HMS Invincible

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Lord Wyclif

04:00 The first of twenty Alcione torpedo-bombers escorted by eight Fait Freccia fighters from the Elma airfield.

04:01 The destroyers HMS Beagle, HMS Boreas, HMS Bulldog and HMS Eskimo finally put the Sardegna out of her misery with torpedo strikes to her starboard side. She immediately turned turtle and sank. The order to abandon ship had been given at 03:48. The thirteen minutes were used wisely and most of crew escaped in life-boats.

04:03 The order was given onboard the Conte di Cavour to abandon ship. She went to her final resting place at 04:51.

04:05 The Italian transport ship Antonietta Lauro was struck with two torpedoes from HMS Upholder. Twenty minutes later she sank taking almost 2,000 Italian and German ground troops to a watery grave.

04:12 HMS Upholder claims a second victim of the night sinking the transport Liguria.

RNAS Grendels continued to harass the Italian and German vessels. As AA tracer fire streaked skyward the illuminated the ships positions. The big guns of the battleships made mince-meat off the opposition. The destroyers Antonio Da Noli and Nembo were sunk by gunfire as well as the tanker Ardor and the cargo ships Neptunia and Oceania.

04:12 The submarine HMS Torbay claimed a kill on the destroyer Pantera. Struck with two torpedoes below the X and Y gun positions she quickly took on water and sunk stern first ten minutes later.

04:15 The surface vessels broke of their attack, proceeding to steam westward at full speed.

04:20 AS 10 aircraft spot enemy aircraft at 17,000 feet approaching from West-North-West at 200 knots. The American Wildcats were vectored to intercept.

04:25 recovery operations began on the five Allied aircraft-carriers.

04:30 The US Navy fighters swooped on the German formation. Guided by radar they managed to shoot down three of the bombers, all He111's.

04:40 The German bombers appeared over the carrier task-force. The AA cruisers Cambrian, Canterbury, Castor, Constance, Centaur and Concord lit the sky with both light and heavy guns in use. Four He 111 bombers and one Ju88 were shot down along with two of the returning Devastators. The Heinkles tried to carpet bomb the carriers from 17,000 feet but only five bombs hit the Constellation and three direct hits were made on the Ark Royal. The AA cruisers Castor and Concord sustained severe damage. The destroyers Martin and Meteor were also put out of action.

04:45 HMS Ark Royal began launching her Gallants and her strike aircraft were cross decked to Britannia. With the approach of dawn visibility was vastly improved and the returning Grendels attacked the German formations.

04:50 With the arrival of the Italians from Elma, the RNAS and USN fighter engaged in dogfights with the Freccia fighters. Five Italians were shot down, with another three badly damaged. The torpedo bombers had freedom to attack the warships. With debris falling all around them the first attack run was on Captain Barry's HMS Valiant. Of the four aircraft in the first wave, one aeroplane was hit with so much water, it pilot was temporarily blinded causing him to crash into the sea. A second was hit with so much 40mm rounds that she exploded and the shrapnel damaged the remaining pair causing them to release their payload harmlessly out to sea.

04:53 The attack on HMS Barham was more successful. Only one Italian was shot down, but skilful handling of his vessel Captain Cooke with the ship was only hit by two torpedoes, though holed the armoured belt did its job, though the ship could only manage 12 knots.

04:55 With the early morning light 48 Spitfires took off from RAF Djidjelli, RAF Tafaraoui and RAF Bone.

04:57 Lieutenant-Commander Wanklyn on HMS Upholder bagged his 3rd kill of the night when the troop transport Esperia was hit with two torpedoes.
 

Lord Wyclif

05:00 HMS Britannia, having her strike aircraft safely stored below came under attack by Ju 88's. Two German aircraft were shot down but she received five direct hits and six near misses. Thanks mainly to her armoured deck she was to continue operations.

05:05 An assault on the Valiant by Ju87 Stukas was broken up by AA gunfire from the battleship, the AA cruiser Centaur and the destroyers Quentin and Quality. Unfortunately for Lt. Cdr. Farnfield the 1,697 ton destroyer bore the brunt of the Germans anger. B turret received a direct hits from two 50 KG bombs. The bridge was hit with a 250 KG bomb which sailed through the superstructure before exploding harmlessly in the sea. A third 50KG destroyed the port side life-boat.

05:08 USS New York came under attack by Ju88's. A dozen aircraft each carrying six 500 KG bombs swooped on Captain. Ware's vessel. Zig-zagging, slowing and speeding up again and an intense AA barrage did little to deter the German fliers. What saved the ship was the fact that the aircraft were armed with high-explosive ordinance instead of armour-piercing.. However her range-finders were destroyed as well as 6 of her 40mm AA gun mounts, both forward gun turrets and damaging her bow. 127 of the crew lost their lives.

05:10 The Italian transport Cap Arcona was hit with three of four torpedoes fired by the submarine HMS Pandora.

05:15 USS Wasp having recovered her aircraft came under sustained air attack. The AA cruisers Canterbury and Castor came to assist. Thousands of anti-aircraft round streaked skyward. Several Ju88's took hits, but were able to press home their attack. The carrier was hit with eleven 500KG high-explosive bombs. Nine Devastators on the deck were destroyed. The island received two of the hits knocking out vital radar equipment and AA positions. Fire spread along the wooden deck rendering any further aircraft movement impossible. The loss of life was high with many of the ground crews being burned alive.

05:25 HMS Britannia resumed operations. Twelve Grendels were brought up on deck, armed and launched by 05:40. With Ark Royal's decks filled, several Grendel strike-fighters had to ditch in the sea for lack of fuel before Britannia cleared her deck for the recovery of aircraft.

05:30 AS10 aircraft's radar light up another wave of aircraft coming from Sicily. The crew followed their flight-path for ten minutes, before lack of fuel caused them to ditch.

05:45 The next wave of sixty Axis aircraft were intercepted 50 miles east of the Allies surface fleet. Grendels, Gallants and Wildcats. This time, as it was daylight the bombers were armed with armour-piercing ordnance and escorted by twenty Bf109's and two dozen Fait Freccia fighters. The British aircraft mixed it with the fighters, while the American Wildcats went for the bomber formations. In a half hour tussle three Gallants were lost with another five suffering heavy damage, but they managed to return to their carriers. Two Grendels were also lost as well as five Messerschmitts and seven Faits.

05:55 The American fighters managed to break-up the formation of Junkers Ju88's putting three into the Mediterranean and scattering the rest. The US Navy pilots went after the strays and bagged another 1/2 dozen. However this bravado allowed 16 Dornier Do17 fast bombers through.
 

Lord Wyclif

06:00 They reached their victim. USS Wasp. The carrier's AA guns shot two of the fast bombers but she was hit by seven 250Kg bombs. The rear elevator was put out of action and two port side launches were destroyed. Three bombs penetrated the deck exploding in the hanger. Several aircraft were destroyed and over 100 men were killed. The flight deck was completely out of action.

06:15 The RAF Spitfires arrived. Many of the pilots were Battle of Britain veterans. The 'big wing' rammed into a formation of He 111's shooting down eight and damaging a further six, two of which failed to make it home.

06:20 HMS Ark Royal was next to be singled out. Ju88 came in low but only four were able to fire torpedoes in her direction. One struck home, but her thick belt was more than adequate to fend off the explosion. The Anti-Aircraft cruiser HMS Centaur shot down two enemy aircraft and the 'Ark' claimed a third.

06:30 USS New York again came under attack from a squadron of Stukas. Several 500Kg bombs near missed the ship, whilst a barrage from her AA guns streaked skyward. The AA cruisers Concord and Canterbury quickly lent their support. Regardless the New York was hit with three bombs. The stern was hit twice leaving a gaping hole on the deck and the rear turret was also hit, rendering it inoperative. The Canterbury was also hit twice taking out a 40mm position and the quarter-deck.

06:40 The last of the German and Italian aircraft broke off their attacks and headed for home.
 

merlin

Lord Wyclif said:
The 'big wing' rammed into a formation of He 111's shooting down eight and damaging a further six, two of which failed to make it home.
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Surprised you used this expression. OTL Big Wing not used in Malta - it usually comprised of three to five squadrons - impractical in Malta. Besides the concept was found to be faulty, with over-claiming, time to form up, and being too late to prevent or disrupt attacks; with the only saving grace during the attack on London, they arrival broke German morale when the RAF weren't supposed to have any aircraft left - this horde arrives!
 

Lord Wyclif

merlin said:
Surprised you used this expression.
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Not a fan of Leigh-Mallory myself. But there is always someone who shouts loud enough to be heard in high places, but would’ve been more positive to keep quiet. With the BoB over quicker the next opportunity would be Operation Gymnast. Dowding out of the way (in UK) and Desert Air Force beyond his reach, Leigh-Mallory now gets his chance.
 

Lord Wyclif

07:05 Sonar contact was made with an unknown object. The destroyers HMS Partridge and HMS Penn dropped several dozen depth charges, but no hits were claimed.

As Spitfires rode shot gun the the RNAS and USN aircraft were recovered. Most of the fighters landed on the Britannia and the Triumph. The fleet was stood-down at 07:15 and many of the tired and hungry aircrews, aircraft handlers and sailors set of to the galley for Scran and a well earned tot of rum.

Syfret relieved that his fleet was still intact continued westward reported to Cunningham of the annihilation of the Italian fleet.

The fleet sailed ten miles of the African coast, thankful for the protection supplied by the RAF.

The main cause for the disaster was that the Axis had little coordination and some ships were undermanned because of earlier naval actions. Not only did the Allies have the advantage of total surprise and numbers, but the combat effectiveness of the Italians is not reflected in the number of ships lost, as one-quarter of their fleet had newly conscripted crews. The Italian crews quickly lost heart and sought safety only to be ambushed by British submarines. A total of 23 Axis ships were sunk for the loss of non of the Allied ships.

07:45 US paratroops were dropped on the airfield at Thelepte. Two platoons of the 15th Senegalese Rifle Regiment stationed there offered no resistance. The French troops reported German movement towards the city of Gafsa.
 

Lord Wyclif

08:00 The troop transport ships RMS Windsor Castle, RMS Arundel, Castle, RMS Athlone Castle, RMS Stirling Castle, RMS Capetown, HMS Glengyle, HMS Glenearn, HMS Glenroy, HMS Duke of Wellington, and the Commando Carriers HMS Majestic, HMS Magnificent, safely docked in Gibraltar. Their escorts, the heavy cruisers HMS Exeter and HMS York, the light cruisers HMS Bermuda and HMS Jamaica plus the destroyers HMS Pathfinder, HMS Partridge, HMS Penn, HMS Porcupine, HMS Puckeridge, HMAS Quiberon and HMS Vanoc anchored in the bay.
 

Lord Wyclif

09:00 HMS Ark Royal and HMS Britannia launched a flight of four Grendels each to provide a CAP.

09:15 The British 6th armoured advanced over the Messida Channel. Spearheaded with 56 Valentines inter-mixed with dozens of Dragon SPAAG's, Dragon APC's and universal carriers. No preliminary bombardment was initiated to avoid raising Axis troops that an advance was on its way. The front line of the Littorio Armour Division were quickly over ran. The 40mm 2pounder rounds were fired from the SPAAG in four round bursts forced the Italians to surrender quickly.

09:10 The 20th Armoured Brigade advanced along the southern shores of Lac Tonga.

09:30. Hurricane and Tomahawk fighter-bombers attacked the defensive line at the Mareth Line.

09:15 At the airfields of Decimomannu, Elmas, Fertilia, Milis, Oristano and Venafiorita Axis airpower prepared for a strike on the Allied fleet. Alciones, Dornier Do 217's, He 111's, Ju87's, Ju88's, Piaggio P108, SM.79 Sparvier, SM.84 bombers were bombed-up with 250 Kg armoured piercing bombs, 550Kg high explosive bombs and torpedoes. A grand total of 250 bombers warmed up. In addition a total of 98 fighters including Bf109's with Italian D.520's and Freccia's would provide an escort. On the Allied side two AS 10's provided long range radar reconnaissance. One operated 75 miles north and 25 miles forward of the fleet. The Americans provided 4 Wildcats patrolling alongside. The second, also 75 miles north and 25 miles behind the fleet. The RNAS provided 4 Gallants as escorts. Sea Hurricanes from HMS Triumph flew shot-gun above the withdrawing warships.

09:30 AEC armoured cars of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars enter unopposed the Algerian town El Aioun a few miles south of Souarekh. Following behind them were the Valentines of the 1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry.

09:50 The 1st Derbyshire Yeomanry enter Souarekh. No resistance was encountered.
 

Lord Wyclif

10:00 The American 1st Armoured Division under the command of Orlando Ward, began advancing on an eight mile wide front from Souk Ahras in a south-easterly direction. Destination the village of El Kef in Tunisia.

10:15 An AS10 aircraft received a radar reflection 65 miles north-east of their patrol area. Two Gallants were vectored to confirm visually the source of the blip.

10:20 The three British carriers plus USS Constellation began arming the fighter squadrons and preparing them for action.

10:22 The two Gallants flying at 25,000 feet reported visual sighting of hundreds of enemy aircraft flying at 17,000 feet heading in the direction of the fleet.

10:25 After advancing east out of Souarekh for three miles Italian anti-tank guns opened fire on the British vehicles. The advance was halted and the British withdrew back to the town. They left behind two damaged but repairable Valentines, five destroyed Bren gun carriers and a destroyed Dragon IFV. Another Valentine threw a track during the withdrawal. 18 men were killed and 29 were injured in the ambush.

10:32 Syfret, again requested fighter cover from Leigh-Mallory, who promised him all available Spitfires.

10:35 The leading elements of the American 3rd Armoured Division finally arrived at Batna.

10:36 HMS Ark Royal commenced launching her 21 Gallants and 17 Grendels. HMS Triumph followed suit with her 27 Sea Hurricanes several minutes later. Another 15 of the American Wildcats were also launched from the Ark. Finally at 10:45 the USS Constellation turned into the wind to launch her remaining Wildcats. HMS Britannia kept her fighters warming up on the flight-deck.

10:40 Wards 1st Armoured Division came under a sustained artillery barrage from the Herman Goering's field guns.

10:50 The first wave of Grendels attacked the massive formation of Do217's and He111's. Charging up-wards from the rear the RNAS fighters weren't spotted until the first German bombers began to explode. Attacking in this style allowed the naval fliers to remain hidden from their enemy, and the bursts of 20mm cannon rounds to enter the bomb-bays exploding their ordinance.. With the bombers tightly packed, to provide maximum fire-power up and forward, their own shrapnel tore through the skins of the accompanied aircraft. Dozens of aeroplanes were either destroyed or badly damaged, forcing many to ditch their payload and return home. With the breaking up of formation, the Gallants, Sea Hurricanes and Wildcats zoomed in picking off individual targets. The Grendels continued up-wards and engaged the Axis fighters.

10:55 The dive bombers faired a little better, but the co-ordinated concentration of AA guns forced scores to miss their targets, with many aircraft being hit. Though many bombs did land on the surface vessels, all the ships survived with minimum casualties.
 

Lord Wyclif

11:03 Two Ju88's broke through the defensive screen and attacked the Constellation. Her five inch AA were unable to protect her as four 250Kg bombs struck her aft of the island. The two stern facing DP gun positions were destroyed plus a large section of the flight-deck and the hanger.

11:08 HMS Quality drew along-side, and despite several near misses, many of the injured crew were transferred from the Constellation to the destroyer. Crewmen also manned water-pumps, hosing down the hanger and flight decks, preventing further destruction of the American vessel.

11:10 Three Stukas attacked HMS Quailty. The destroyers AA guns destroyed one aircraft on its dive. The aircraft broke up in the air showering both ships with debris. The second scored a direct hit aft of the bridge, smashing two 20mm, one 40mm gun-posts and wrecking through three decks causing massive casualties to all who were in the vicinity. The third aircrafts bomb exploded in the sea between the two warships, soaking the destroyers crew and not much else. As the pilot banked away he clipped the main mast of the carrier and went spinning to a watery grave.

11:15 German aircraft attacked the Ark Royal. With the AA cruisers Cambrian and Constance and the destroyers Eskimo, Tartar and Zulu providing support, none of the ships were hit. The British had clearly learned the hard lessons from Crete a year earlier. AA gunfire was now controlled and accurate, but, as the Germans learned, effective and fatal. Of the eight Ju87's and five Ju88's, none survived the deadly gunfire.

Of the 250 Axis bombers which set off, seven had to return to base, 26 were shot down by Allied fighters and another 22 were destroyed by AA gunfire. Of the 98 fighters that provided escorts 16 were shot down by RNAS aircraft, 8 by US Navy fighters and 11 by the RAF.

Both US carriers were put out of action, requiring several months worth of repairs at Newport News. The Battleship USS New York also needed a lengthy stay in the repair yards as did the British battleships HMS Barham and HMS Valiant. The AA cruisers Castor and Concord along with the destroyers Quality, Martin and Meteor would spend the rest of the war tied up waiting for repairs, which were never to happen.

Aircraft losses on the Allied side were 9 Gallants, 4 Grendals, 8 Sea Hurricanes, 5 Spitfires and 8 Wildcats.

11:30 The Herman Goering Panzer launched a small counter attack pushing the Americans back to Sakiet Sidi Yousset. Three M4 Shermans were destroyed along with five M3 1/2 tracks. Several trucks were also put out of action and the casualty list was eight dead and thirty-two injured.

11:50 News of the American defeat on the road to El Kef reached Patton, who renewed his race to the front line. The initial pace was short lived as break downs and shot tracks on the armoured reconnaissance regiments vehicles caused his advance to stall after only a few miles. Recovery vehicles were kept busy the rest of the day removing various units back to a hastily prepared workshop. Traffic jams were also a source of irritation as fuel trucks moved up and down the elongated convoy.

11:50 USAAF Tomahawk fighter-bombers arrived over Sakiet Sidi Yousset, from RAF Bone. For the next five minutes they strafed and bombed the leading elements of the Panzer Division. With many Panzer-Grenadiers in Opel trucks several were destroyed and surviving infantry quickly dug fox-holes to protect themselves from the aerial onslaught.

11:58 The American artillery finally began to support the forward units. A battery of 155mm guns opened fire. Without the infantry support the Herman Goering Panzer III's ground to a halt and finally withdrew leaving behind one destroyed, and four damaged tanks on the battlefield. In the mid-day heat both sides began to fortify their positions.
 

Lord Wyclif

12:10 Light infantry patrols from No. 9 RMLI began infiltrating through the scrub and forests along the N44 towards Tabarka. Throughout the afternoon over watch was provided by French D520's. The soldiers of the Littorio Armour Division were completely unaware of the Commandoes during the afternoon. From their concealed position the Marines were able to call in accurate field gun fire in the Italian FUB's. General Gervasio Bitossi called up additional AA guns, believing the French aircraft were responsible for spotting his units.

12:15 The British 44th Infantry Division formed a defensive parameter between El Tarf and Bouhadjar and the 78th Infantry from there to the American lines at Ghardimaou.

12:35 German and Italian began arriving back at their home aerodromes.

13:00 Kesslering ordered all Luftwaffe aircraft in Tunisia to abandon the futile and suicidal attacks on the British Navy, but to sortie in support of his ground forces, now under pressure from the Americans in the west and advancing French front the south.

14:00 Rommel again pleaded with Hitler to send the 10th Panzer Division, 15th Panzer Division and the 21st Panzer Division to form a mobile reserve for the 4th Panzer Army, before "they were cut off and lost in Africa in Mussolini's failed Empire."
 

Lord Wyclif

14:30 Axis aircraft sank British anti-submarine trawler HMT Jade at Grand Harbour, Malta.

15:00 The American 1st Infantry Division began to deploy between Ghardimaou and Sakiet Sidi Yousset, and Charles Mast with his Algiers Division deployed south to Ouenza. The 34th US Infantry Division under Major General Ryder and Major General Eddy's 9th Infantry formed a reserve based at Constantine.

15:15 With the aircraft only on the ground for less than 3 hours, maintenance checks were completed and although almost 200 bombers returned only 120 were fit for action. Wounded airmen were replaced with crew members from in-operable aircraft and together with 40 fighters the aircraft from Sardinia in pursuit of the fleeing armada.

16:00 Once again the AEW of the Airspeed Oxfords proved invaluable. The enemy aircraft were tracked from 150 miles out and naval fighters were vectored to intercept.

16:10 Once again the naval aircraft attacked from underneath and to the rear keeping them out of sight of not only the bombers but also the fighter escorts. The concentrated fire of the 20mm cannons ripped through the fuselages of their victims exploding the on-board ordinance. Capable of almost twice the speed of Axis bombers the Grendels wreaked havoc in their formation destroying 19 aircraft.

16:20 As the Axis fighters swooped on the RNAS fighters, the American Wildcats stormed head-on into the bombers. Their .5" HMG's riddled the bombers, casualties were high in the cabins, with many pilots and / or bombers fatally injured. Although they shot down seven bombers, the Americans lost two of their own. The Messerschmitts managed to down three of the ascending Grendels, but at a cost of nine of their own.

16:30 With their attack formations broke-up, and their aircraft scattered, the remaining German and Italian aircraft ditched their loads and returned to Sardinia, never again posing a threat to Allied shipping in the Mediterranean.

In service for just under a year, the Royal Naval Air Services Gloster Grendel had come of age. It proved to be the most advanced, most powerfully armed fighter-bomber in the world. Now with some of the most experienced, best trained and most skilful pilots on the planet, enemy aircrews feared even the very mention of it.
 

Lord Wyclif

18:00 With the sun setting behind him, Patton, in a convoy of 12 Stuart light tanks, 20 1/2 tracks, 6 Sherman tanks and two dozen lorries arrived at the Algerian town of Tebessa.

18:30 The Fleet Carrier HMS Invincible, the Light Fleet Carrier HMS Perseus, along with the battleships HMS Duke of York and HMS Howe plus destroyers USS Paul Jones, HMS Inglefield and HMS Imogen and HMS Sutlej depart from the Durham naval base.

Throughout the day, the big guns of the British 8th Army sporadically shelled the Mareth line.

With experience of Atlantic convoys in the previous war, Naval Intelligence, naval attaché in London and at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Stark instated Vice-Admiral Arthur Bristol Commander of the US Atlantic fleet.

Another 4 merchant ships were sunk by U-boats lurking of the eastern Seaboard.

Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team based in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii intercepted a Japanese Navy radio message noting that Carrier Division 5 (Shokaku and Zuikaku) were being detached from the Mobile Force for operations with the 4th Fleet in the South Pacific.

Under the cover of darkness the 11th African Infantry Division and the 50th Northumbrian Mechanised Division moved westward overland to form IX Corps with the 78th Infantry Division. Lieutenant-General Sir Francis Nosworthy and his staff were flown by two dozen Vickers Warwick's of RAF Transport Command.
 

Lord Wyclif

Major-General Eric 'Chink' Smith sat back in his chair. Slowly he sipped a mouthful of Old Bushmills. Strafer's Eight Army advanced over 1,200 miles in 154 days; an advance of 8 miles per day, without a hitch. It was a whole 3 miles per day better than the Nazis charge across the Soviet Union the previous year. While the manpower may only 25% of the Axis forces, it did involve more vehicle movements. He took another mouthful of whiskey, a 160% performance improvement. The logistical operation was all his baby, and the thanks he got; recalled by Auchinleck to Cairo with victory only a few days away, yea this was his thanks. Although the hic-up at the end of March occurred it was more in the available manpower for the tank crews and not of ammunition, food of fuel. He was also the brains behind the smooth operation of the dash from Freetown to Tatouine for the Free French Forces. And now a planned 36 hour haul, over roadless terrain of 36,000 men and over 7,500 vehicles..... Chink lifted the bottle and poured himself another glass.
 
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