词条 | Operation Scylla |
释义 |
|conflict = Operation Scylla | partof = the Battle of the Mediterranean of World War II |image = RM-ScipioneAfricano.jpg |image_size = 300px |caption = Italian light cruiser Scipione Africano at Taranto |date =17 July 1943 |place = Strait of Messina |result = Italian victory |combatant1 = {{flag|United Kingdom}} |combatant2 = {{flagicon|Italy|1861}} Italy |commander1 = {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Dennis Jermain |commander2 = {{flagicon|Italy|1861}} Ernesto Pellegrini |strength1 = 4 motor torpedo boats |strength2 = 1 light cruiser |casualties1 = 1 motor torpedo boat sunk 2 motor torpedo boats damaged 12 killed |casualties2 = 1 light cruiser damaged 2 wounded |campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Mediterranean Naval WW2}} }}Operation Scylla (Italian: Operazione Scilla) was a successful Italian Navy attempt to transfer the light cruiser Scipione Africano from their bases in the Tyrrhenian Sea to Taranto, in the Ionian Sea, during the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943, in the course of World War II. The operation is notable for the night engagement between the Italian cruiser and four British motor torpedo boats during the passage of the strait of Messina, in the early hours of 17 July 1943. The action also marked the only time that an Italian warship made an effective combat use of surface radar in World War II.[1] The missionAfter the Allied landings in Sicily, and in anticipation of an eventual blockade of the strait of Messina by American and British naval forces, the light cruiser {{ship|Italian cruiser|Scipione Africano||2}} was ordered to Taranto to remedy the lack of fast cruisers in the Ionian Sea. The codename of the mission was "Operation Scylla".[2] The Italian cruiser departed from La Spezia on 15 July 1943 bound for Naples, which she reached the same evening, shadowed by a British seaplane. At Naples, Scipione Africano embarked an air liaison team and Metox equipment. She sailed again at 18:15 on 16 July and entered the Messina straits at 2:00 on 17 July,[3] with a full moon rising from the south.[4] Some days before, on the night of 12 July, British motor torpedo boat MTB 81 had sunk the German submarine U-561 in the northern approaches of the straits.[5] Night actionAt the same time she reached the straits, Scipione Africano, which had installed an EC-3 ter Gufo search radar,[4][5] spotted four small vessels lying 10,000 mt ahead, between Reggio di Calabria and Cape Pellaro, initially misidentified by the Italian commander, captain Ernesto Pellegrini, as friendly motor barges. A closer look to the maneuvers of the leading vessel at 2:13 convinced Pellegrino that the craft were actually hostile motor torpedo boats, and the captain ordered to increase speed from 24 to 30 knots.[2][6] The motor boats were four British Elco motor torpedo boats from the 10th MTB flotilla based on Augusta: MTB 260, MTB 313, MTB 315 and MTB 316. According to the flotilla's commander, lieutenant Dennis Jermain, who was onboard MTB 315: "I was caught completely napping. We were lying with engines stopped two miles south of Messina, in a flat calm with a full moon silhoutting us nicely. (...) We never dream that a cruiser wil be able to get down there unseen through our patrols." Jermain gave the alarm and ordered the other boats to start up and scatter.[7] Jermain's mission was to intercept Axis landing craft and E-boats. With no time to make signals, Jermain moved MTB 315 to the east, leaving two boats for each side of Scipione Africano. Jermain plans were to make a feint with MTB 315 to attract the attention of the cruiser and leave the other boats in a better position for attack.[7] Meanwhile, captain Pellegrini had turned his ship to 200 degrees, heading to a point between the second and the third motor boats, namely MTB 313 and MTB 316.[6] Scipione Africano The next boat to receive the Italian attention was MTB 316, only 50 yards away from Scipione Africano AftermathAfter her eventful passage into the Ionian Sea, Scipione Africano reached Taranto the same day at 9:46.[9] From 4 to 17 August, she laid four defensive minefields in the Gulfs of Taranto and Squillace along with the old light cruiser Luigi Cadorna.[10] The day after the Cassibile armistice was made public, Scipione Africano escorted the corvette Baionetta in her task of transporting the new head of government General Pietro Badoglio, his cabinet and the Italian Royal Family from Brindisi to Malta. During the embarkment, she had to fight off a number of hostile aircraft.[4] The morning after the action, the remains of sub-lieutenant McKim were buried at sea off Augusta. No traces of MTB 316 and her crew were ever found by friendly forces.[11] The following night, another motor torpedo boat, MTB 75, was hit and seriously damaged by shore batteries in the straits of Messina, while on the evening of 19 July, an unidentified U-boat was depth-charged by British small units and had a narrow escape off Reggio di Calabria.[7] See also
References1. ^{{Cite book|title=Warship nº 5|last=Preston|first=Anthony|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|year=1978|isbn=|location=|pages=155|quote="The only occasion when Italian radar was used effectively by the units was on the night of 17 July 1943, when Scipione Africano encountered four English motor torpedo boats."|via=}} 2. ^1 Andò, Edoardo (1994) Incrociatori leggeri classe "Capitani Romani". Albertelli, pp. 80-81. {{ISBN|978-88-85909-45-8}} {{it}} 3. ^Greene & Massignani (1998), p.290 4. ^1 2 Ricordi di battaglia e di vita vissuta a bordo di Scipione by Ludovica Monarca. Il Tirreno, 23 July 2011 {{it}} 5. ^Baroni (2007), p. 187 6. ^1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Scipione: posto di combattimento" by Maurizio De Pellegrini Dai Coi {{it}} 7. ^1 2 3 4 5 6 Pope, Dudley: Flag 4: The Battle of Coastal Forces in the Mediterranean 1939-1945. Chatham Publishing, 1998, pp. 121-123. {{ISBN|1-86176-067-1}} 8. ^1 2 {{Cite web|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1943-07JUL.htm|title=Royal Navy casualties, killed and died, July 1943|website=www.naval-history.net|access-date=2016-07-09}} 9. ^1 Greene & Massignani (1998), p. 291 10. ^Cocchia, Aldo (1966). La Marina italiana nella seconda guerra mondiale: La guerra di mine. Ufficio Storico della Marina Militare, p. 397 {{it}} 11. ^1 2 3 Reynolds, L. C. and Cooper, h. F. (1999) MTBs at War. Sutton Publishing, pp. 71-72. {{ISBN|9780750922746}} Bibliography
7 : Conflicts in 1943|Naval battles of World War II involving Italy|Naval battles and operations of World War II involving the United Kingdom|Italian naval victories in the battle of the Mediterranean|1943 in Italy|Friendly fire incidents of World War II|July 1943 events |
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