Malta

[jollyjack]

44 minutes ago, cardboard_killer said:

[80 years ago today] "Luftwaffe General Albert Kesselring continues his air offensive against Malta that began on 20 March 1942, and today it produces what some consider its most devastating results. Beginning at 17:49, the planes, mostly Junkers Ju 88s and Ju 87 Stukas, drop 280 tons of high explosives on Valletta, which is located on a tiny peninsula. This is a deliberate attempt to destroy Valletta residential areas with heavy bombs and in that sense it is successful.

 

Destroyed or severely damaged are many cultural treasures that play little or no role in the war effort, including ancient palaces and the Governor's Palace. Also hit are non-military structures such as the King George V Hospital in Floriana, the Market, the Royal Opera House, and the Auberge d’Aragon and the Auberge d’Italie. The government estimates that 70% of buildings in Valletta and Floriana are destroyed or damaged. Most of the remaining portion of the opera house is cleared only in the 1950s. Ultimately, a new theatre (Pjazza Teatru Rjal) is built on the site and inaugurated on 8 August 2013.

 

 

Bomb damage from the 7 April 1942 raid. "All that is left of the famous opera house in Kingsway, Valletta." © IWM A 8378.

 

80 years have passed .. how sad mankind has not learned any lessons from it's history.

[Ghost666]

2 hours ago, jollyjack said:

 

80 years have passed .. how sad mankind has not learned any lessons from it's history.

How many times must we learn this lesson before we don't forget it?

[cardboard_killer]

[80 years ago today] "Luftwaffe Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's air offensive against Malta reaches its climax. Royal Navy cruiser HMS Penelope (three dead), under heavy attack, heads out of Grand Harbor at 20:00 to avoid destruction and fights off repeated air attacks on its way to Gibraltar. Mooring vessel Moor (767 tons) hits a contact mine dropped by the Luftwaffe and sinks (28 deaths, one survivor). Today's attacks become the worst one-day attack on Malta of World War II.

HMS Penelope

The Italian Regia Aeronautica also attacks shipping at Alexandria. The planes sink Royal Navy whalers HMT Thorgrim (307 tons, refloated in 1950) and Svana (268 tons)."

 

 

[cardboard_killer]

[80 years ago today] "The Luftwaffe continues pounding Malta in the worst sustained air offensive of the war. Among the casualties today is the 392-ton Royal Navy patrol boat HMT Jade (T 56), sunk in Grand Harbour.

 

Over Malta, Lt. Herman Neuhoff of III./JG 53, acting Staffelkapitän of 6./JG 53, is shot down in error by his wingman, Leutnant Werner Schöw, who mistakes Neuhoff's Bf 109 for a Hurricane. Neuhoff becomes a POW with 40 victories in 452 missions. He survives the war and passes away in 2006. Schöw is KIA in June 1942.

 

 

 

[cardboard_killer]

80 years ago today, due to the neutralization of Malta, Churchill requests that the USS Wasp ferry Spitfire Vs to the island. Loading is done at Glasgow.

 

Spitfire Mk. Vc-Tropical variant from No. 603 Squadron RAF being hauled aboard USS Wasp (Wasp-class) by a crane, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom

 

 

 

Spitfire Mk. Vc-Tropical variant from No. 603 Squadron RAF being hauled aboard USS Wasp (Wasp-class) by a crane, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, 13 Apr 1942

 

 

[Gingerwelsh]

I hope you don't mind if I insert this video into your excellent thread.

 

 

"War at Sea, Mediterranean". Documentary 1960.

 

 

 

 

 

..

[cardboard_killer]

[80 years ago today] "The air offensive against Malta continues, with constant air raids throughout daylight hours. The Gruppenkommandeur of II./JG 3, Hptm. Karl-Heinz Krahl, an Experten (ace) with 24 victories, is shot down and killed over Malta near Luqa Aerodrome. Major Kurt Brandle replaces him as Gruppenkommandeur.

 

[Karl-Heinz Krahl, and gravesite in Cagliari, Sardinia]

 

"The RAF theater command in Cairo assembles a special strike force to attack Italian convoys known to be crossing from Sicily to Benghazi. This information is based on Ultra intercepts, though very, very few people know this. They build up a strike force within RAF No. 39 Squadron (along with elements of No. 22 Squadron, which happens to be passing through on its way to Ceylon) at Sidi Bu Amud, Libya. This is to be a shuttle mission, with the planes taking off in Egypt, attacking the convoy, and landing in Malta. At least, that's the plan.

 

 

The ships are known to be passing within 100 miles of Malta due to the German belief that the Luftwaffe air offensive has incapacitated the island. Basically, they are sailing on the shortest route south from Naples without any worry about attacks from Malta - normally, they would route around Sicily via Palermo. Nine RAF Beauforts and four Beaufighters set out (one Beaufort aborts early), but they have difficulties locating the convoy and then, when they do find it, run into unexpected Luftwaffe air cover. The mission makes no hits on the convoy and it turns into an RAF disaster,  Only three Beauforts make it back to base, two badly damaged, with seventeen of the aircrew lost. The mission effectively ends this strike force and deprives Ceylon of some air reinforcement. The lone serviceable plane flies back to Egypt.

 

 

[cardboard_killer]

[80 years ago today] "Aircraft carrier USS Wasp (CV-7) flies off 48 Spitfire fighters of RAF No. 601 and 603 Squadrons to land in Malta, which has had no operational fighter cover recently. The Wasp's Grumman F4F Wildcats provide air cover. Operation Calendar has resulted from a personal request from Winston Churchill to President Roosevelt for the use of a US carrier for this purpose.

 

The Luftwaffe has been alerted to the joint US-British operation and times an air raid to coincide with the landing of the Spitfires at Malta's Ta'Qali airfield. The RAF fighters, low on fuel after their shuttle flight, cannot defend themselves and must land immediately, leaving them vulnerable. The German bombers, facing no air opposition, destroy most of the incoming fighters immediately [30] and virtually all of them within days (some sources say within two days, others within four days).

 

The British military command and Churchill are aghast at this disaster. They set in motion plans to replace the island's longtime governor, Lieutenant General Sir William Dobbie, who blames the failure on the intense bombardment that the island has faced over the past month from German General Albert Kesselring's continuing air offensive.

Spitfire Vs flying off USS Wasp

[cardboard_killer]

[80 years ago today] "The Allies moved to increase the number of Spitfires on the island. On 9 May, Wasp and Eagle delivered 64 more Spitfires (Operation Bowery). Malta now had five full Spitfire squadrons; No. 126, 185, 249, 601 and 603 Squadrons. The impact of the Spitfires was apparent. On 9 May, the Italians announced 37 Axis losses. On 10 May, the Axis lost 65 aircraft destroyed or damaged in large air battles over the island. The Hurricanes were able to focus on the Axis bombers and dive-bombers at lower heights, while the Spitfires, with their superior rate of climb, engaged enemy aircraft at higher levels"
 

 

 

"Just when the situation at Malta appears to be improving due to the arrival of a large Spitfire fighter force, disaster strikes for the British. The Admiralty gets a little over-confident and the men in the ships pay for it as three waves of German bombers wreak havoc.

 

While stalking an Italian convoy to North Africa, British destroyers Jackal, Jervis, Kipling, and Lively are sighted by Luftwaffe reconnaissance north of Mersa Matruh/Sidi Barrani, Egypt. During the afternoon, the destroyers decide to turn back, but it is too late. Eight Junkers Ju 88s of I/Lehrgeschwader 1 (I/LG 1) based at Heraklion on Crete attack at 16:31. They score three direct hits on Lively, sinking it. But this is just the beginning.

 

[HMS Lively]

 

At around 18:15, the second round of bombers, nine Ju 88s and four Heinkel He 111s of II/LG 1 from Eleusis, Greece, arrives overhead. They cause no damage.

 

At 20:00, the third wave of bombers, ten Ju 88s from I/LG 1, arrives. This is the worst attack at all. The Germans quickly sink Kipling and score a direct hit on Jackal, along with three near misses that cause underwater damage. Jervis, the only intact destroyer, takes Jackal in tow, but its fires and flooding get out of control and ultimately it must be abandoned and scuttled. It is a great day of success for the Luftwaffe and one of the worst days of the campaign for the Royal Navy.

 

All told, 77 Royal Navy sailors perish in the three destroyers while 630 men are rescued. They eventually reach Alexandria.

 

The Luftwaffe bombs and sinks 154-ton Royal Navy tug C.308 at Malta. There are ten deaths.

[cardboard_killer]

[80 years ago] [Having lost the HMS Eagle the day before]

 

HMS Eagle torpedoed [by submarine]

 

HMS Eagle about to capsize

 

• The Pedestal convoy is now south of Sardinia, enabling Axis aircraft to spend more time over the target.

 

- Italian submarine Cobalto attacks aircraft carrier Indomitable but misses. Her periscope is spotted and she is attacked by destroyers Pathfinder and Ithuriel and then rammed when forced to the surface.

HMS Ithuriel charging to ram RN Cobalto.

 

- Two British sailors board Cobalto and go below looking for classified materials, while others attempt to tie off the submarine in order to capture it. The two men below are lost when the submarine suddenly sinks. Two Italians are killed with forty-one taken prisoner.

 

Cobalto just before sinking

 

- A Sunderland flying boat attacks Italian submarine Giada which is waiting ahead of the convoy. Giada downs the Sunderland with her guns, but is damaged and has to RTB.

 

- The first air raid consists of nineteen German Ju-88 bombers. They are met by Hurricanes and Fulmars, driven off with six claimed shot down.

 

- Several waves of Italian aircraft escorted by CR-42, MC-202, and Re-2001 fighters attack the convoy throughout the afternoon, interspersed with submarine attacks. One British captain describes the situation as “utterly chaotic”.

 

Pedestal under attack by SM-79s. Battleship Rodney or Nelson is visible at far left.

 

- Italian submarine Alagi torpedoes and damages light cruiser Kenya and sinks the 7,300 ton Clan Ferguson.

 

- Italian submarine Dessie torpedoes and sinks the 7,500 ton Deucalion and attacks the 12,800 ton Brisbane Star which is also being attacked by SM-79s. The steamer is struck in the bows, but it isn’t certain whether by aircraft or submarine.

 

MV Brisbane Star after reaching Malta

 

- Italian submarine Bronzo torpedoes and sinks the 12,700 ton Empire Hope. (She is the vessel steaming past capsizing HMS Eagle in yesterday’s end photo)

 

- Veteran destroyer HMS Foresight is hit by a torpedo by an SM-79 from 132° Gruppo that blows off her stern. After briefly attempting to tow her, HMS Tartar takes off the crew and scuttles the ship.

 

- Tenente di vascello Renato Ferrini commanding Italian submarine Axum makes one of the most remarkable attacks of the war. He fires four torpedoes and all hit.

 

- One strikes light cruiser Nigeria, seriously damaging her and killing 52.

HMS Nigeria after being hit. She will make it to Gibraltar, and thence to the US where she will be under repair and refit for nine months.

 

- Two of Axum’s torpedoes strike anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Cairo and sink her with the loss of 24 crewmen. Cairo is the convoy fighter-direction ship and this leaves the air defense compromised. Four Hunt class escort destroyers are detailed to stand by the stricken cruisers.

 

- Axum’s fourth torpedo strikes the 9,300 ton American tanker Ohio, blowing open a 24 by 27 foot hole and setting part of the cargo (kerosene and diesel) on fire.

 

SS Ohio hit by Axum’s torpedo. The deck is broken open and buckled, but the British crew puts out the fire and keeps the tanker underway. The effect of Tenente Ferrini's attack is far reaching, stripping the convoy of much of its escort and its fighter direction ship.

 

- Two Reggiane fighters approach Victorious as though for a landing, and are not taken under fire as they resemble Sea Hurricanes. They roar over the flight deck and drop small bombs that only do light damage against the armoured flight deck. Fortunately, the deck is clear at the time.

 

- Ten Savoia-Marchetti SM-84s test a new torpedo intended to allow high level torpedo attacks. Descending by parachute, the “Motobomba” is designed to steer concentric spirals for 15-30 minutes until it finds a target.

 

Motobomba descending. Several of the weapons fail on hitting the water but the rest disrupt the defensive formation of the convoy by making ships avoid the roughly square mile area of water in which they are circling. The Italians will modify it to allow an angled rather than vertical entry and better performance. It will be adopted by the Germans.

 

- The Regia Aeronautica tests another weapon, a remote operated CANT seaplane loaded with explosives. As it heads for the convoy the drone stops responding to radio signals, flying on and eventually exploding over French North Africa.

 

• Italian heavy cruisers Gorizia, Bolzano, Trieste, light cruisers Eugenio di Savoia, Raimondo Montecuccoli, Muzio Attendolo, and seventeen destroyers sail to meet the Pedestal convoy. Due to critical fuel shortages, the battleships remain in port.

 

- HMS Indomitable draws a coordinated bombing and torpedo attack. She evades several torpedoes and takes at least five near misses before three bombs hit the flight deck, setting her on fire. The damage will prompt Force Z to return to Gibraltar slightly early. Indomitable will take passage to the USA for a repairs and refit, modifying her hangar and allowing her to operate newer American aircraft.

 

- This excerpt from an Italian documentary is most informative, with some of the best Italian war footage I’ve seen:

 

 

- Despite the title, it’s not a newsreel, unless Italy was able to sneak cameramen aboard the British ships.

 

- As dusk approaches, Force Z with the heavy ships withdraws towards Gibraltar as planned, leaving the convoy escorted by Force X under Rear Admiral Sir Harold Burrough. Vice Admiral Sir Edward Syfret aboard battleship Nelson details AA-cruiser Charybdis and two destroyers from Force Z to X to counter some of the losses.

 

- The second wave of German aircraft comes in shortly before sunset. Fifty-five Ju-87s and six Ju-88s with Italian fighter escort make a combined dive bomber and torpedo attack, concentrating on the stricken Ohio, but no hits are made. One Stuka is shot down and wreckage falls onto the tanker.

HMS Charybdis screens the burning Indomitable

 

HMS Indomitable flight deck

 

Sinking HMS Foresight from HMS Tartar"

[cardboard_killer]

[80 years ago today] "• As part of Operation Stoneage, convoy MW-13 arrives at Valetta without loss of merchant ships. This date is considered to be the end of the siege of Malta. Other convoys will arrive without loss, and submarine supply runs will be discontinued as unnecessary."