This is a very interesting revisiting of the battle of cape matapan. Under the command of vice admiral pridhamwippell, the cruisers hmas perth, hms orion, hms aajax, and hms gloucester, then patrolling in the aegean sea, was ordered to a point off gavdos island south of crete to protect troop convoys bound for greece. Media in category battle of matapan the following 6 files are in this category, out of 6 total. The cape is on the southwest coast of the peloponnesian peninsula of greece. The consensus is that, as a result of the discussions held during the conference, the gaudo and matapan operation was conceived to placate the germans pressing demands. The cape is on the southwest coast of the peloponnesian. Matapan is a card game simulating the battle of cape matapan, which took place in march 1941 between italian regia marina and english royal navy. It was from this aircraft that flight lieutenant a lywood, reported the italian fleet movements leading to the battle of cape matapan, while flying out of scaramanga on 2728 march 1941.
The battle of cape matapan, although only a week ago, has dropped into history. She was built in the oto shipyard at livorno and entered service in 1932. Naval battles of the twentieth century by hough, richard, 19221999. Matapan was a startling and dispiriting wakeup call for all those who, based on the actions off calabria and sardinia, had harbored the illusion that the regia marina was able to fight the royal navy on.
Hms formidable was an illustriousclass aircraft carrier ordered for the royal navy before the second world war. For the cost of one fighter aircraft and three crew, the british had destroyed three heavy cruisers, two destroyers, caused over 2,000 casualties and captured over 1,000 prisoners. In fact, operation gaudo, a plan to sweep the royal navy from the waters surrounding crete, was intended to demonstrate, after a number of onesided encounters, that the italians were. The game design is and highly playable, yet one that portrays the historical challenges facing the combatants. A scenario set for the battle of cape matapan, 28th march 1941. Formidable s aircraft played a key role in the battle of cape matapan in early.
The british victory at the battle of cape matapan was a resounding success. The deteriorating military situation in africa and greece in 1941, however, made it clear that some offensive response by the regia marina was necessary if these theaters were to remain viable for the axis powers. It separates the messenian gulf in the west from the laconian gulf in the east. What links here related changes upload file special pages permanent link page. He then slowly dissects the battle in handy blocks of time including a section on the taranto raid which sets much of the tone. British and italian navies, admiral ab cunningham, vice admiral pridham. The cape is on the southwest coast of greeces peloponnesian peninsula.
The battle of cape matapan was a second world war naval engagement between british and axis forces, fought from 2729 march 1941. Various cus of 15 inch shells as they are loaded aboard. The queen elizabeth class battleship mounted eight 15 guns in twin. This was the case for radar shortly after the battle, for code breaking during the seventies, and for the evidence collected by mattesini in il giallo di matapan, revisione di giudizi the matapan mystery. The minecraft project, battle of matapan, was posted by endooo.
Stations manned and ready 2nd edition battle of cape. A copy of stations manned and ready, 2nd edition, is. Bombs falling astern of hms ark royal during an attack by italian aircraft during the battle of cape spartivento photograph taken from the cruiser hms sheffield. In fact, operation gaudo, a plan to sweep the royal navy from the waters surrounding crete, was intended to demonstrate, after a number of onesided encounters, that. Oct 27, 2019 admiral sir andrew cunningham was a key leader in the royal navy during world war ii. The naval battle of matapan took place on 19 july 1717 off the cape matapan, on the coast of the mani peninsula in southern greece, between the armada grossa of the republic of venice, supported by a mixed squadron of allied ships from portugal, the papal states and malta, the ottoman fleet, under kapudan pasha egribozlu ibrahim pasha. The battle of cape matapan 27th29th march 1941 from. Socrates battles battle of delium, 424 bc battle of amphipolis, 422 bc volume 1 is 14. Here is a memento to the ships and people that were lost in the battle of cape matapan. Iachino commanded a cruiser squadron in the battle of cape spartivento in 1940, and after the battle of taranto became an ammiraglio di squadra vice admiral and commanderinchief of the regia marina. The game design is and highly playable, yet one that portrays.
Lately ive spent some time translating a short memoir of a survivor of the italian heavy cruiser pola, sunk in 1941 during the battle of cape matapan. Battle of cape matapan, 2729 march 1941 weapons and warfare. Andrew cunningham admiral andrew cunningham world war ii. The following 6 files are in this category, out of 6 total. Introduction if one looks at the battle of matapan as part of a broad canvas, it may be likened to the central segment of a triptych, the complementary parts of this picture are.
Jun 06, 2012 the eldest was the heroic hms warsipte commissioned in 1915 and a veteran of the battle of jutland and numerous actions during the second world war including the slaughter of the german destroyers at narvik, the battle of cape matapan and the invasion of sicily and italy. Prior to the battle of matapan, the warspite picks up her swordfish floatplane on the run. The trafalgar of the mediterranean, mark simmons explores the remarkable victories of taranto and matapan, as seen through the eyes of the men who manned the ships and flew the aircraft of the mediterranean fleet. He again commanded the italian battle fleet in the battle of cape matapan 2629 march 1941, which resulted in the biggest defeat ever suffered by the regia marina. In the fighting, the british lost 3 killed, while the italians lost 3 heavy cruisers, 2 destroyers, and over 2,400 dead. Various shots of italian prisoners of war mostly sailors in enclosure on desert. The battle of cape matapan march 2729, 1941 mediterranean fury. The new order from reflects these prices however, not all webpages may not have these price changes displayed yet.
Solitaire games for those who want to quickly search for those types of games. The naval battle of matapan took place on 19 july 1717 off the cape matapan, on the coast of the mani peninsula in southern greece, between the armada grossa of the republic of venice, supported by a mixed squadron of allied ships from portugal, the papal states and malta, and the ottoman fleet, under kapudan pasha egribozlu ibrahim pasha. The naval battle of matapan took place on 19 july 1717 off the cape matapan, on the coast of the mani peninsula in southern greece, between the combined naval forces of venice, portugal, the papal states and malta and the ottoman fleet, under kapudan pasha egribozlu ibrahim. Admiral sir andrew cunningham was a key leader in the royal navy during world war ii. Description of the encounter in 1941 between the royal navy and the. The navy lost a number of opportunities during the early part of the war to deal heavy blows on british naval forces but were dealt significant defeats at the battle of cape matapan and the british naval air strike on the major italian naval base at taranto, an action which helped inspire the imperial japanese navy to attack pearl harbor. The battle summary is a full account and draws on the action from both sides. Naval warfare associated with the siege of sevastopol 12.
Battle of cape matapan, mediterranean fleet, march 1941. There are brief summaries of the british carrier air attack on the italian fleet at taranto, cape spartivento, crete, and. The record that follows is an extract from my fathers diary, chief petty officer watkins, and is his own personal interpretation of the battle and his feelings whilst on board the famous australian destroyer hmas stuart during the battle of matapan. Mar 16, 2015 the british victory at the battle of cape matapan was a resounding success. Opening rounds battle of midway battle for guadalcanal battle of north cape battle. The first occurred on 19th july 1717 when a mixed force of fiftyseven ships and galleys, spanish, portuguese. It was called mare nostrum our sea by benito mussolini and his fascist stalwarts, but the italian navy, or regia marina, still understood it was an open question as to who would rule the mediterranean in 1941. Successful results for british at battle of cape matapan aka akra tainaron, greece. He led the navy in the battles of cape matapan march 1941, first sirte december 1941 and second sirte march 1942. The pola was a zara class heavy cruiser of the italian regia marina. Royal australian navy gun plot hmas stuart ww2 battle of. Cape matapan is the southernmost point of mainland greece, and the second southernmost point in mainland europe.
World war ii european theater battle of cape matapan. The battle of matapan 1941 by mark simmons overdrive. Beginning on august 1st, prices for several games have changed. Alternatingly, each player turns over one of his and one of his opponents cards. The battle of cape matapan a story from the cruiser pola. Diedos 24 sailing ships met up with pisanis 24 galleys and maltese leader belle fontaines 9. The battle of matapan took place o the western coast of crete on 29th march 1941 and involved the australian ships hmas perth and hmas stuart. The cabinet papers battle of cape matapan, east africa and greece. Mediterranean fury the battle of cape matapan march 2729, 1941 game design.
As today is the anniversary of this battle, i thought it could be interesting to share it here. There is a deal of humming and hawing about the naming of the. Doubtless there were pressures, not necessarily for an operation of such broad scope, but more in general to spur the regia marina to take on a more aggressive stance in the. The consequences of the battle if matapan can be called that were heavy in terms of losses, but heavier still in psychological terms. The battle of cape matapan gave the britain a naval victory in greece but german forces soon overran the country forcing out the british expeditionary force. Download pdf center for strategic and budgetary assessments. The eldest was the heroic hms warsipte commissioned in 1915 and a veteran of the battle of jutland and numerous actions during the second world war including the slaughter of the german destroyers at narvik, the battle of cape matapan and the invasion of sicily and italy.
Cape taenarum in classical antiquity was the site of the city of taenarum, ancient greek. The most decisive engagement between surface ships in the mediterranean during world war ii was undoubtedly the battle of cape matapan 27 29 march, 1941. By clive sharplin associate member the sea fight of the second world war known as the battle of matapan was actually the second of that name to occur in naval history. Various lss of hms warspite from dinghy approaching the ship. Stations manned and ready 2nd edition battle of cape matapan. Admiral cunningham, in every signal, had referred to it as matapan, and so the admiralty, days later, announced that the battle was officially to be known as the battle of cape matapan.
During the march 28, 1941, battle of cape matapan, british admiral andrew b. Naval battles of the twentieth century internet archive. In the battle the british lost three airmen the crew of one torpedo bomber, while the italians lost three heavy cruisers, 2 destroyers and over 2,400 dead. May 21, 2016 here is a memento to the ships and people that were lost in the battle of cape matapan. The battle of cape matapan naval historical society of. Curiously enough news of the fight, flashed all over the world, referred to it as the lonian sea battle. Battle of matapan the naval battle of matapan took place on 19 july 1717 off the cape matapan, on the coast of the mani peninsula in southern greece, between the combined naval forces of venice. The author clearly places both navies in their contemporary contexts, and explains what they hoped and intended to achieve. The battle of cape matapan was a decisive victory for the royal navy and gave it control of the eastern mediterranean until the fall of crete in june. She was named after the battle of cape matapan between the royal navy and the regia marina, and which ended in a decisive victory for the rn force, resulting in the destruction of three cruisers and two destroyers of the italian navy and was a heavy blow to the italians, coming only. After being completed in late 1940, she was briefly assigned to the home fleet before being transferred to the mediterranean fleet as a replacement for her crippled sister ship illustrious. Orders of battle battle of cape matapan battles of the. Revised judgments, which belies or in any case sheds a different light on admirals iachinos and fioravanzos writings, in the eighties. Hms matapan d43 was a later or 1943 battle class fleet destroyer of the royal navy rn.
Bruce yearian two, 11 x 17 maps 420 singlesided unit counters one, 6page rule book. Under the command of vice admiral pridhamwippell, the cruisers hmas perth, hms orion, hms aajax, and hms gloucester, then patrolling in the aegean sea, was ordered to a point off gavdos island south of crete to protect troop. The 75th anniversary hms ajax and the battle of cape matapan. The battle of cape matapan was a second world war naval engagement between british. Hms renown underway at speed in the mediterranean, and firing a salvo from a and b turrets during the battle of cape spartivento. Media in category battle of matapan the following 6 files.
Minchilli was not present at matapan, but he was able to speak with some of the survivors off the alfieri, the ship toscano commanded, on which he had previously served as war correspondent. She was sunk in the battle of cape matapan 29 march 1941 during world war ii history edit after intensive peacetime activity, at the start of the second world war the pola was made the flagship of admiral riccardo paladini, commander. Matapan article about matapan by the free dictionary. The battle of cape matapan is a wargame simulation on the naval action that occurred near crete during world war ii. Pack and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. This set provides the necessary ship data sheets to fight the above battle. Leading the mediterranean fleet, andrew cunningham won numerous victories over the italian navy. Thus the battle of cape matapan was a decisive victory for the royal navy and gave it control of the eastern mediterranean until the fall of crete in june. Cunningham decided once and for all who would be master of the. Cape matapan, east mani, laconia, peloponnese region, greece. The attack at taranto us naval war college digital commons. Made first sea lord in 1943, andrew cunningham oversaw the royal navys operations for the remainder of the conflict. Battle of jutland battle of river plate battle with the bismark battle of cape matapan battle of the south china sea battle for the pacific.
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