Part of the
Acorn Archive
Hearts of Oak
Dad’s Diary 1941
Lt Philip
Bray R.N. [1912 –1988]
Newspaper Reports
NOT A SCRATCH ON OUR SHIPS
Our ships were the 5,270-ton cruisers Aurora and
Penelope, and the 1,920-ton destroyers Lance and Lively. Opposed to them were
two Italian 10,000-ton cruisers of the Trento class. At least four Italian
destroyers were also there. In command of our small force was 42-year-old
Captain William Gladstone Agnew, of Aurora, one of the youngest captains In the
Navy, and an outstanding gunnery expert. He Joined action at once against the
larger and more heavily-armed Italian escorts. After sinking both convoys and
sending an Italian destroyer to the bottom of the Mediterranean, our ships
returned unharmed without even a scratch off their paint. Here Is the full
story of the battle, told by the Admiralty last night ….
"Two convoys of enemy supply ships have been
annihilated in the Central Mediterranean, and severe loss inflicted on their
escorts, In a brilliant and determined action-by H.M. ships. On Saturday
afternoon an enemy convoy consisting of eight supply ships escorted by
destroyers was sighted south of Taranto by a Maryland aircraft on
reconnaissance. A patrolling force consisting of the cruisers Aurora (Captain
W. O. Agnew, R.N.) and Penelope (Captain A. D. Nicholl. R.N.), and the
destroyers Lance (Lieut-Commander R. W. F. Northcott, R.N.) and Lively
(Lieut.-Commander W. F. E. Hussey, R.N.) was directed to intercept. This force,
under the command of Captain Agnew, made contact with the enemy at about one
o'clock on Sunday morning. It was then found that the large convoy of eight
supply ships, escorted by destroyers, was being joined by another convoy
of two supply ships, escorted by two destroyers. The operation
was being covered by two powerful 10,000 ton 8-inch gun cruisers of the Trento
class. Despite the disparity of the force, Captain Agnew Immediately engaged.
Nine of the ten enemy supply ships were set on fire and sunk. One of these was
an ammunition ship, which blew up. The tenth enemy supply ship, a laden tanker
of about 10.000 tons, was left blazing furiously. This ship was seen to be
still burning ten hours later, and it is considered that she is a total loss.
Of the Italian warships, one destroyer was sunk and at. least one other
seriously damaged. One destroyer was seen to be in tow today. No casualties or
damage were suffered by his Majesty's ships in this engagement. While
returning, our ships were attacked by enemy torpedo-carrying aircraft, but the
attack was ineffective, and Captain Agnew's force has reached harbour unscathed
from this brilliant exploit."
PREMIER'S MESSAGE
The Prime Minister has sent the following message to
the Admiralty: "Many congratulations upon this most important and timely
action, which gravely interrupts the enemy's supply lines to Africa, and
impedes his long-boasted offensive against the Nile valley. Please convey my
congratulations to all concerned."
The superior tonnage and firepower of the Italian
ships compared with the British forces in the action are shown in this table:—
BRITISH
Aurora, 5,210 tons, six 6-inch guns, eight 4 inch.
Penelope, 5.270 tons, six 6-inch, eight 4 lnch.
Lance, 1,920 tons, six 4.7-Inch. Lively, 1,920 tons,
six 4.7 inch.
ITALIAN
Two Trento class cruisers, each 10,000 tons, eight 8
inch guns, 2 3.9 inch.
Several destroyers, tonnage and guns not stated.
The guns in Trento class cruisers are said to be
remarkably powerful weapons with
exceptional range. These cruisers also carry scouting seaplanes equipped
for bombing.
The Italian cruisers are also faster than the
British. Their speed is given at 35 knots,
as against 32.25 knots of the Aurora and Penelope. The Aurora, a
£1,250.000 cruiser of 5,200 tons, was launched in 1936. Her normal complement
is 450.
Captain Agnew has been 30 years in the Navy. In the
last war he served as a midshipman in the battleships Glory and Royal Oak and
was later a sub-lieutenant in he destroyer Skilful.
Italy Lost Four Destroyers
It was disclosed by Mr. A. V. Alexander, First Lord
of The Admiralty, at Liverpool on Saturday. that no fewer than four Italian
destroyers were sunk in the brilliant Mediterranean engagement fought by Capt.
W. G. Agnew in the six-inch gun cruiser Aurora a week ago. Ten laden enemy
supply ships were sunk in that same action. That engagement Mr Alexander
described as a “cross section which shows constant changing ups and downs”.
Sinks 3 More Ships
Captain W. Q. Agnew. R.N., of the cruiser Aurora—he
was awarded the C.B. recently for leading the British naval attack which wiped
out two Axis convoys in the Mediterranean—has has sunk three more enemy ships —
a supply ship, a tanker and a destroyer. The Admiralty announced last night
that on Monday morning a surface force under his command intercepted the
Italian supply ship Adriatico of 1.976 tons, laden with artillery, stores and
ammunition, in the Mediterranean. This ship was sunk by gunfire. Some survivors
were picked up. Shortly afterwards Capt. Agnew's force intercepted and engaged
the tanker Mantovan of 6,500 tons, which was escorted by the 1,628-ton
destroyer Alvise da Mosto. The destroyer and the tanker, which was carrying
about 16,000 tons of petrol, benzine and other oils, was sunk. Of the
destroyer's complement of 185, some survivors were picked up, adds the
communique.
No casualties or damage was sustained by our force.
Battered Convoy – What Axis Lost
Reuter telegraphed from Ankara on Monday: —
Six thousand Axis troops perished in the Royal
Navy’s attack on two Italian convoys In the Mediterranean on November 9,
according to information reaching high neutral diplomatic quarters. Large
quantities of badly needed ammunition for Libya also went down. The recent
resignation of General Pricolo. Italian Chief of Air Staff, is stated to have
been due to his failure to prevent the British attack in which ten Italian
ships were sunk, or to take adequate reprisals. Morale in Italy, it is said, is
very low.
German Troops Drown
Thousands of Axis Troops, going as reinforcements to
the Western Desert, and thousands ot tons of war material were lost when the
two enemy convoys were wiped out by the Navy in the Mediterranean on Sunday. Not
only did the Navy deprive the Axis of valuable men and material, but smashed a
wide gap in the " Libya Ferry, by which the enemy carried supplies to
Africa. Yesterday it was announced that
Captain W G Agnew, of the cruiser Aurora, who led the attack on the convoys,
bad been awarded, the C.B. It was also revealed that twelve, not eleven, ships
had been sunk. Britain claimed ten supply ships destroyed, and one Italian
destroyer sunk and another damaged. But yesterday an Italian High Command
communique, admitted that both destroyers were sunk. The communique stated:
“One of our convoys sailing in the Central Mediterranean was attacked on
November 9 by a British naval formation. The ships which were hit sank one
after the other. Of our escorting destroyers which attacked the British ships
with torpedoes two were sunk. A third which was hit has returned to port
without having sustained any great damage.” The communique claimed that one
British cruiser and one destroyer were hit. The British communique stated that
not one British warship was damaged nor a British sailor hurt
Raymond Forward
Thanks to Sue Twyman