Operation Bowery
Encyclopedia
Operation Bowery was an Anglo-American operation in World War II
to deliver Spitfire
fighter aircraft to Malta
("Club Runs"
). The aircraft were desperately needed to bolster the island's defence against strong Axis
air raids.
, in which the American aircraft carrier USS Wasp
had flown off 48 British Spitfire
fighters to Malta
to bolster its air defences. Aircraft, support personnel and airfields were inadequately prepared, however, and the enemy were forewarned of the aircraft's arrival. The aircraft had, consequently, been destroyed by heavy air attacks after their arrival on Malta. A repeat delivery (Operation Bowery) had been planned and its success had become even more critical.
USS Wasp returned to Glasgow
on 29 March 1942, where she loaded 47 Spitfires Mk VcSpitfires Mk Vc included modifications to streamlining which yielded a small but useful improvement, despite the added drag of a tropical air filter. at King George V dock
at Shieldhall
. The condition of the aircraft was no better than it had been for Calendar; the essential long-range fuel tanks still fitted badly and, consequently, leaked. Wasps captain, Reeves, refused to continue loading until the fault had been fixed on some tanks and then agreed to perform the remaining work with his own personnel. This fault had been notified to the British authorities as it had affected Calendar and its recurrence was a serious embarrassment.
Wasp and her escorting force (Force W) sailed from Scapa Flow
on 3 May. A further 17 Spitfires, delayed from previous "Club Runs", were transported by HMS Eagle
, which joined Force W on 7/8 May from Gibraltar.The combined force consisted of (from Scapa) USS Wasp, battlecruiser HMS Renown
, cruiser HMS Charybdis
and destroyers USS Lang
and Sterett
, HMS Echo
and Intrepid
; and (from Gibraltar) HMS Eagle and destroyers HMS Ithuriel
, Partridge
, Westcott
, Wishart
, Wrestler
, Antelope
, Salisbury, Georgetown and Vidette
On 9 May 1942, 64 Spitfires were flown off USS Wasp and HMS Eagle (61 arrived). One aircraft and its pilot was lost on takeoff. Another mistakenly dropped its auxiliary fuel tank after takeoff and, now incapable of reaching friendly territory, returned to Wasp.
HMS Welshman
had been riskedChurchill had commented that ".. we may well lose this ship ... but in view of the emergency ... there appears to be no alternative". on a high speed run to Malta, carrying, apart from food and general stores, 100 spare Merlin
aircraft engines and RAF ground crews trained on Spitfires. She was disguised as a French destroyer (Léopard
) and travelled independently of the main Bowery force. Welshman was intercepted and inspected twice by German aircraft but maintained a peaceful appearance and was accepted as non-belligerent; a Vichy
seaplane and shore station were less easily convinced but she continued to Cape Bon and Pantellaria, finally reaching Malta at sunrise on 10 May. She unloaded amidst the mayhem of the 10 May air raid (see below) and was damaged by falling debris. Despite this, she left Valetta on the same evening, arriving back at Gibraltar on 12 May.
On Malta, lessons had been learnt from the disaster of Operation Calendar and detailed preparations had been made to get the Spitfires airborne before they could become targets. On arrival, aircraft were dispersed into protected areas and rapidly refuelled and rearmed - one within six minutes of landing - and the newly arrived fighters were airborne, with fresh, experienced pilots, over Malta awaiting the air raid intended to destroy them. In the resulting melée, the Italian formation (CANT
bombers escorted by MC.202 fighters) was seen off and 47 German aircraft were destroyed or damaged, for the loss of three British.Sources are unclear whether German and Italian losses are separately totalled or combined.. This air battle (sometimes dubbed the "Battle of Malta") abruptly ended daytime bombing of Malta.
The defenders, further reinforced by more aircraft deliveries during May and June and aided by the transfer of Luftwaffe
aircraft to Russia, retained their initiative thereafter.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to deliver Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
fighter aircraft to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
("Club Runs"
Club Run
"Club Run" was an informal name for aircraft supply operations to the besieged island of Malta during the Second World War. Malta was the object of determined Axis attempts in 1941-1942 to either force the British military authorities to surrender or to destroy its effectiveness as a military base...
). The aircraft were desperately needed to bolster the island's defence against strong Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
air raids.
Background
The operation was substantially a repeat of the earlier Operation CalendarOperation Calendar
Operation Calendar in 1942 was an Anglo-American operation in World War II to deliver Spitfire fighter aircraft to Malta. The aircraft were desperately needed to bolster the island's defence against strong Axis air raids.-Background:...
, in which the American aircraft carrier USS Wasp
USS Wasp (CV-7)
USS Wasp was a United States Navy aircraft carrier. The eighth Navy ship of that name, she was the sole ship of her class. Built to use up the remaining tonnage allowed to the U.S. for aircraft carriers under the treaties of the time, she was built on a reduced-size version of the Yorktown-class...
had flown off 48 British Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
fighters to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
to bolster its air defences. Aircraft, support personnel and airfields were inadequately prepared, however, and the enemy were forewarned of the aircraft's arrival. The aircraft had, consequently, been destroyed by heavy air attacks after their arrival on Malta. A repeat delivery (Operation Bowery) had been planned and its success had become even more critical.
The operation
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
on 29 March 1942, where she loaded 47 Spitfires Mk VcSpitfires Mk Vc included modifications to streamlining which yielded a small but useful improvement, despite the added drag of a tropical air filter. at King George V dock
King George V Dock, Glasgow
King George V Dock is a dock for ocean-going vessels operated by the Clyde Port Authority in the Govan area of Glasgow in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
at Shieldhall
Shieldhall
Shieldhall is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated south of the River Clyde.Shieldhall lies between Renfrew and Drumoyne and is close to Braehead. It includes the site of the King George V Dock and Shieldhall sewage treatment works, which are owned by Scottish Water. The...
. The condition of the aircraft was no better than it had been for Calendar; the essential long-range fuel tanks still fitted badly and, consequently, leaked. Wasps captain, Reeves, refused to continue loading until the fault had been fixed on some tanks and then agreed to perform the remaining work with his own personnel. This fault had been notified to the British authorities as it had affected Calendar and its recurrence was a serious embarrassment.
Wasp and her escorting force (Force W) sailed from Scapa Flow
Scapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
on 3 May. A further 17 Spitfires, delayed from previous "Club Runs", were transported by HMS Eagle
HMS Eagle
Eighteen ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Eagle, after the eagle.*HMS Eagle was an ex-merchantman purchased in 1592 and in use as a careening hulk. She was sold in 1683....
, which joined Force W on 7/8 May from Gibraltar.The combined force consisted of (from Scapa) USS Wasp, battlecruiser HMS Renown
HMS Renown (1916)
HMS Renown was the lead ship of her class of battlecruisers of the Royal Navy built during the First World War. She was originally laid down as an improved version of the s. Her construction was suspended on the outbreak of war on the grounds she would not be ready in a timely manner...
, cruiser HMS Charybdis
HMS Charybdis (88)
HMS Charybdis was a Dido-class cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by Cammell Laird Shipyard , with the keel being laid down on 9 November 1939...
and destroyers USS Lang
USS Lang (DD-399)
The first USS Lang was a Benham-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for John Lang.-History:...
and Sterett
USS Sterett (DD-407)
USS Sterett was a in the United States Navy. She was the second Navy ship named for Andrew Sterett.The Sterett was laid down on 2 December 1936 at the Charleston Navy Yard; launched on 27 October 1938; sponsored by Mrs...
, HMS Echo
HMS Echo (H23)
HMS Echo was an E class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service in the Atlantic, Arctic and Mediterranean theatres during World War II, before being transferred to the Royal Hellenic Navy in 1944, and renamed Navarinon, until scrapped in 1956.-Service history:Echo had a small role in...
and Intrepid
HMS Intrepid (D10)
HMS Intrepid was an I-class destroyer that served with Royal Navy during World War II.In World War II, Intrepid attacked and sank the German submarine U-45 south-west of Ireland on 14 October 1939 in company with the destroyers and...
; and (from Gibraltar) HMS Eagle and destroyers HMS Ithuriel
HMS Ithuriel (H05)
HMS Ithuriel was an I-class destroyer laid down as Gayret for the Turkish Navy by Vickers Armstrong Naval Construction Works at Barrow-in-Furness on 24 May 1939, but taken over by the Royal Navy on the outbreak of the Second World War whilst still under construction.Launched on 15 December 1940 and...
, Partridge
O and P class destroyer
The O and P class was a class of destroyers of the British Royal Navy. Ordered in 1939, they were the first ships in the War Emergency Programme, also known as the 1st and 2nd Emergency Flotilla, respectively...
, Westcott
HMS Westcott (D47)
HMS Wescott was a V & W class destroyer of the British Royal Navy. Named for Captain George Blagdon Westcott, killed at the Battle of the Nile, the destroyer served in the Second World War and sank two submarines in 1942 .Laid down in 1917 by Denny at Dumbarton, Scotland, Westcott was launched on...
, Wishart
V and W class destroyer
The V and W class was an amalgam of six similar classes of destroyer built for the Royal Navy under the War Emergency Programme of the First World War and generally treated as one class...
, Wrestler
HMS Wrestler (1918)
HMS Wrestler was a W class destroyer launched by the Royal Navy in the latter stages of the First World War and active from 1939 to 1944 during the Second World War. She was the first Royal Navy ship to bear that name, and the only one to do so to date.-Construction:She was the tenth order in the...
, Antelope
HMS Antelope (H36)
HMS Antelope was a British A-class destroyer. She was completed 20 March 1930 and assigned to the 18th Destroyer Flotilla, Channel Force, Home Fleet....
, Salisbury, Georgetown and Vidette
HMS Vidette (D48)
HMS Vidette was an Admiralty V class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was laid down by Alexander Stephens & Sons Limited in Linthouse, Govan on 1 February 1917, was launched on 28 February 1918, and completed on 27 April 1918....
On 9 May 1942, 64 Spitfires were flown off USS Wasp and HMS Eagle (61 arrived). One aircraft and its pilot was lost on takeoff. Another mistakenly dropped its auxiliary fuel tank after takeoff and, now incapable of reaching friendly territory, returned to Wasp.
HMS Welshman
HMS Welshman (M84)
HMS Welshman was an of the Royal Navy. During World War II she served with the Home Fleet carrying out minelaying operations, before being transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet in mid-1942 for the Malta Convoys. She also saw service during "Operation Torch"...
had been riskedChurchill had commented that ".. we may well lose this ship ... but in view of the emergency ... there appears to be no alternative". on a high speed run to Malta, carrying, apart from food and general stores, 100 spare Merlin
Rolls-Royce Merlin
The Rolls-Royce Merlin is a British liquid-cooled, V-12, piston aero engine, of 27-litre capacity. Rolls-Royce Limited designed and built the engine which was initially known as the PV-12: the PV-12 became known as the Merlin following the company convention of naming its piston aero engines after...
aircraft engines and RAF ground crews trained on Spitfires. She was disguised as a French destroyer (Léopard
French destroyer Léopard
The Léopard was a Chacal class destroyer of the French Navy. As one of the large destroyers of her time, she was designed to escort convoys, large naval units, or serve as a light cruiser in remote sectors of the French Empire...
) and travelled independently of the main Bowery force. Welshman was intercepted and inspected twice by German aircraft but maintained a peaceful appearance and was accepted as non-belligerent; a Vichy
Vichy
Vichy is a commune in the department of Allier in Auvergne in central France. It belongs to the historic province of Bourbonnais.It is known as a spa and resort town and was the de facto capital of Vichy France during the World War II Nazi German occupation from 1940 to 1944.The town's inhabitants...
seaplane and shore station were less easily convinced but she continued to Cape Bon and Pantellaria, finally reaching Malta at sunrise on 10 May. She unloaded amidst the mayhem of the 10 May air raid (see below) and was damaged by falling debris. Despite this, she left Valetta on the same evening, arriving back at Gibraltar on 12 May.
On Malta, lessons had been learnt from the disaster of Operation Calendar and detailed preparations had been made to get the Spitfires airborne before they could become targets. On arrival, aircraft were dispersed into protected areas and rapidly refuelled and rearmed - one within six minutes of landing - and the newly arrived fighters were airborne, with fresh, experienced pilots, over Malta awaiting the air raid intended to destroy them. In the resulting melée, the Italian formation (CANT
Cant
Cant, canting, or canted may refer to:*Empty, uncritical thought or talk - see *The slope or angle at which something is set, such as the frames of a ship's hull - again, see *Cant , a secret language...
bombers escorted by MC.202 fighters) was seen off and 47 German aircraft were destroyed or damaged, for the loss of three British.Sources are unclear whether German and Italian losses are separately totalled or combined.. This air battle (sometimes dubbed the "Battle of Malta") abruptly ended daytime bombing of Malta.
The defenders, further reinforced by more aircraft deliveries during May and June and aided by the transfer of Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
aircraft to Russia, retained their initiative thereafter.