calcutta (8,603 tons)
FR Bhutan (6,104 tons)*
Sunk by aircraft
FR Potaro (5,410 tons)
FR Bulkoil
FR Rembrandt
FR Aagtekerk (6,811 tons)*
Sunk by aircraft
FR City of Edinburgh
FR City of Lincoln
FR Elizabeth Bakke
FR Ajax
Dummy BB Centurion
Disguised as modern KGV class BB
RS Antwerp Rescue ship
RS Malines Rescue
ship
British Sub Forces deployed
SS Proteus
Off Taranto
SS Thorn
Off Taranto
SS Taku
Off Taranto
SS Thrasher Off Taranto
SS Porpoise Off Taranto
SS Una
Off Taranto
SS P31
Off Taranto
SS P34
Off Taranto
SS P35
Off Taranto
SS P211
Between Sicily & Sardinia
SS P42
Between Sicily & Sardinia
SS P43
Between Sicily & Sardinia
SS P46
Between Sicily & Sardinia
Italian Forces:
Surface Forces deployed against British Western Convoy
7th Division
CL Eugenio di Savoia
Vice-Adm. Alberto da Zara—Div.
Cmdr.
CL Montecuccoli
DD Oriani
DD Ascari
DD Zeno
Returned to base due to engine trouble
DD Gioberti
Returned to base due to engine trouble
DD Vivaldi
DD Malocello
DD Premuda
Surface Forces deployed against the British Eastern Convoy
9th Division
BB Littorio
Vice-Adm. Angelo Iachino—Fleet
Cmdr.
BB Vittorio Veneto
V.-Adm. Guiseppe Fioravanzo—Div.
Cmdr.
3rd Division
CA Trento* (Sunk by submarine)
Rear-Adm. Angelo Parona—Division
Cmdr.
CA Gorizia
8th Division
CL Garibaldi
Adm. Raffaele De Courten—Division
Cmdr.
CL Duca d’Aosta
7th DD Flotilla
DD Legionario
DD Folgore
DD Freccia
DD Saetta
13th DD Flotilla
DD Alpino
DD Bersagliere
DD Pigafetta
DD Mitragliere
11th DD Flotilla
DD Aviere
DD Geniere
DD Camicia Nera
DD Corazziere
Italian Submarines deployed
SS Malachite Stationed
N. of Algerian Coast
SS Velella
Stationed N. of Algerian Coast
SS Bronzo
Stationed N. of Algerian Coast
SS Emo
Stationed N. of Algerian Coast
SS Uarsciek
Stationed N. of Algerian Coast
SS Giada
Stationed N. of Algerian Coast
SS Acciaio
Stationed N. of Algerian Coast
SS Otaria
Stationed N. of Algerian Coast
SS Alagi
Stationed N. of Algerian Coast
SS Corallo
Deployed near Malta
SS Dessie
Deployed near Malta
SS Onice
Deployed near Malta
SS Ascianghi Deployed
near Malta
SS Aradam
Deployed near Malta
SS Axum
Deployed in Ionian Sea
SS Platino
Deployed in Ionian Sea
SS Micca
Deployed in Ionian Sea
SS Zoea
Deployed in Ionian Sea
SS Atropo
Deployed in Ionian Sea
SS Galatea
Deployed further east of Ionian Sea group
SS Sirena
Deployed further east of Ionian Sea group
German U-boats deployed
SS U-77
SS U-81
SS U-205
Lt.-Commander Reschke
SS U-431
SS U-453
SS U-559
German MTB group deployed against Eastern
Convoy (MW.11)
MTB S54 3rd MTB Flotilla
Lt. Wupperman—Flag
MTB S55 3rd MTB Flotilla
Lt. Horst Weber
MTB S56 3rd MTB Flotilla
MTB S58 3rd MTB Flotilla
MTB S59 3rd MTB Flotilla
MTB S60 3rd MTB Flotilla
* Sunk
Sources:
1. Chronology of the War at Sea 1939-1945
by J. Rohwer & G. Hummelchen
2. The Naval War in the Mediterranean
1940-1943 by J. Greene & A. Massignani
3. The Italian Navy in WWII by A. Bragadin
4. Carrier Operations in WWII, Volume
I: The Royal Navy by D. Brown