Im seperating the Actions. ***updated 6/10/2010***
Operation Harpoon (1942) Skirmish
East
British Forces: Force X
HMS Cairo (D87): C-class - light cruiser
HMS Bedouin: Tribal-class, destroyer
HMS Marne: M -class, destroyer
HMS Matchless: M -class, destroyer
HMS Ithuriel: I –Class , destroyer
HMS Partridge: C –Class , destroyer
HMS Blankney: Hunt Class Escort Destroyer
HMS Badsworth: Hunt Class Escort Destroyer
HMS Middleton: Hunt Class Escort Destroyer
ORP Kujawiak: Hunt Class Escort Destroyer
(6) MGB’s
Merchantmen
Troilus: Cargo ship -from Britain
Burdwan: Cargo ship -from Britain
Orari: Cargo ship-from Britain
Tanimbar: Cargo ship- from Holland
Chant: Cargo ship- from the USA
Kentucky: Tanker - from the USA
Italian Forces: 7th Division
RM Eugenio di Savoia: Condottieri class - light cruiser
RM Raimondo Montecuccoli - Condottieri class - light cruiser
RM Alfredo Oriani: Oriani Class destroyer
RM Ascari: Soldati Class Destroyer
RM Ugolino Vivaldi: Navigatori class Destroyer
RM Lanzerotto Malocello: Navigatori class Destroyer
RM Premuda: The Dubrovnik (later Premuda and TA 32) was a destroyer built for the Yugoslav
2x Ju 87: dive-bombers
3x Ju 88: bombers
3x SM.79: torpedo-bombers
Background
Harpoon left Gibraltar on the 12th June 1942, comprising six merchantmen (Troilus, Burdwan and Orari from Britain; Tanimbar from Holland and the Chant and the tanker Kentucky from the USA) carrying a total of 43,000 tons of cargo and oil. They were escorted by an anti-aircraft cruiser (HMS Cairo), nine destroyers, a fast mine-layer (HMS Welshman[3]) and smaller ships. Distant cover was provided by the battleship HMS Malaya, aircraft carriers HMS Argus and Eagle, cruisers HMS Kenya, Charybdis, Liverpool and destroyers
The first Italian air attacks, on the 14th, sank one freighter, the Tanimbar, south of Sardinia (torpedo-bombers SM.79). The cruiser HMS Liverpool was damaged and towed back to Gibraltar by HMS Antelope, under aerial attacks, arriving there on the 17th. Later on the 14th June, the covering force also returned to Gibraltar, just before the Strait of Sicily.[5] On the same day, the fast minelayer HMS Welshman was detached and traveled to Malta alone, where she delivered some cargo, then sailed back to strengthen the convoy's escort on the 15th.
Next day, the 15th, the now lightly defended convoy was subjected to a coordinated attack, near Pantelleria, by Axis aircraft and the ships of the Italian 7th Division (cruisers Raimondo Montecuccoli, Eugenio di Savoia and destroyers Ascari, Oriani, Malocello, Premuda and Vivaldi), commanded by Vice-Admiral Alberto da Zara.
The five fleet destroyers in the convoy escort made a smokescreen and attacked the Italian squadron but the Tribal class destroyer HMS Bedouin and the P class destroyer HMS Partridge were hit by gunfire from both Italian cruisers and disabled. In return, the Italian destroyer Vivaldi was struck by her British counterparts and caught fire, but was taken in tow and saved by the Malocello and the Premuda.[6] Then both fleets broke the engagement.
The end of SS Kentucky, in flames after being hit by a 6 inch salvo from Italian Cruiser Montecuccoli. Later she was torpedoed and sunk by the destroyer Oriani.
Three more merchantmen (the 10,000 ton tanker Kentucky, Chant and the freighter Burdwan) were disabled by air attack, abandoned and later sunk by gunfire and torpedoes from the Montecuccoli and the destroyers Ascari and Oriani. The Chant had already been sent to the bottom by aerial bombs when the Italian squadron found her still smoldering wreckage site.
The cruiser HMS Cairo and the minesweeper HMS Hebe also received hits from Italian gunfire.]
Partridge was recovered and even tried to tow Bedouin, but then the Italian cruisers with two destroyers reappeared; the tow was cast off, leaving the Bedouin adrift.
Partridge managed to withdraw and head back for Gibraltar, but Bedouin, already shattered by at least twelve 6" shells plus several near misses and listing heavily, was finally sunk by aerial torpedoes. Twenty-eight of her crew died and more than 200 were taken POWs
Another Regia Marina 7th Division victim: The crippled destroyer HMS Bedouin was finished off by an aerial torpedo from a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 bomber.
In the evening of the 15th, the surviving ships ran into a minefield off Malta. Two destroyers HMS Badsworth and Matchless and another freighter (Orari) struck mines there and were damaged, while the Polish destroyer (ORP Kujawiak) sank after midnight.
Just two of the original six merchantmen reached Malta, the Orari and Troilus, the former losing some of her cargo due to the mine explosion. HMS Hebe also struck a mine and suffered further damage, but after a month in dry dock she was seaworthy again.
Operation Harpoon (1942) Skirmish
East
British Forces: Force X
HMS Cairo (D87): C-class - light cruiser
HMS Bedouin: Tribal-class, destroyer
HMS Marne: M -class, destroyer
HMS Matchless: M -class, destroyer
HMS Ithuriel: I –Class , destroyer
HMS Partridge: C –Class , destroyer
HMS Blankney: Hunt Class Escort Destroyer
HMS Badsworth: Hunt Class Escort Destroyer
HMS Middleton: Hunt Class Escort Destroyer
ORP Kujawiak: Hunt Class Escort Destroyer
(6) MGB’s
Merchantmen
Troilus: Cargo ship -from Britain
Burdwan: Cargo ship -from Britain
Orari: Cargo ship-from Britain
Tanimbar: Cargo ship- from Holland
Chant: Cargo ship- from the USA
Kentucky: Tanker - from the USA
Italian Forces: 7th Division
RM Eugenio di Savoia: Condottieri class - light cruiser
RM Raimondo Montecuccoli - Condottieri class - light cruiser
RM Alfredo Oriani: Oriani Class destroyer
RM Ascari: Soldati Class Destroyer
RM Ugolino Vivaldi: Navigatori class Destroyer
RM Lanzerotto Malocello: Navigatori class Destroyer
RM Premuda: The Dubrovnik (later Premuda and TA 32) was a destroyer built for the Yugoslav
2x Ju 87: dive-bombers
3x Ju 88: bombers
3x SM.79: torpedo-bombers
Background
Harpoon left Gibraltar on the 12th June 1942, comprising six merchantmen (Troilus, Burdwan and Orari from Britain; Tanimbar from Holland and the Chant and the tanker Kentucky from the USA) carrying a total of 43,000 tons of cargo and oil. They were escorted by an anti-aircraft cruiser (HMS Cairo), nine destroyers, a fast mine-layer (HMS Welshman[3]) and smaller ships. Distant cover was provided by the battleship HMS Malaya, aircraft carriers HMS Argus and Eagle, cruisers HMS Kenya, Charybdis, Liverpool and destroyers
The first Italian air attacks, on the 14th, sank one freighter, the Tanimbar, south of Sardinia (torpedo-bombers SM.79). The cruiser HMS Liverpool was damaged and towed back to Gibraltar by HMS Antelope, under aerial attacks, arriving there on the 17th. Later on the 14th June, the covering force also returned to Gibraltar, just before the Strait of Sicily.[5] On the same day, the fast minelayer HMS Welshman was detached and traveled to Malta alone, where she delivered some cargo, then sailed back to strengthen the convoy's escort on the 15th.
Next day, the 15th, the now lightly defended convoy was subjected to a coordinated attack, near Pantelleria, by Axis aircraft and the ships of the Italian 7th Division (cruisers Raimondo Montecuccoli, Eugenio di Savoia and destroyers Ascari, Oriani, Malocello, Premuda and Vivaldi), commanded by Vice-Admiral Alberto da Zara.
The five fleet destroyers in the convoy escort made a smokescreen and attacked the Italian squadron but the Tribal class destroyer HMS Bedouin and the P class destroyer HMS Partridge were hit by gunfire from both Italian cruisers and disabled. In return, the Italian destroyer Vivaldi was struck by her British counterparts and caught fire, but was taken in tow and saved by the Malocello and the Premuda.[6] Then both fleets broke the engagement.
The end of SS Kentucky, in flames after being hit by a 6 inch salvo from Italian Cruiser Montecuccoli. Later she was torpedoed and sunk by the destroyer Oriani.
Three more merchantmen (the 10,000 ton tanker Kentucky, Chant and the freighter Burdwan) were disabled by air attack, abandoned and later sunk by gunfire and torpedoes from the Montecuccoli and the destroyers Ascari and Oriani. The Chant had already been sent to the bottom by aerial bombs when the Italian squadron found her still smoldering wreckage site.
The cruiser HMS Cairo and the minesweeper HMS Hebe also received hits from Italian gunfire.]
Partridge was recovered and even tried to tow Bedouin, but then the Italian cruisers with two destroyers reappeared; the tow was cast off, leaving the Bedouin adrift.
Partridge managed to withdraw and head back for Gibraltar, but Bedouin, already shattered by at least twelve 6" shells plus several near misses and listing heavily, was finally sunk by aerial torpedoes. Twenty-eight of her crew died and more than 200 were taken POWs
Another Regia Marina 7th Division victim: The crippled destroyer HMS Bedouin was finished off by an aerial torpedo from a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 bomber.
In the evening of the 15th, the surviving ships ran into a minefield off Malta. Two destroyers HMS Badsworth and Matchless and another freighter (Orari) struck mines there and were damaged, while the Polish destroyer (ORP Kujawiak) sank after midnight.
Just two of the original six merchantmen reached Malta, the Orari and Troilus, the former losing some of her cargo due to the mine explosion. HMS Hebe also struck a mine and suffered further damage, but after a month in dry dock she was seaworthy again.