Battle of the Campobasso Convoy

Battle of the Campobasso Convoy Part of the Battle of the Mediterranean of World War II Petard photographed from the aircraft carrier HMS Formidable, December 1943 Date 3/4 May 1943 Location Mediterranean off Cape Bon Result British victory Belligerents  United Kingdom  Italy Commanders and leaders Commander Deric Holland-Martin Lieutenant commander Saverio Marotta † Strength 3 destroyers 1 fleet torpedo boat 1 merchant ship Casualties and losses Light 1 merchant ship sunk 1 torpedo boat sunk 206 killed[1]

Battle of the Mediterranean Malta Club Run¹ Malta Convoys¹ Espero ¹² Mers-el-Kébir Calabria¹² Cape Spada Hurry ¹ Cape Passero¹ MB8 ¹ Taranto Strait of Otranto² White ¹ Cape Spartivento¹ Excess ¹ Convoy AN 14¹ Genoa Abstention Souda Bay Matapan Tarigo ² Crete ² Substance ¹ Halberd ¹ U-boat Campaign Duisburg ² Bon² 1st Sirte¹² Alexandria raid 2nd Sirte¹ Calendar ¹ Bowery ¹ Albumen Harpoon ¹ Vigorous ¹ Pedestal ¹ Agreement Torch Stone Age ¹ Toulon Portcullis ¹ Skerki² Olterra's campaign¹ Algiers¹ Zuwarah  Cigno ² Campobasso ² Sicily Gela Scylla ² Bastia Sinking of Roma Dodecanese Campaign Santorini Symi Cape Bougaroun¹ Port Cros La Ciotat Ligurian Sea ¹ ¹ — Involved an Allied convoy ² — Involved an Axis convoy

The Battle of the Campobasso Convoy was a naval engagement between three British Royal Navy destroyers and an Italian Regia Marina torpedo boat which took place off Cape Bon in the Mediterranean sea on the night of 3/4 May 1943. The Italians were escorting the 3,566 Long tons transport ship Compobasso to Tunisia.^[2]

Background

As the North Africa campaign neared its conclusion, HMS Petard, HMS Paladin and HMS Nubian were patrolling the waters off Cape Bon. On the night of 29/30 April, they made a sweep along the south coast of Sicily and sank a 2,000 ton merchant ship escorted by German E-boats, without damage or casualties to themselves.^[3]

A few days later Nubian Petard and Paladin from intelligence signals waited for an Italian convoy to cross their path. The Italian 3,566 ton merchant Campobasso had left Pantelleria island loaded with bombs, land-mines, motor transport and other vital supplies to the beleaguered Axis force in Tunisia; it was one of the last four convoys sent from Italy to Tunisia. The merchant was then escorted by the Italian torpedo boat Perseo soon after departure.^[4][5]

Action

On the night of 3/4 May radar on the British destroyers picked up contacts heading towards the Tunisian coast.^[4] The Italian torpedo boat Perseo using the German Metox radar picked up the emissions from the British destroyers and warned Italian high command that the convoy had been found.^[3]

All three British destroyers at once attacked targeting the Italian merchantman Campobasso. Hits were scored by 4-inch gun and "pom-pom" fire. Campobasso was hit numerous times, set alight and within half an hour tremendous and continuous explosions took place as the ammunition and bombs were ignited. The merchant sank quickly with the loss of 73 of the 103 men aboard, but Perseo responded and launched torpedoes but to little effect; the British destroyers found the range and bombarded Perseo.^[5] She was soon set on fire and exploded; sinking within sight of the last Axis stronghold with the loss of 133 of the 216 men aboard, including naval personnel on passage and her commanding officer Lt. Cdr. Saverio Marotta.^[4] Next day the Italian hospital ship Principessa Giovanna picked up 4 survivors from Campobasso (20 more men from the steamer reached the coast in a lifeboat) and 67 from Perseo. On 6 May the hospital ship was bombed and damaged by Allied aircraft, with 54 killed and 52 wounded.^[3][6]

At dusk on 8 May, as part of Operation Retribution Paladin, with Jervis and Nubian bombarded Kelibia, the most easterly point of the Cape Bon peninsula. This bombardment was repeated at dawn the next day until all Axis forces surrendered in Tunisia.^[6]

Notes

References

• Bragadin, Marc'Antonio: The Italian Navy in World War II, United States Naval Institute, Annapolis, 1957. ISBN 0-405-13031-7.
• Connell, G.G. (1994). Fighting Destroyer: The Story of HMS Petard. Crecy Publishing. ISBN 0-947554-40-8. 
• O'Hara, Vincent P. (2009). Struggle for the Middle Sea. Conway. ISBN 978-1844861026. 
• Raven, Alan; Roberts, John (1976). War Built Destroyers O to Z Classes. London: Bivouac Books. ISBN 0-85680-010-4. 
• Whitley, M. J. (1988). Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia, Volume 1988, Part 2. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-326-1.