Operation Excess
Encyclopedia
Operation Excess was a series of supply convoys to Malta
, Alexandria
and Greece
in January 1941.
On 6 January, convoy Excess (MC 4) left Gibraltar
for Malta and Greece, covered by the Gibraltar based Force H
. Simultaneously, the Mediterranean Fleet from Alexandria covered more supply ships (convoy MW 5.5) from Alexandria to Malta and then a returning empty convoy (ME 5.5). The cruisers Gloucester
and Southampton
, detached from the Mediterranean Fleet, carried troop reinforcements to Malta and then continued westwards to meet 'Excess'. Force H then returned to Gibraltar.
The first convoy sailed from Gibraltar on 6 January, taking materiel
to the besieged island of Malta. It had a strong naval escort, including the aircraft carrier
Illustrious
, and became the first action that involved the Luftwaffe
in the Mediterranean, after the transfer of X. Fliegerkorps
to Sicily
to support the Italian Regia Aeronautica
.
During an attack on the convoy on 10 January, the Italian torpedo boat
Vega was sunk in the Strait of Sicily
by the cruiser HMS Bonaventure
and the destroyer HMS Hereward
. HMS Bonaventure sustained some damage and two of her complement were killed. She spent 75 per cent of her ammunition in the engagement. A second Italian torpedo boat, Circe, slipped away. While returning to station after the engagement, the British destroyer HMS Gallant
struck a mine
near Pantelleria
, with the loss of 65 lives. Although towed to Malta, Gallant was deemed irreparable, and she was finally lost during Axis bombing in April 1942. Illustrious was seriously damaged by bombs, after emergency repairs in Malta, she reached Alexandria on 25 January. Fairey Fulmar
fighters and AA gunners of the Royal Navy shot down at least seven aircraft on 10 January 1941, in defence of HMS Illustrious, while one Fulmar was lost.
On 11 January, air attacks sank the cruiser HMS Southampton, while returning to Alexandria with empty ships. Her sister ship, HMS Gloucester was damaged, but survived.
No merchantmen were lost during Excess but the Royal Navy lost one cruiser sunk, another damaged, and a destroyer. The Illustrious was out of action for several months and the British had lost their freedom of action in the Mediterranean, as a result of the German intervention.
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...
, Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
and Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
in January 1941.
On 6 January, convoy Excess (MC 4) left Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
for Malta and Greece, covered by the Gibraltar based Force H
Force H
Force H was a British naval formation during the Second World War. It was formed in 1940 to replace French naval power in the western Mediterranean that had been removed by the French armistice with Nazi Germany....
. Simultaneously, the Mediterranean Fleet from Alexandria covered more supply ships (convoy MW 5.5) from Alexandria to Malta and then a returning empty convoy (ME 5.5). The cruisers Gloucester
HMS Gloucester (C62)
HMS Gloucester was one of the second group of three ships of the "Town" class of light cruisers. She was launched on 19 October 1937 prior to commissioning on 31 January 1939....
and Southampton
HMS Southampton (C83)
HMS Southampton was a member of the first group of five ships of the "Town" class of light cruisers. She was built by John Brown & Company, Clydebank, Scotland and launched on 10 March 1936....
, detached from the Mediterranean Fleet, carried troop reinforcements to Malta and then continued westwards to meet 'Excess'. Force H then returned to Gibraltar.
The first convoy sailed from Gibraltar on 6 January, taking materiel
Materiel
Materiel is a term used in English to refer to the equipment and supplies in military and commercial supply chain management....
to the besieged island of Malta. It had a strong naval escort, including the aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
Illustrious
HMS Illustrious (R87)
HMS Illustrious , the fourth Illustrious of the British Royal Navy, was an aircraft carrier which saw service in World War II, the lead ship of the Illustrious-class of carriers which also included Victorious, Formidable, and Indomitable.-Construction:Illustrious was built by Vickers-Armstrongs at...
, and became the first action that involved the 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....
in the Mediterranean, after the transfer of X. Fliegerkorps
10th Air Corps (Germany)
X. FliegerkorpsFor more details see Luftwaffe Organization was a formation of the German Luftwaffe in World War II, which specialised in coastal operations. It was formed 2 October 1939, in Hamburg from the 10...
to Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
to support the Italian Regia Aeronautica
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
.
During an attack on the convoy on 10 January, the Italian torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
Vega was sunk in the Strait of Sicily
Strait of Sicily
The Strait of Sicily is the strait between Sicily and Tunisia. It is about wide and divides the Tyrrhenian Sea and the western Mediterranean Sea from the eastern Mediterranean. Its maximum depth is ....
by the cruiser HMS Bonaventure
HMS Bonaventure (31)
HMS Bonaventure was a Dido-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy.-References:**...
and the destroyer HMS Hereward
HMS Hereward (H93)
HMS Hereward , named after Hereward the Wake, was an H-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1930s. She was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet before and the ship spent four months during the Spanish Civil War in mid-1937 in Spanish waters, enforcing the arms blockade imposed by...
. HMS Bonaventure sustained some damage and two of her complement were killed. She spent 75 per cent of her ammunition in the engagement. A second Italian torpedo boat, Circe, slipped away. While returning to station after the engagement, the British destroyer HMS Gallant
HMS Gallant (H59)
HMS Gallant was a G-class destroyer, built for the Royal Navy in the mid 1930s. During the Spanish Civil War of 1936–1939 the ship spent considerable time in Spanish waters, enforcing the arms blockade imposed by Britain and France on both sides of the conflict...
struck a mine
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
near Pantelleria
Pantelleria
Pantelleria , the ancient Cossyra, is an Italian island in the Strait of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea, southwest of Sicily and just east of the Tunisian coast. Administratively Pantelleria is a comune belonging to the Sicilian province of Trapani...
, with the loss of 65 lives. Although towed to Malta, Gallant was deemed irreparable, and she was finally lost during Axis bombing in April 1942. Illustrious was seriously damaged by bombs, after emergency repairs in Malta, she reached Alexandria on 25 January. Fairey Fulmar
Fairey Fulmar
The Fairey Fulmar was a British carrier-borne fighter aircraft that served with the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War. A total of 600 were built by Fairey Aviation at its Stockport factory between January 1940 and December 1942...
fighters and AA gunners of the Royal Navy shot down at least seven aircraft on 10 January 1941, in defence of HMS Illustrious, while one Fulmar was lost.
On 11 January, air attacks sank the cruiser HMS Southampton, while returning to Alexandria with empty ships. Her sister ship, HMS Gloucester was damaged, but survived.
No merchantmen were lost during Excess but the Royal Navy lost one cruiser sunk, another damaged, and a destroyer. The Illustrious was out of action for several months and the British had lost their freedom of action in the Mediterranean, as a result of the German intervention.
Other events
- Italian torpedo boats unsuccessfully attack convoy MC 4, Force B, and Force F off Pantelleria
- Italian submarine Settimo unsuccessfully attacks convoy MC 4, Force B, and Force F off Pantelleria
- German and Italian bombers score one hit on RN battleship Warspite causing minor damage
- Convoy MC 4 from Gibraltar and MW 5.5 from Egypt arrive Malta
- Convoy ME 5.5 departs Malta for Alexandria
- Convoy ME 6 departs Malta for Alexandria