Operation Halberd

Operation Halberd
	Part of the Battle of the Mediterranean of World War II
	; An Italian torpedo bomber on fire and crashing during Operation Halberd, just beyond is HMS Ark Royal
Date	27 September 1941
Location	Southwest of Calabria, Mediterranean Sea
Result	British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom ; Netherlands ; Poland	Italy
Commanders and leaders
James Somerville	Angelo Iachino
Strength
1 aircraft carrier ; 3 battleships ; 5 light cruisers ; 18 destroyers ; 8 submarines ; 9 merchantmen ; 66 aircraft	2 battleships ; 3 heavy cruisers ; 2 light cruisers ; 14 destroyers ; 11 submarines ; 8 torpedo boats ; 130 aircraft
Casualties and losses
8 killed ; 1 battleship damaged ; 1 merchantman scuttled ; 4 aircraft destroyed	83-90 killed ; 1 submarine sunk ; 21 aircraft destroyed

Operation Halberd was a British naval operation that took place on 27 September 1941, during the Second World War. The British were attempting to deliver a convoy from Gibraltar to Malta. The convoy was escorted by several battleships and an aircraft carrier, to deter interference from the Italian surface fleet, while a close escort of cruisers and destroyers provided an anti-aircraft screen.

The Italian fleet sortied after the convoy was detected, but turned back after learning the strength of the escorting force. Air attacks by Italian bombers and fighters damaged several ships, and forced one of the merchant vessels to be scuttled. The rest of the convoy arrived at Malta and discharged their cargo.

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