Battle of Skerki Bank

Battle of Skerki Bank
Part of the Mediterranean Theater of World War II
Destroyer Nicoloso Da Recco, of the Navigatori class, seriously damaged in the battle of Skerki Bank
Date 2 December 1942 Location near Skerki Bank Result Allied victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom Australia	Italy Germany¹
Commanders and leaders
C. H. J. Harcourt	Aldo Cocchia
Strength
3 light cruisers 2 destroyers	3 destroyers 2 torpedo boats convoy of 4 ships
Casualties and losses
no ships lost	1 destroyer sunk 1 destroyer heavily damaged entire convoy sunk
¹one ship in the convoy was German

The Battle of Skerki Bank was a World War II naval battle which took place near Skerki Bank in the Mediterranean Sea on the early hours of 2 December 1942 between British and Italian forces.

The British force consisted of the light cruisers, HM Ships Aurora, Argonaut and Sirius and the destroyers HMS Quentin and HMAS Quiberon. The squadron was under the command of Rear Admiral C. H. J. Harcourt. They attacked an Italian convoy bound for Tunisia and its escort of three destroyers and two torpedo boats. The Italian escort composed of the destroyers Da Recco (flagship), Camicia Nera, Folgore and the torpedo boats Clio and Procione was commanded by Captain Aldo Cocchia. In the course of the battle the Folgore and the entire convoy were sunk; the other two destroyers received heavy damage. The British lost no ships during the battle itself, although HMS Quentin was torpedoed and sunk by German aircraft the following morning.

External links

• Convoy Battle near Skerki Bank