Battle of Skerki Bank

Part of the Battle of the Mediterranean of World War II

The Navigatori-class destroyer Nicoloso da Recco, seriously damaged in the Battle of Skerki Bank

Date	2 December 1942
Location	near Skerki Bank, Tunisia
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
4 troopships

Casualties and losses

None²

1 destroyer sunk
1 destroyer heavily damaged
2 torpedo-boats heavily damaged
4 troopships sunk
2,033 - 2,200 killed

¹one ship in the convoy was German
²one destroyer was sunk at dawn by aircraft with the loss of 20 servicemen

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, as the last naval battle held in Mediterranean during 1942.

The British force consisted of the light cruisers HMS 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.

In the night of 2 December, a troop convoy was heading for Tunisia: the German KT-1 (850 tons), Aventino (3,794 t), Puccini (2,422 t), and Aspromonte (a militarized ferry-boat, 976 tons). The ships were carrying 1,766 troops, 698 tons of cargo (mainly ammunition), four tanks, 32 other vehicles, and 12 artillery pieces. The escort was relatively strong: destroyers Nicoloso da Recco (flagship), Camicia Nera, Folgore and the torpedo boats Clio and Procione was commanded by Captain Aldo Cocchia.

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Wikipedia