Strait of Otranto - November 1940

On the night of 11th of November 1940 aircraft from HMS Illustrious attacked the Italian fleet in Taranto harbour. Simultaneously surface elements, Force X, conducted a sweep of the Strait of Otranto intending to create a diversion. Force X, under Vice Admiral Pridham-Whippel, comprised three cruisers and two destroyers. Specifically the cruisers HMS Orion, HMS Ajax and HMAS Sydney and the the destroyers HMS Mohawk and HMS Nubian. In the resulting historic action the Italians would suffer the almost complete loss of a convoy returning from Albania at the hands of Force X. 

The following is a fictional encounter based on the historical situation. The scenario assumes that instead of locating and destroying the Italian convoy Force X engages an Italian squadron, comprising two light cruisers and four destroyers, which is acting as an escort for the convoy.

The Italian cruiser Luigi di Savoia Duca degli Abruzzi historically sent to intercept Force X

The night was moonlit and the seas calm as Force X held a north-northwest course. The cruisers steamed in line astern with HMS Ajax leading the line. Behind Ajax was HMS Orion and finally HMAS Sydney. Off the starboard beam, holding a parallel course, were HMS Mohawk and HMS Nubian, both Tribal class destroyers. 

Above, a general view of Force X, while below a view of HMS Ajax and HMS Orion. Vice Admiral Pridham-Whippel flag was aboard HMS Orion.

Soon after midnight British radar detected several ships to the north moving south-west. Pridham-Whippel ordered his squadron to close the range while changing course to a north-west bearing in an effort to get across the bow of the advancing enemy. As Force X moved forward the Italian ships maintained their course - unaware of the pending threat.

The Regia Marina squadron was commanded by Antonio Legnani and comprised two light cruisers. These were the Luigi di Savoia Duca degli Abruzzi and the Giuseppe Garibaldi, with Abruzzi leading the cruisers. To port were four destroyers of the 9th Squadron, specifically Alfredo Oriani, Vittorio Alfieri, Giosuè Carducci and Vincenzo Gioberti.

Unsure of the full impact of radar Pridham-Whippel now ordered his cruisers to open fire. Soon shells began to fall ineffectually around the Italian cruisers. Below, the light cruiser Luigi di Savoia Duca degli Abruzzi is subjected to long range fire. Astern is her sistership Giuseppe Garibaldi. In the distance are two of the four Italian destroyers.

Now alerted to the enemy presence by distant gun flashes Legnani ordered his destroyers to investigate while repositioning his cruisers. With the enemy position still unclear the Italian cruisers, lacking radar, were unable to return fire. 

Soon however the range reduced and eventually in the moonlit night the Royal Navy cruisers were visible. Now with both cruiser formations closing the Italian cruisers opened fire. Both Italian cruisers concentrated their for on HMAS Sydney, who while further away, allowed both cruisers to deliver their full ten gun broadside.

Sydney was soon hit by accurate salvoes causing flooding, a severe list and significant damage to her secondary guns. Mortally wounded Sydney's crew were unable to stabilise the damage and soon the cruiser was overwhelmed.

Above, HMAS Sydney is subjected to heavy fire. Below, a general view from the Italian perspective with Abruzzi and Garibaldi, in the foreground, both under fire. The Italian destroyers can be seen advancing in line astern in the centre left.

Initially HMS Ajax had opened fire on the second Italian light cruiser, the Giuseppe Garibaldi. But with the early loss of Sydney both Ajax and Orion concentrated their fire at Abruzzi, quickly causing fires and damage to her aft main turret and secondary turrets. 

Above the cruiser action develops. Damage on the Abruzzi is rapidly increasing. The British destroyers are closing the range though conducting evasive manoeuvres and laying smoke, the last in a vain attempt to screen the HMS Orion from fire from Garibaldi. Below, a view from the British perspective. HMS Orion has a fire, denoted by the white maker.

Like HMAS Sydney Abruzzi was unable to take such punishment for long and main and secondary turrets went of-line and fires raged. The two Leander class cruisers continued to pour their fire on the Abruzzi who, like HMAS Sydney was soon overwhelmed.

While the cruisers were heavily involved the destroyers too were pressing each other. It will be recalled that the four Italian destroyers had been advancing rapidly in line astern. With each carrying a significant torpedo armament they posed a clear threat to the Royal Navy cruisers. As such Mohawk and Nubian were tasked with screening the cruisers, though outnumbered two to one it seemed an uneven fight. However, each British destroyer carried eight 4.7" guns compared to the Italian four. This heavy gun armament, when combined with the skilled crews aboard Mohawk and Nubian, meant the British destroyers held a gunnery advantage in the pending destroyer action. 

Soon British shells were finding their mark and first the destroyer Oriani and then the Carducci were lost. The Alfieri too was riddled with fire and now devoid of her guns, and her superstructure heavily damaged, was forced to break off or risk a suffer a similar fate. Unfortunately, Mohawk would soon be lost despite efforts to evade the Italian gunnery.  

Above and below, the Italian destroyers are engaged, both photos were taken earlier in the action. In Naval Thunder the splash markers are only required to mark fire by 8" guns and greater. However, we have used them to enhance the game visuals.

Both commanders were critically aware of the losses each had sustained in what had been a relatively short engagement. Indeed, each had lost a light cruiser while their remaining ships were almost all damaged. The Italian destroyer squadron had been particularly decimated. Any further action by the Italian destroyers would likely result in result in further loss. As such both Pridham-Whippel and Legnani took advantage of a natural pause in the action to disengage. 

This was our first night engagement using Naval Thunder and interestingly created a few surprises. First was the impact of radar, which was less of an advantage than we expected. We had thought it would make the game extremely one-sided. But we had failed to consider the impact of the night on accuracy, the penalties for range being doubled. The British decision to engage early was clearly a mistake as it alerted the Italians to the general location of the Commonwealth cruisers. The next observation was the increased damage done when ships were near to each other, especially cruisers. Previous actions have been conducted at slightly longer range and damage was generally more progressive. The exchanges of fire by 6" guns at short range had been particularly lethal. Finally, the impact of the tribal class destroyers gunfire on Italian destroyers was interesting. No doubt this will see a further refinement of destroyer attacks when faced with Tribal class destroyers. In summary the game was most enjoyable and certainly very enlightening.

As to the miniatures, they are all from the Navwar's 1/3000th range and are from my own collection.