Battle of Cape Passero (1940)

The Battle of Cape Passero (1940), was a naval engagement in the Second World War between the British light cruiser HMS Ajax (22) and seven torpedo boats and destroyers of the Italian Regia Marina, south-east of Sicily, in the early hours of 12 October 1940. It took place in the aftermath of a British supply operation to Malta.

Background
In October 1940, the Mediterranean Fleet mounted Operation MB 6 to Malta from Alexandria. The convoy had four cargo ships escorted by two anti-aircraft cruisers and four destroyers. The screening force was led by Vice-Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham in his flagship, HMS Warspite (03) and included three other battleships, two aircraft carriers, six cruisers and 16 destroyers. The only remarkable incident during the convoy was some damage to the destroyer HMS Imperial (D09) when she ran into a minefield. The merchantmen had reached their destination on 11 October, bad weather until then having prevented the intervention of the Italian Fleet. An aircraft spotted the returning ships shortly after they had left Malta and Ajax had been detached from the other cruisers for a scouting mission.

Prelude
The Italian commander—Admiral Inigo Campioni—ordered a force of destroyers to Cape Bon, in case the British warships were going to Gibraltar. In Campioni's view, it was too late for the Italian battleships and cruisers to operate against the convoy. A flotilla of four destroyers ITALIAN DESTROYER Artigliere, ITALIAN DESTROYER Camicia Nera, ITALIAN DESTROYER Aviere and ITALIAN DESTROYER Geniere with the torpedo boats ITALIAN TORPEDO BOAT Ariel, ITALIAN TORPEDO BOAT Alcione and ITALIAN TORPEDO BOAT Airone was, patrolling between 35° 45' N and 35° 25'N, about 3 nmi apart, in full moonlight.

Torpedo boat action
At 01:37, Ajax was sighted by Alcione, steaming eastward, 19600 yd away on the port side. At 01:48, the three torpedo boats were closing the British cruiser at full speed, the British unaware of the approach. At 01:57, Alcione fired two torpedoes from a range of 1900 yd. Captain Banfi, commander of the Italian formation, ordered the flagship Airone to open fire on the cruiser with her 100 mm guns, followed by her sister ships. Two rounds hit the bridge and the third 6 ft below the waterline.

Ajax realised she was under attack and opened fire on the nearest torpedo boat—Ariel—while at full speed. Ariel was shattered by the salvos and sank twenty minutes later, although she may have been able to fire a torpedo. Captain Mario Ruta, his second in command, and most of the crew were killed. Airone was the next Italian ship to be hit. She managed to launch two torpedoes before being disabled, catching fire almost immediately, her bridge and upper deck machine-gunned by Ajax at short range. She sank a few hours later. Banfi was among the survivors. Then Alcione—the only Italian warship undamaged—broke contact at 02:03.

Destroyer action
After manoeuvring during the fighting, Ajax resumed course to the eastward. At 02:15, her fire-control radar detected two Italian destroyers, whose commander—Captain Carlo Margottini—had sighted the firing from the south. A radio malfunction had prevented Margottini from attacking in full strength, when three of his destroyers had headed north-west, instead of north as ordered. Aviere was battered by a sudden broadside from the British cruiser, forestalling a torpedo attack and was forced to withdraw southwards, severely damaged. Artigliere managed to fire a torpedo and four full 120 mm gun salvos at 2800 yd before being hit and crippled. The torpedo missed but four rounds struck two of Ajax's secondary gun turrets, destroyed her port whaler and disabled her radar. After firing at Camicia Nera and missing, Ajax broke off the action. She had fired 490 rounds of different calibres and four torpedoes. Thirteen of her ship's company had been killed and 22 wounded, while the cruiser required a month of repairs before she returned to service.

Artigliere—with her commander and most staff officers killed—was taken in tow by Camicia Nera. They were surprised at first light by the cruiser HMS York (90), which drove off Camicia Nera before sinking Artigliere with a torpedo. The survivors were rescued the next day by the Italian Navy.

Aftermath
This action had been the Regia Marina's first experience of the superior skill and equipment of the British in night actions. The extensive use of star shells, searchlights and incendiary rounds by the British had to be countered for the Italians to close the technical gap. They also suspected that the British had radar. The Italians concluded that

"Every progress in this field will be of paramount importance and perhaps the most important element to organise will be to co-ordinate the employment of searchlights and flares shells from the outset of the action."

The Italians concluded that poor Italian air surveillance had prevented a quick reaction by the Italian heavy units, handing the tactical advantage to the British of avoiding contact in unfavourable conditions.