"What? No AAR update?"
LOL
- Sword
Hopefully there is an Made-in-Italy product somewhere in the picture, to tie-in with the story.
-
We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
Hopefully there is an Made-in-Italy product somewhere in the picture, to tie-in with the story.
I appreciate the advice, but i've actually already finished the game; i'm writing the AAR based on some screenshots i started taking as the game progressively got more interesting.
"What? No AAR update?"
LOL
- Sword
Coming today!
1939, pt 2
Events unfolded with increasing rapidity following the formal announcement of alliance with Germany. Before the ink had even dried on the parchment, various deputies and liaison officers were shuttling back and forth over the Alps, busily integrating Axis operations, technology, and production. Though the general population of each nation may not have immediately seen it, the two nations had taken the first step towards intertwining themselves into vast European power block by the start of the 2nd week of January, 1939.
Events in the Spanish Civil War and Abyssinia notwithstanding, the two Axis partners decided that military experience should be of paramount importance for the continued future growth of their respective countries. Military officers in both Germany and Italy agreed that, in past conflicts, a noticeable drive for innovation occurs during wartime, enriching technological progress, production methodology and efficiency, and above all a veteran cadre of skilled officers better suited to training the next generation of troops. As a result, one of the first high-level meetings between Hitler and Mussolini revolved around the prospect of instigating new conflict in the immediate future.
Though advanced in many technological and organizational respects, neither country was ready for full-out war just yet. Territorial gains made during the Rhineland and Anschluss operations had provided some small-scale benefits for Germany, but something on a larger operational scale was needed to prove the mettle of the Wehrmacht. Similarly, Italy realized that its combat veterans from the Abyssinian campaign were woefully unprepared for combat against modern western armies. Realizing that his next aggressive move might (albeit belatedly) invite the wrath of the Western Allies, Hitler asked Mussolini to initiate a similar operation at around the same time; such an operation would provide for extensive observations of each other’s tactics, provide for a modicum of shared insight, and most importantly provide a larger deterrent to Anglo-French intervention; it was much more unlikely that the Allies would declare war if they had to face the combined might of both Italy and Germany simultaneously.
German Troops keep order in post-Anschluss Vienna
In accordance with his preconceived plan, Hitler chose the Sudentland as his next target. Mussolini, for his part, chose Albania; though he scarcely believed that fighting the Royal Albanian Army would be difficult, Mussolini nevertheless intended to test his military’s ability to cooperate between all branches of service; Mussolini also felt it prudent to gain experience from the top of the military hierarchy on downward to the lowest enlisted ranks while conducting a disaster-prone amphibious assault on a defended enemy beach.
With the long nights of planning and constant meetings of February and March, 1939, Mussolini had little energy to put into constructing a believable pretext for war with Albania; in the end, on the Ides of March 1939, a visibly exhausted Mussolini patched together a hastily-written and ranting diatribe from a balcony overlooking the Ancient Forum, his speech relying heavily on Romanesque themes of regional domination mixed in with perceived Albanian ‘insults’ of an indiscriminate and arbitrary nature, and punctuated with the usual rhetoric about the Italian ‘Re-Ascendance’ and placing the Albanian people in ‘protective custody.’ As the speech waned towards its predictable ending, Mussolini bent forward towards the balcony wall and gripped the coarse and gritty concrete of the balustrade with his fingers, using the support to keep his torso upright through his final exultations; looking down upon the Roman masses, the thunderous roar of applause seemed to nearly drown out his speech, and he leaned into it as one expecting to be inundated by a wave. Crescendo after crescendo of ‘Bravo!’, echoed in unison and at regular intervals, resonated through the square with an intensity that astonished Mussolini almost more than it pleased him. With his speech completed, he remained standing for several minutes, gently swaying side to side in a motion that mimicked attentiveness but belied his utter exhaustion; with his adrenaline expended, Mussolini’s thoughts briefly flittered to the possibility that, even if his people did not believe in his rationale for war, they were nevertheless certainly ready to carry it out.
Throngs fill the Roman Forum to glimpse Il Duce’s announcement of war with Albania
At the current state of Italian military affairs (and especially so at the strategic level), Mussolini believed that simplicity fostered effectiveness. Taking no chances, he sent almost his entire fleet to gather experience off the coast of Tirana, knowing full well that any friendly-fire causalities that might occur from using such a large fleet in confined waters would pay dividends further down the line as the crews learned to work together during the stress of battle. In a similar manner, since many of his African divisions would be reassigned to participate as the vanguard force in the upcoming battle, General Badoglio emphasized target identification to his corps commanders on the ground, stressing that “we could be a greater danger to ourselves than the Albanians.” Altogether, seven Italian divisions would participate in the attack, spearheaded by 40th Corps’ Infantry divisions (which would return to Africa after the cessation of combat operations) and followed up by a permanent garrison force of 3 divisions, which would provide rear-area security and cavalry brigades to root out any possible partisans that would mobilize in the mountainous interior of Albania. Acting under secret orders received from Mussolini personally, the garrison commander had orders to improve infrastructure and to stockpile more supplies than necessary in case ‘potential future operations in the Balkans necessitate an increase in Italian troop strength.’ Total Albanian strength, including naval infantry brigades, enlisted police battalions, and front line infantry regiments, was estimated to be less than a single full-strength division.
Battle Plan
Albanian soldiers await the Italians at a camp near Vlore
Battleships Andrea Doria, Conte de Cavour, Giulio Cesare, and Ciao Duilio arrived on station near the harbor entrance of Tirana shortly before dawn on 2 April, 1939, plowing through the early-morning chop approximately 6 miles offshore. Heavy Cruisers Zara and Pola took up flanking positions on either side of the battleship line and one mile further inland, anticipating a sortie by the nascent Albanian fleet, though no one really expected the Albanians to conduct an operation that would amount to little more than a suicidal charge. The new battleship Vittorio Veneto, taking advantage of its much longer range afforded by its 15cm main battery, was positioned further to seaward and parallel to the main battleship line, and would fire over the closer-in battleships. The lighter cruisers and destroyers provided close-in protection for the transports arriving from the northern Adriatic as they maneuvered southeast towards the Albanian coast; these ships would also provide direct artillery for troops once onshore, as opposed to the heavier fire from the capital ships, who’s more destructive yet imprecise firepower was directed towards larger strategic targets like coastal fortifications, supply depots, and large troop concentrations.
RM Zara leaving port
Vittorio Veneto fires her main battery
The short voyage from Taranto left much more room than normal for ammunition stowage, and the Italian gunners conducted themselves like they would be punished for bringing any of it back to port. Starting at first light, a withering, ceaseless barrage pummeled the Albanian beaches and further inland, eradicating everything in gigantic swaths radiating out from Tirana. Giant plumes of dirt and soil, mixed with mangled machinery and shattered concrete, rose into the dim Balkan morning, showering the landscape with the grim detritus of war. Shells detonated everywhere along the coast with a ferocity and intensity never before seen in war; many structures in the capital simply ceased to exist, atomized from direct hits or even from near misses. Fires raged unchecked through the picturesque countryside, and the smoke of burning forests soon blanketed the entire region like an amorphous, opaque shroud. Within minutes, communications and travel to and from Tirana was severed.
Albanian infantry observe the Regia Marina’s massive firepower from the safety of a ridge overlooking the Adriatic
Fortunately for the Albanians, causalities were relatively light, or lighter than the Italians expected, given the massive amount destruction caused by the naval bombardment. Fully expecting the might of the Regia Marina to preface any attack, most Albanian units were parceled out into small units in a wide geographic area, with many units holed up in bunkers. Lucky shots destroyed a few bunkers on occasion, but given the colossal volume of firepower unleashed, most would agree that it could have been far worse for the soldiers. Civilians, on the other hand, endured the carnage in much bleaker circumstances.
A featureless wasteland greeted the invading Italians
Storming ashore with an eager fanaticism borne of overconfidence, Italian amphibious assault troops were altogether disappointed by the lack of resistance they encountered on the beaches. With only scant causalities during the precarious unloading maneuvers in the gentle surf, the 40th Corps’s infantry regiments advanced according to plan; occasionally, they ran into stunned defenders who were, more often than not, willing to surrender without a fight. Other pockets, perhaps angry over the utter devastation wreaked on their homeland during the 4 hour naval bombardment, fought pitched battles, many of which were ended by even more bombs, this time from the aircraft of the Regia Aeronautica as the front line troops called in their bombers to deal with stubborn enemy strongpoints.
Italian amphibious troops storm ashore into the smoke from the naval bombardment
Free from enemy harassment and veiled by thick plumes of smoke, the Italian transports were able to disgorge their troops and supplies quickly and efficiently. 2nd wave troops advanced through the holes in the line created by the initial wave, with the result that ruins of Tirana were surrounded by nightfall on the 2nd day of combat. By this point, King Zog had had enough; a formal surrender was telegraphed to the 40th Corps commander General Gariboldi sometime after midnight on 4 April, 1939.
Albanian Royal Guard stands down following King Zog’s capitulation
Mussolini awoke on the 4th April to receive the news that his forces were victorious. Donning a plush white robe, he strolled from his bedroom into his salon to read the reports from his various commands; the news was all good, minimal casualties, decent communication between naval, air, and land forces, few incidents of friendly-fire…King Zog and his entourage were prisoners and were on their way to Rome aboard the Cruiser RM Pola. Everything had proceeded according to plan.
Perhaps it was because his operation was overshadowed by the much more high-profile and successful Sudentland incident the previous day, or perhaps it was because of the news of his shamefully merciless bombardment of Albanian civilians had brought condemnation from the world press, but something about his victory left Mussolini with the unmistakable feeling of emptiness. Was it the hollow military victory? Was it the realization that winning a battle did not prepare his forces for winning a war? Was it because he was slipping ever-closer to a major war against the Allies for his senseless act of unjustifiable aggression? Was he having second thoughts about creating a resurrected Roman Empire after all? Nausea swept over Il Duce and he quickly sat down in the nearest chair; his mind swirled with questions and fears while cold beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
Was he doing the right thing? Is war really what he wanted for his people?
Moments passed. Mussolini mulled over possible reasons why he would all of a sudden doubt himself.
Like a scientist trying to eliminate the impossible so as to arrive at possible, he methodically pondered his predicament. He realized that he needed to frame his emotions in the form of a question, so that he could attempt to figure out why his Albanian adventure distressed him so menacingly. After a few minutes of thought, eyes closed and dwelling intensely, he came up with the answer: “Need more data.”
Last edited:
Yeah, but you didn't hear the things the Albanians were saying about the Italians...terrible, hurtful things...
That was the idea! 1939 can be rather tedious at times;since i'm not giving you all a lot of action right now, figured the least i could do is provide gripping insight into the frayed mind of the Il Duce!
Last edited:
The italian operation sure looks like an overkill on little albania... but it shows readiness for bigger battles ahead!
The italian operation sure looks like an overkill on little albania... but it shows readiness for bigger battles ahead!
The Italians have to be ready. Not everyone is a pushover Albanian.
1939, pt. 3
A glorious golden dawn broke over Rome on 5 April, 1939. A celestial fire burned in the eastern sky, driving storm clouds westward before it.
After a fitful sleep the night before, Il Duce awoke feeling ragged and exhausted. Willing his aching body out of bed, he shuffled over to one his apartment’s eastern windows and flung open the shutters; the melodic whine of scooters threading their way through Rome’s serpentine streets and alleys rushed into Mussolini’s bedroom. The sunrise was surprisingly well advanced, and the city was already bustling with activity. Il Duce cursed himself audibly; he had overslept.
Of all the revelations Mussolini had made the night before during his tormented slumber, the only one he remembered the following morning was a pledge he had made to himself to not rest on his laurels; if he had indeed pushed his country over the precipice towards total war, then he would endeavor to fling himself into his work that much more. He would work tirelessly to make sure that his country, nay, his Empire, would survive, even flourish. Thus motivated, the dictator turned from the window and purposefully marched towards the anteroom directly beyond his bedroom, still attired in his cotton nightshirt and robe, who's white gleam stood in stark contrast to his bloodshot eyes.
Upon opening his door, he literally walked into no less than a dozen glowering ministers and advisors, men who stood with a restrained yet revered silence, fermenting an atmosphere rife with a palpable desperation to be heard. Apparently, Mussolini’s restless slumber was common knowledge, for no one wanted to be the first to speak, despite the collective urgency. Slowly recovering from the shock, Mussolini busily tried to collect himself, mumbling curt apologies to no one in particular while trying to rear himself to full height and project the maximum amount of prestige that an old man in an untied bathrobe can muster.
After several uncomfortable moments of staring, Mussolini finally addressed the closest man standing; as luck would have it, the nearest man was Foreign Minister Ciano, who informed him of the developing situation.
In brief, it seemed that Italy’s erstwhile allies in the north had come under attack following their successful occupation of the Sudentland. Armed forces from Great Britain, France, and other Allied nations had stormed Germany’s Westwall during the night of 4 April, acting in league with their new Polish allies, who feared that they would be the next target on Hitler’s wish list of territories. Due to Italy’s alliance with Germany, Ciano explained, Italy was in a de facto state of war with the Western Allies as well.
Details on the Allied attack on Germany, as well as briefs on Italian readiness, would follow shortly, but for now Mussolini’s immediate priority was to don appropriate attire for what was going to be the longest day of his life.
Italians learn that war has been declared on them
The rest of the morning transpired in a blur for Mussolini; he learned quickly that one of the principle drawbacks of being the ultimate decision maker in an Empire is that everyone needed direction that only he could give. Most of the morning involved doling out orders to the various army and navy commands ranged throughout the Mediterranean. Status reports on Germany’s defense of her western border arrived hourly, as did information on Germany’s unexpected yet initially-successful conflict with the Poles in the east.
For his part, Mussolini’s forces were well prepared for hostilities; most of the front line troops that had participated in the Albanian operation had safely offloaded in Benghazi during the night, which meant that the Italians once again held a marked quantitative advantage over the British in the North African theater. Badoglio’s three divisions in Tripoli (61st Infantry division Sirte plus 2 new cavalry divisions) were also expected to have superiority to the local French troops on the Tunisian frontier. Most of the rest of the Army was safely billeted in numerous Alpine bunkers along the French border; their strong defensive position in the mountainous region between Turin and Marseilles meant that any Allied frontal assault would be forced to maneuver in the narrow valleys of the few mountain passes.
Typical topography of the Piedmont region of NW Italy
As things settled down somewhat in the late afternoon, Mussolini was approached by General Mario Roatta, chief of the SIM (Servizio Informazioni Militari), who casually herded Il Duce over to a relatively quiet corner of the room. Mario, having been relieved of his command duties following a string of Italian defeats during the Spanish Civil War (notably at the Battle of Guadalajara), had been reassigned to head Italy’s Intelligence and Espionage efforts in the Mediterranean and had meet with some success in intercepting and deciphering various Allied diplomatic transmissions. Mussolini was slightly perturbed by Mario’s request for a short audience in the middle of a battle-planning session; though he was impatient to return to the generals in the planning room, however, Mussolini also knew that he was running on a potent mixture of espresso and adrenalin following a poor night’s sleep, and he felt that giving Roatta a few minutes couldn’t hurt anything. If anything, it might give him a few minutes to disconnect from the world and recharge himself for the doubtlessly long night to come. He had come to despise Roatta’s monthly briefings on the mundane world of signal intercept technology, and he wondered briefly if his intelligence chief knew that he could sleep with his eyes open.
Il Duce could not have been more surprised, or pleased for that matter, with what General Roatta revealed. Speaking in hushed tones so low that Mussolini himself was hard pressed to detect, Mario admittedly that SIM had a direct intelligence source inside the British 8th Army headquarters in Alexandria; the source had proven reliable enough over the past few months to base contingency plans upon its information, plans that were even now being put into effect. According to Roatta, the Italian 5th and 10th Armies would have detailed information on British troop concentrations, armor locations, supply depots, and air assets.
Mussolini could not believe what he was hearing. If this phantom source was indeed true, it would fundamentally change the balance of the coming war in North Africa. He asked Roatta for more details on the alleged source, and learned that the supplier of the information was actually the US military attaché to the British Army in Egypt, who’s cipher had been broken by Italian Intelligence; US Major Bonner Fellers had been tasked by the Americans to observe and report on British training and operations in North Africa, and his daily reports to Washington DC were deciphered and relevant data transmitted to Bagodlio’s North African Theater HQ in Tripoli every morning. The cipher had been stolen from the American Embassy in Rome in an operation led by General Cesare Ame, who was able to steal the code book from its safe, copy it, and return it before its disappearance was noticed.
Major Bonner Fellers, US Military Attaché to British 8th Army and unwitting source of intelligence for the SIM
Unable to restrain his excitement, Mussolini abruptly bolted from Roatta mid-sentence and marched directly into the planning room. Looking down at a map of the North African theater, he pointed at the plastic counters representing the 6 infantry corps there and pushed them all towards the east with his forearm. Leaning back, the other generals and ministers in the room could see that the Italian Army counters in North Africa was now positioned on top of the border with Egypt and Cyrenaica. Wide eyed, many of the other men in the room just stared at him, aghast—for many seconds, there was no sound in the room as everyone looked from the map to Mussolini, and then back to the map. Finally, Chief of Staff Alberto Pariani loudly cleared his throat and asked Il Duce what his timeframe was for this ambitions operation.
“One week” was his reply.
Mussolini orders the Blackshirts forward
Last edited:
Interesting developments ! The British will soon face defeat in Egypt.
Operations designed to take Gibraltar and Malta should be planned as well.
Concerning the scooters, I think that before the first Vespa (1946 IIRC) they were not that common in Italy, but I could be wrong.
Oh and btw it's Il Duce not El Duce.
Operations designed to take Gibraltar and Malta should be planned as well.
Concerning the scooters, I think that before the first Vespa (1946 IIRC) they were not that common in Italy, but I could be wrong.
Oh and btw it's Il Duce not El Duce.
A good update. I just have one question:
They had scooters in 1939?
Absolutely! Though i will concede that they were not nearly as prolific then as they are now, the first motorcycles were developed in the late 1800s, and scooters followed soon thereafter, though the quintessential Piaggio Vespa scooters were a post-war development. (However, i may have been a little influenced in this regard by my trips to Italy over the years, as the ceaseless droning of moped armadas are one of the most distinctive sounds i recall, which i why i wanted to include them in this story).
Italian scooter/motorcycle manufacturers during this time included Benelli, Frera, Della Ferrera, and Bianchi. An interesting history of Italian motorscooters can be found here
My god i am an idiot...
Let's pretend that I never made such a asinine mistake (after i go back and edit every single post in this thread, of course).
yes, to say that i have plans for the Suez would be an understatement...
No problem at all.
Errare humanum est.
Very interesting document concerning the Scooters btw !
No problem at all.
Errare humanum est.
Very interesting document concerning the Scooters btw !
Thanks for noticing as early as you did, though--i'd hate to see that 40 pages in and then have to go back and change them all!
Glad you liked the article; until i read that, i had no idea that Vespa's were a post-war invention.
Me either until about 2 weeks ago.
Thanks; my goal is to find (as authentic as possible) historical pictures that haven't been used that often (or at all) in other AARs. needless to say, there's aren't that many out there that meet that criteria, but i think i'll surprise you all with a few every now and then.
1939 pt 4
Hybrid Italian/German MAS Torpedo Boats prowl the Adriatic in the opening hours of the war
Oblivious to the concurrent maneuvers of their Army comrades, the Regia Marina had been ordered into action in the early hours of 5 April, 1939. Grand Admiral Domenico Cavagnari had sortied the 9a Squadra di Marina under Admiral Campioni out of Taranto, with orders to patrol the eastern approaches of the Adriatic and report on any allied expeditions from the great port of Alexandria. Similar orders were given to the 5a Squadra in Palermo (to patrol the Maltese coast) and to the 1a Squadra out of La Spezia (to counter any French movements from the port of Marseilles). All 3 squadrons consisted of light, fast ships appropriate to the mission of detection first and fighting second; all of the older battleships and heavier cruisers were kept in port, while destroyers, light cruisers, and new ships capable of 25+ knots were exclusively deployed.
Vice Admiral Inigo Campioni’s force consisted of two of the newer heavy cruisers (RM Pola and RM Zara), the new (32 + knot) battleship Vittorio Veneto, three light cruisers (RM Abruzzi , RM Garibaldi, and RM Montecuccoli), six destroyers, and four MAS (or “Motoscafo Armato Silurante”) fast torpedo boats. Air cover was provided by 2 groups of naval bombers (SM.79 Sparviero bombers) of the 9a and 30a Stormo (Wing) flying from Taranto. Campioni’s ships represented the latest in Italian technology; his light cruisers were newer, faster, fired heavier shells to a greater range, and were better armored than their British counterparts, and his new battleship had performed well during the bombardment of Albania during the previous week and possessed a prototype radar as well. But perhaps the biggest surprise in Campioni’s arsenal was his MAS torpedo boats, only recently completed by the Ansaldo shipworks in Genoa and representing the first major joint enterprise to be concluded with Italian and German collaboration since the inception of the Axis Alliance.
Ansaldo comprised engineering expertise with ship and armored vehicle manufacturing
With refinements beginning immediately after Italy joined the Axis in early 1939, MAS boats combined the best aspects of the innovative German E-boat hull design with the proven performance of the excellent Italian outboard motors. In an effort to showcase the cooperation between the two fascist nations, a complete E-Boat was transported overland to Genoa in early January 1939; Italian designers and engineers at Ansaldo were surprised to learn of the exotic layering of materials that went into the E-Boat’s composite hull construction (consisting of alternating layers of exotic and lightweight wood, aluminum composites, and other denser types of wood), which gave the craft considerable flexibility in different sea conditions while also providing surprising strength and durability. Most impressive of all the discoveries, however, was the German revelation of the so-called “Lürssen Effect,” which was created by adding small outboard rudders to a specially-cantilevered hull. The addition of these rudders created an air pocket in the wake of the craft at high speed that decreased drag, increased speed, decreased noise, increased fuel economy, and reduced overall visibility of the stern wake, all highly-desired aspects for a stealthy coastal patrol craft.
Side view of MAS Boat 451, emphasizing the craft’s low visibility and small size
Before the collaboration, E-Boats using three 1,000 HP BMW engines were routinely achieving 40 knots in calm seas; Italian MAS boats utilizing high-performance Isotta Fraschini engines were somewhat faster but less reliable. As a result, the combination of the best traits of the two types of torpedo boats resulted in (after a few months of trial and error) a remarkable final product that, despite a few nagging issues could cruise at almost 45 knots and was almost 10-15 knots faster than anything the Allies could field at that time. Velocity of that magnitude was a defense all its own; nothing on water could hope to catch a MAS boat, and aircraft (if they could even see it against its sea grey paint scheme and low silhouette) would find them a frustratingly nimble target. Despite all of their advantages, however, MAS Boats (and E-Boats) were light-skinned and lightly-armed vessels; as a result, they were confined primarily to night missions against convoys (in which they would typically loose their pair of torpedoes and then return to base at flank speed) and to operations in calm seas (as rough chop reduced their speed dramatically). Though typically armed with light AA armament, MAS boats would not last long in a straight-up fight against real warships, and instead preferred combat against slow, unescorted convoy freighters.
A MAS Boat makes a high speed turn
Eager to employ his new weapons, and somewhat hampered by his torpedo boats relatively short range (one of their primary drawbacks), Campioni selectively interpreted his ‘patrol’ orders to mean more of a ‘vigorous search and destroy’ order as his fleet swiftly plowed into the moonlit Southern Adriatic. Campioni surmised that the British would act in a similar manner, perhaps sending a few light ships to reconnoiter the Adriatic and Aegean Seas while attempting to discern the Italian’s presence in the area. He expected no more than a few destroyers and perhaps a few light cruisers, accompanied by a few submarines, but nothing more substantial than that.
It came as a rude shock, then, when the might of the combined British Mediterranean Fleet was spotted steaming northwest by reconnaissance planes from the Vittorio Veneto early the next morning, 6 April. As Campioni and the bridge crew listened intently to alternating periods of barely-stifled yelling and intermittent static, the recon pilot reported a vast armada consisting of at least 3 battleships, 4 heavy cruisers, numerous destroyers and corvettes, and, safely nestled in the middle of them all lied the brand-new aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious, steaming directly for 9a Squadra at 21 knots.
HMS Illustrious was the newest aircraft carrier in the world, only recently completed the previous month and still technically undergoing sea trials before final commissioning. Built with an emphasis on survivability and with practical defenses for defending against air attack, Illustrious was the first British carrier to incorporate an armored flight deck (3”- 4” thick), eight dual-mount 4.5” AA guns, and armed to the teeth with up to 50 aircraft of varying types.
Worse for the Italians, scout planes from the Illustrious had already spotted the 9a Squadra and radioed her position to British Admiral Cunningham’s flagship, as the northwesterly-patrolling British planes launched that morning had the benefit of flying with the rising sun at their back, illuminating the Italians while concealing their own presence. Though the fleets were still separated by over 200 miles of open water, Campioni only had time to sound for general quarters before the first British planes appeared on radar, headed directly towards 9a Squadra and only 30 miles away.
Albacore search planes launch from the Illustrious early on the 6th
Vittorio Veneto, which had been deployed for less than a year, was the only ship in the Regia Marina to possess a functional radar; as such, Campioni had selected her as his flagship before the mission began, and he immediately set about preparing his ships for the coming battle. His first action was to alert Admiral Cavagnari in Taranto to provide a situation report and request immediate air assets. Unfortunately for the Italians, due to Campioni’s rapid advance into the Adriatic the night before, he was beyond the range of friendly fighter cover. Belying this bad news, however, Cavagnari informed Campioni that he had already redirected 30a Stormo naval bomber wing, which had launched at dawn to scout the Peloponnesus Coast, to immediately change course towards the battle area. With the SM.79’s large fuel stores, 30a Stormo’s aircraft would have the range to reach the area where the naval action was anticipated to take place.
A group of SM.79 Naval Bombers swing southward towards the British Fleet
By 9:00 sunlight had filled the Mediterranean basin, and the opposing fleets, now well aware of each other’s presence, steamed ever closer towards each other. It what would later come as quite a surprise to both captains, however, the opening salvos in the upcoming battle would not be launched by ships, but by aircraft; though they had the benefit of launching their fighters first, the slow speed of the HMS Illustrious biplane naval bombers (notably Fairey Swordfish and Albacores) allowed the quicker SM.79’s of 30a Stormo to cover the gap and intercept them before they could reach the Italian Fleet. In the ensuing melee, aircraft ill-equipped for air-to-air combat slogged it out as best they could, knowing that the victor would have the greatest chance of affecting the outcome of the coming naval battle.
The Fairey Albacore torpedo bombers (right) were the mainstay of British Fleet Air Arm naval attack squadrons. The new Fairey Fulmar’s (left) represented the latest in British monoplane design.
British Admiral Cunningham, unaware of Vittorio Veneto’s patrol plane and anticipating a devastating first strike upon the (so he thought) unsuspecting Italians, had sent aloft almost his entire contingent of strike aircraft. 14 Albacores, 12 Swordfish, and 6 Fulmars for air support had been launched at dawn from the Illustrious and (1 each) from each of his three battleships (HMS Warspite, HMS Valiant, and HMS Barham). Cunningham knew that the Regia Marina did not have an aircraft carrier, and he justified his decision to only send along minimal fighter cover to the fact that he was initiating combat so soon after dawn, and that land based interceptors would not have time to reach the battle before its conclusion. Flying northwest in chevrons of 4 aircraft at around 140 knots, the British planes split into 2 main attack groups when they were 6 miles from the Italian Fleet and made to attack them on their flanks from both the east and west.
The prominent ‘hump’ and formidable defensive armament of the Sparviero is apparent in this flight of 2 SM.79 Naval Bombers from 229 Squadriglia, preparing to descend on the British naval bombers
Nine miles away and 5,000 feet above, the SM.79’s of 30a Stormo arrived on station just as the British bombers split in two to make their attack run. Mimicking the division of their opponents, the lumbering Italian bombers themselves split into 2 groups, each tailing one of the British formations unbeknownst to their prey . With the advantage of height, surprise, and firepower, the Sparvieros plunged earthward into the slow moving British biplanes from above, machine guns blazing in all directions, as they scythed through the unsuspecting British.
Though unaccustomed to air superiority missions, the SM.79’s were nevertheless in an ideal situation; their planes were too fast for the British gunners to target, and the canvas wings and unarmored engines of the British biplanes were easy targets for their five machine guns. During their initial plunge through the level British formation, 30a Stormo shot down 7 total British bombers; as their hapless companions knifed into the sea, trailing long spirals of dark smoke, the balance of the British raiders broke formation, some pulling up, others barrel-rolling at oblique angles, and others simply reversing course in the crazed maelstrom. None of them had time to fire on the Italian fleet. Leveling out after their initial dive, the Sparvieros arched gracefully around to make a second pass; on this second run, the Italian pilots were more cognizant of their markedly superior firepower, and they lazily stalked individual targets, either destroying their targets with their forward firing guns or lumbering alongside and opening up terrific broadsides from their lateral gun ports. In all cases, the British bombers were at a terrible disadvantage; only the monoplane Fulmars, whose top speed nearly matched the SM.79’s, had any chance of thwarting the relentless Italian onslaught, and they were too few to deter the slaughter.
A British Fulmar is destroyed by marauding Italian bombers
Scarcely 15 minutes after the fight began, the remaining British aircraft were all in full retreat; though the survivors dispersed at all altitudes and courses to discourage pursuit, the Italian destroyers had no interest in pursuing obsolete aircraft and exhausting their fuel reserves. 30a Stormo, having shot down 24 aircraft of all types, and more importantly, preventing the Italian fleet from a serious aerial attack, regrouped for their belated attack on the British fleet. Though their losses were light (only 2 aircraft damaged, which had to return to Taranto), the remainder were now low on fuel and nearly out of machine gun ammunition. Compounding their fuel shortage was the cumbersome weight of their 2 external 450mm torpedoes, which lowered their overall fuel economy and limited maneuverability. The flight commander therefore ordered his 16 remaining planes to attack en masse, with their primary target to be the HMS Illustrious; the carrier would need to be taken out or disabled in order to ensure that the Italians would maintain air superiority in the coming battle, as it would take several hours for 30a Stormo to return to base to rearm and return to the battle area, a long period for a fleet to go without air cover.
HMS Illustrious steams northwest to recover the survivors of the air battle
By this time, the British Mediterranean Fleet lied approximately 30 miles southeast of the 9a Squadra. Nearing the maximum range of their endurance, 30a Stormo’s bombers had only a few short minutes to prepare for the assault, and in the end, due to the wide area that they had covered during the pursuit of the British aircraft, the SM.79s were forced to attack in two different waves of 8 aircraft each. The first wave attached from the west; the British, forewarned by radar emplaced on many of their picket destroyers, were ready for this move, and had positioned most of their light cruisers in an arc that protected Illustrious from attack in this direction. As a result, most of the torpedoes launched were dropped prematurely or (owing to nearby AA fire) at the wrong angle and simply fell into the sea; of the 4 torpedoes that were dropped straight and level, poor aim and frantic maneuvering on the part of Illustrious prevented any damage to the carrier. Three SM.79’s were lost to the intense flak barrage as well, and the remaining five bombers immediately dashed north back towards Taranto.
The first 30a wave’s assault resulted in several successful launches, but no hits on any British Ships
The 2nd wave of 30a Stormo, coming in just a few minutes after the first wave, availed itself to a British fleet that was concentrating in the wrong direction. Approaching from the east, the bombers dove in low and line abreast, skimming the wavetops at 65 feet. Protecting the right flank of the British fleet were the 3 battleships and several light destroyers; the anti-aircraft power of these ships was not nearly as prolific or accurate as the light cruisers on the left flank, and many of the older battleship guns would not depress low enough to even fire on the approaching Italian bombers. Though the light cruisers HMS Cairo, Colombo, and Centaur belatedly tried to take position on the right flank, furiously steaming directly through the center of the armada in an attempt to reach Illustrious in time, they were simply too far out of position to arrive in time to affect the 2nd strike. Though a lucky strike from a 4”AA gun on the heavy cruiser HMS Cornwall destroyed one of the approaching bombers, the remaining seven continued their run and released their ordinance as intended.
30a Stormo initiates its torpedo run against HMS Norfolk
Fourteen torpedoes snaked their way underwater towards the Illustrious as the Italian bombers soared upwards and away from the intensifying British AA fire. Released from their heavy ordinance, the SM.79’s became much more nimble, and they climbed steadily northwards as the flak gradually dissipated behind them. From the rear turret of the trailing bomber, huge explosions could be seen and heard below; 4 torpedoes had smashed into Illustrious’ port side, another had blown a 40 foot hole into HMS Norfolk, and 2 more had torn into the destroyer HMS Fury.
HMS Illustrious reels from 4 torpedo hits delivered by 30a Stormo
Fires raged throughout the empty hanger decks of the Illustrious, and oily plumes of putrid black smoke bellowed skyward as seawater poured into enormous gashes in her port side; the great ship began listing almost immediately, and the growing tilt was only minimally compensated by flooding opposite compartments on the starboard side of the hull. Lying unconscious on the floor of the bridge, Admiral Cunningham’s contorted body lied crumpled in a corner of the room, several jagged pieces of glass from the bridge windshield (blown apart by the concussive force of the torpedo impacts) threatening to sever arteries in his neck and legs. He was in better shape than most of the bridge crew, however; most of the other officers had been killed outright during the quick succession of torpedo impacts. Equally unfortunate, HMS Fury had been obliterated by simultaneous torpedo explosions, and HMS Norfolk was dead in the water, afloat but effectively out of action. Damage control teams thought Illustrious could still be saved, but she was drifting without power and, due to the listing of her flight deck, could not deploy or recover aircraft.
HMS Fury ceases to exist
As they passed back over the Italian fleet on their way back to Taranto, 30a Stormo’s commander radioed to Campioni that the British Fleet was now without air cover, and ‘missing’ a few other ships as well. Campioni acknowledged the message but remained pensive for several moments afterwards, considering his options.
Thanks to his land-based aircraft, he had dodged a particularly nasty bullet in neutralizing the British advantage in airpower; Italy would be best served by utilizing their superior speed and withdrawing from the battle area, content with the significant damage to the British Mediterranean Fleet that they had caused yet still cognizant of the powerful British firepower advantage arrayed by their heavier battleships and cruisers.
However, he could press his advantage, taking advantage of the no-doubt confused mess that would now be gripping the British following the loss of their flagship and (perhaps, he thought) even their commander as well…
A nearby aide, perplexed by the Admiral’s curious silence, coughed lowly in Campioni’s direction, as if to ask what his new orders were.
Several more minutes passed, and then, ever so subtly, a wry, thin smile corkscrewed up Campioni’s face as he said “Flank speed, course bearing 155.”
Would the loss of HMI Illustrious even the odds?