Italian Naval Victory
At an Italo-German meeting concerning the latest British supply convoy to Malta on August 12th 1942, Kesselring refuses a request to supply air cover for an Italian naval attack. Subsequent negotiations don’t go anywhere. To resolve the issue, both sides agree Mussolini will be asked to give a deciding vote. POD Mussolini’s desire for a naval victory trumps his fear of offending Hitler and he chooses air cover for his navy over air attacks as the means to destroy the convoy.
At dawn on August 13th, the Italian 6-inch cruisers Eugenio, Montecuccoli, Attendolo, 8-inch cruisers Gorizia, Bolzano, Trieste and eleven escorting destroyers intercept the Malta-bound Pedestal convoy south of the island of Pantellaria. The remaining 6 merchant ships and the tanker Ohio are escorted by seven destroyers, the 4.5-inch cruiser Charybdis and the damaged 6-inch cruiser Kenya. The British lack aircraft for an effective attack on the Italian ships and can only engage the German aircraft providing cover.
By mid-morning, the convoy and its escorts have been sunk, the Italians losing 1 cruiser and 2 destroyers (am totally guessing as to losses). This means that Malta, with supplies of flour, fuel oil and kerosene for only 3 weeks, faces starvation and collapse. Another convoy cannot be organised in time. On September 7th 1942 Malta surrenders.
What effects? Rommel gets a bit further into Egypt? Delayed Allied North Africa victory? Irrelevant in the grand scheme?
Sources:
Shankland, P. and Hunter, A. Malta Convoy. Collins, 1961
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