Second Sirte 1942
The Desperate Battle to Relieve Malta
Second Sirte 1942
The Desperate Battle to Relieve Malta
Description
The Second Battle of Sirte was a key naval clash in the Mediterranean, and a vital moment in the struggle for Malta's survival.
Malta was the key to the hard-fought naval campaign being waged in the Mediterranean, a link in the vital Axis supply lines between Italy and North Africa. Struggling under a sustained Axis bombing campaign, Malta depended on convoys of supplies to survive. Axis air formations dominated the skies, making any attempt to relieve the island extremely hazardous.
In December 1941, a convoy from the east led to an inconclusive clash with the Italians at the First Battle of Sirte. In late March 1942, the situation escalated. The decisive clash came on the afternoon of 22 March, when British destroyers launched a series of torpedo attacks against Italian ships. At dawn, Axis aircraft appeared and a series of intense air attacks followed. Although three of the convoy's four ships reached Malta, they were sunk days later. Still, it was enough to buy Malta the time it needed to remain in the fight.
This highly illustrated title by renowned naval historian Angus Konstam demonstrates the importance of radar, intelligence and airpower, and above all determination and grit in the face of a superior enemy.
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Table of Contents
Chronology
Origins of the Campaign
Opposing Commanders
Opposing Forces and Orders of Battle
Opposing Plans
The Campaign
Aftermath
The Battlefield Today
Further Reading
Index
Product details
| Published | 17 Jul 2025 |
|---|---|
| Format | Ebook (Epub & Mobi) |
| Edition | 1st |
| Pages | 96 |
| ISBN | 9781472867193 |
| Imprint | Osprey Publishing |
| Illustrations | Colour illustrations throughout, including battlescene artworks, maps, 3D diagrams and photographs. |
| Series | Campaign |
| Short code | CAM 417 |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
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