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Available in 31 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-31" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">31 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A9_%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D9%88" title="معركة تارانتو – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="معركة تارانتو" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-azb mw-list-item"><a href="https://azb.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D9%88_%D8%AF%D8%A4%DB%8C%D9%88%D8%B4%D9%88" title="تارانتو دؤیوشو – South Azerbaijani" lang="azb" hreflang="azb" data-title="تارانتو دؤیوشو" data-language-autonym="تۆرکجه" data-language-local-name="South Azerbaijani" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>تۆرکجه</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bg mw-list-item"><a href="https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%91%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B8_%D0%A2%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%BE" title="Битка при Таранто – Bulgarian" lang="bg" hreflang="bg" data-title="Битка при Таранто" data-language-autonym="Български" data-language-local-name="Bulgarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Български</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batalla_de_T%C3%A0rent" title="Batalla de Tàrent – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Batalla de Tàrent" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cs mw-list-item"><a href="https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%9Atok_na_Tarent" title="Útok na Tarent – Czech" lang="cs" hreflang="cs" data-title="Útok na Tarent" data-language-autonym="Čeština" data-language-local-name="Czech" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Čeština</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angriff_auf_Tarent" title="Angriff auf Tarent – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Angriff auf Tarent" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batalla_de_Tarento" title="Batalla de Tarento – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Batalla de Tarento" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%86%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%AF_%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D9%88" title="نبرد تارانتو – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="نبرد تارانتو" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bataille_de_Tarente_(1940)" title="Bataille de Tarente (1940) – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Bataille de Tarente (1940)" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%ED%83%80%EB%9E%80%ED%86%A0_%EC%A0%84%ED%88%AC" title="타란토 전투 – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="타란토 전투" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hr mw-list-item"><a href="https://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napad_na_Taranto" title="Napad na Taranto – Croatian" lang="hr" hreflang="hr" data-title="Napad na Taranto" data-language-autonym="Hrvatski" data-language-local-name="Croatian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Hrvatski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pertempuran_Taranto" title="Pertempuran Taranto – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Pertempuran Taranto" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notte_di_Taranto" title="Notte di Taranto – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Notte di Taranto" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%91_%D7%98%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%A0%D7%98%D7%95" title="קרב טאראנטו – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="קרב טאראנטו" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slag_bij_Tarente" title="Slag bij Tarente – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="Slag bij Tarente" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%BF%E3%83%A9%E3%83%B3%E3%83%88%E7%A9%BA%E8%A5%B2" title="タラント空襲 – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="タラント空襲" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slaget_ved_Taranto" title="Slaget ved Taranto – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="Slaget ved Taranto" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-oc mw-list-item"><a href="https://oc.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batalha_de_Tarent_(1940)" title="Batalha de Tarent (1940) – Occitan" lang="oc" hreflang="oc" data-title="Batalha de Tarent (1940)" data-language-autonym="Occitan" data-language-local-name="Occitan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Occitan</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atak_na_Tarent" title="Atak na Tarent – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Atak na Tarent" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batalha_de_Tarento" title="Batalha de Tarento – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Batalha de Tarento" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%A2%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%BE" title="Атака Таранто – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Атака Таранто" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sl mw-list-item"><a href="https://sl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operacija_Odlo%C4%8Ditev" title="Operacija Odločitev – Slovenian" lang="sl" hreflang="sl" data-title="Operacija Odločitev" data-language-autonym="Slovenščina" data-language-local-name="Slovenian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Slovenščina</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sr mw-list-item"><a href="https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D0%B0%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%B4_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%A2%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%BE" title="Напад на Таранто – Serbian" lang="sr" hreflang="sr" data-title="Напад на Таранто" data-language-autonym="Српски / srpski" data-language-local-name="Serbian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Српски / srpski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fi mw-list-item"><a href="https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taranton_taistelu" title="Taranton taistelu – Finnish" lang="fi" hreflang="fi" data-title="Taranton taistelu" data-language-autonym="Suomi" data-language-local-name="Finnish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Suomi</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv mw-list-item"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anfallet_mot_Taranto" title="Anfallet mot Taranto – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Anfallet mot Taranto" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Svenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-roa-tara mw-list-item"><a href="https://roa-tara.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuttate_de_Tarde" title="Nuttate de Tarde – Tarantino" lang="nap-x-tara" hreflang="nap-x-tara" data-title="Nuttate de Tarde" data-language-autonym="Tarandíne" data-language-local-name="Tarantino" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Tarandíne</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-th mw-list-item"><a href="https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%B8%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%98%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%82%E0%B8%95" title="ยุทธนาวีที่ตารันโต – Thai" lang="th" hreflang="th" data-title="ยุทธนาวีที่ตารันโต" data-language-autonym="ไทย" data-language-local-name="Thai" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ไทย</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tr mw-list-item"><a href="https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taranto_Muharebesi" title="Taranto Muharebesi – Turkish" lang="tr" hreflang="tr" data-title="Taranto Muharebesi" data-language-autonym="Türkçe" data-language-local-name="Turkish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Türkçe</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D0%B0%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%B4_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%A2%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%BE" title="Напад на Таранто – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Напад на Таранто" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Українська</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-vi mw-list-item"><a href="https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tr%E1%BA%ADn_Taranto" title="Trận Taranto – Vietnamese" lang="vi" hreflang="vi" data-title="Trận Taranto" data-language-autonym="Tiếng Việt" data-language-local-name="Vietnamese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Tiếng Việt</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A1%94%E8%98%AD%E6%89%98%E6%88%B0%E5%BD%B9" title="塔蘭托戰役 – Chinese" lang="zh" hreflang="zh" data-title="塔蘭托戰役" data-language-autonym="中文" data-language-local-name="Chinese" 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id="mw-indicator-coordinates" class="mw-indicator"><div class="mw-parser-output"><span id="coordinates"><a href="/wiki/Geographic_coordinate_system" title="Geographic coordinate system">Coordinates</a>: <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1156832818">.mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct,.mw-parser-output .geo-inline-hidden{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}</style><span class="plainlinks nourlexpansion"><a class="external text" href="https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Battle_of_Taranto&params=40_27_4_N_17_12_27_E_type:event_region:IT"><span class="geo-default"><span class="geo-dms" title="Maps, aerial photos, and other data for this location"><span class="latitude">40°27′4″N</span> <span class="longitude">17°12′27″E</span></span></span><span class="geo-multi-punct"> / </span><span class="geo-nondefault"><span class="geo-dec" title="Maps, aerial photos, and other data for this location">40.45111°N 17.20750°E</span><span style="display:none"> / <span class="geo">40.45111; 17.20750</span></span></span></a></span></span></div></div> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Naval battle between the Regia Marina and the Royal Navy; part of the Battle of the Mediterranean</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">This article is about the 1940 battle. For other battles, see <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Taranto_(disambiguation)" class="mw-disambig" title="Battle of Taranto (disambiguation)">Battle of Taranto (disambiguation)</a>.</div> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r963460841">@media all and (min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .desktop-float-right{box-sizing:border-box;float:right;clear:right}}.mw-parser-output .infobox.vevent .status>p:first-child{margin:0}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1034237262">.mw-parser-output .stack{box-sizing:border-box}.mw-parser-output .stack>div{margin:1px;overflow:hidden}@media all and (min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .stack-clear-left{float:left;clear:left}.mw-parser-output .stack-clear-right{float:right;clear:right}.mw-parser-output .stack-left{float:left}.mw-parser-output .stack-right{float:right}.mw-parser-output .stack-margin-clear-left{float:left;clear:left;margin-right:1em}.mw-parser-output .stack-margin-clear-right{float:right;clear:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .stack-margin-left{float:left;margin-right:1em}.mw-parser-output .stack-margin-right{float:right;margin-left:1em}}</style><div class="stack mw-stack stack-clear-right"><div><table class="infobox vevent" style="width:25.5em;border-spacing:2px;"><tbody><tr><th class="summary" colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Battle of Taranto</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;">Part of the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Mediterranean" title="Battle of the Mediterranean">Battle of the Mediterranean</a> of <a href="/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align:center;border-bottom:1px solid #aaa;line-height:1.5em;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Taranto_1940_(2).JPG" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Taranto_1940_%282%29.JPG/300px-Taranto_1940_%282%29.JPG" decoding="async" width="300" height="234" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Taranto_1940_%282%29.JPG/450px-Taranto_1940_%282%29.JPG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Taranto_1940_%282%29.JPG/600px-Taranto_1940_%282%29.JPG 2x" data-file-width="640" data-file-height="499" /></a></span><br />Aerial view of the <i>Mar Piccolo</i> showing Italian cruisers preparing to get under way, 12 November 1940; often misinterpreted, the image shows raised mud, and not fuel leaking from damaged ships.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><table style="width:100%;margin:0;padding:0;border:0;display:inline-table"><tbody><tr><th style="padding-right:1em">Date</th><td>11–12 November 1940</td></tr><tr><th style="padding-right:1em">Location</th><td><div class="location"><a href="/wiki/Taranto" title="Taranto">Taranto</a>, Italy</div><span class="geo-inline"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1156832818">.mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct,.mw-parser-output .geo-inline-hidden{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}</style><span class="plainlinks nourlexpansion"><a class="external text" href="https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Battle_of_Taranto&params=40_27_4_N_17_12_27_E_type:event_region:IT"><span class="geo-default"><span class="geo-dms" title="Maps, aerial photos, and other data for this location"><span class="latitude">40°27′4″N</span> <span class="longitude">17°12′27″E</span></span></span><span class="geo-multi-punct"> / </span><span class="geo-nondefault"><span class="geo-dec" title="Maps, aerial photos, and other data for this location">40.45111°N 17.20750°E</span><span style="display:none"> / <span class="geo">40.45111; 17.20750</span></span></span></a></span></span></td></tr><tr><th style="padding-right:1em">Result</th><td class="status"> British victory</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Belligerents</th></tr><tr><td style="width:50%;border-right:1px dotted #aaa;"> <span data-sort-value="United Kingdom"><span class="flagicon"><span class="mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="12" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="600" /></span></span> </span><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a></span></td><td style="width:50%;padding-left:0.25em"> <span data-sort-value="Italy"><span class="flagicon"><span class="mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/23px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="15" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/35px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg/45px-Flag_of_Italy_%281861-1946%29_crowned.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1500" data-file-height="1000" /></span></span> </span><a href="/wiki/Fascist_Italy" title="Fascist Italy">Italy</a></span></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Commanders and leaders</th></tr><tr><td style="width:50%;border-right:1px dotted #aaa;"> <a href="/wiki/Andrew_Cunningham,_1st_Viscount_Cunningham_of_Hyndhope" title="Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope">Andrew Cunningham</a> <br /><a href="/wiki/Lumley_Lyster" title="Lumley Lyster">Lumley Lyster</a></td><td style="width:50%;padding-left:0.25em"> <a href="/wiki/Inigo_Campioni" title="Inigo Campioni">Inigo Campioni</a></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Strength</th></tr><tr><td style="width:50%;border-right:1px dotted #aaa;"> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style><div class="plainlist"><ul><li>1 <a href="/wiki/Aircraft_carrier" title="Aircraft carrier">aircraft carrier</a></li><li>2 <a href="/wiki/Heavy_cruiser" title="Heavy cruiser">heavy cruisers</a></li><li>2 <a href="/wiki/Light_cruiser" title="Light cruiser">light cruisers</a></li><li>4 <a href="/wiki/Destroyer" title="Destroyer">destroyers</a></li><li>21 <a href="/wiki/Torpedo_bomber" title="Torpedo bomber">torpedo bombers</a></li></ul></div></td><td style="width:50%;padding-left:0.25em"> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1126788409"><div class="plainlist"><ul><li>6 <a href="/wiki/Battleship" title="Battleship">battleships</a></li><li>7 heavy cruisers</li><li>7 light cruisers</li><li>13 destroyers</li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Casualties and losses</th></tr><tr><td style="width:50%;border-right:1px dotted #aaa;"> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1126788409"><div class="plainlist"><ul><li>2 killed</li><li>2 captured</li><li>2 aircraft destroyed</li></ul></div></td><td style="width:50%;padding-left:0.25em"> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1126788409"><div class="plainlist"><ul><li>59 killed</li><li>600 wounded</li><li>3 battleships disabled</li><li>1 heavy cruiser damaged</li><li>2 destroyers damaged</li><li>2 <a href="/wiki/Fighter_aircraft" title="Fighter aircraft">fighters</a> destroyed</li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" style="border-top:1px dotted #aaa;"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238443738">.mw-parser-output .locmap .od{position:absolute}.mw-parser-output .locmap 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Italy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Italy_provincial_location_map_2016.svg/300px-Italy_provincial_location_map_2016.svg.png" decoding="async" width="300" height="377" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Italy_provincial_location_map_2016.svg/450px-Italy_provincial_location_map_2016.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Italy_provincial_location_map_2016.svg/600px-Italy_provincial_location_map_2016.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1034" data-file-height="1299" /></a></span><div class="od notheme" style="top:57.429%;left:85.996%;font-size:91%"><div class="id" style="left:-4px;top:-4px"><span class="notpageimage" typeof="mw:File"><span title="Battle of Taranto"><img alt="Battle of Taranto" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Red_pog.svg/8px-Red_pog.svg.png" decoding="async" width="8" height="8" class="mw-file-element" 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.navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Battle_of_the_Mediterranean" style="margin:0;float:right;clear:right;width:25.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:1em;;padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks navbox-vertical hlist mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar 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href="/wiki/Template:Campaignbox_Mediterranean_Campaign" title="Template:Campaignbox Mediterranean Campaign"><abbr title="View this template" style="color:inherit">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Campaignbox_Mediterranean_Campaign" title="Template talk:Campaignbox Mediterranean Campaign"><abbr title="Discuss this template" style="color:inherit">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Campaignbox_Mediterranean_Campaign" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Campaignbox Mediterranean Campaign"><abbr title="Edit this template" style="color:inherit">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Battle_of_the_Mediterranean" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><span style="line-height:1.6em"><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Mediterranean" title="Battle of the Mediterranean"><span class="wrap">Battle of the Mediterranean</span></a></span></div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><b>1940</b> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Vado" class="mw-redirect" title="Operation Vado"><i>Vado</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Siege_of_Malta_(World_War_II)" title="Siege of Malta (World War II)"><b>Malta</b></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Club_Run" title="Club Run">Club Run</a>¹</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Espero_Convoy" title="Battle of the Espero Convoy">Espero</a>¹²</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Attack_on_Mers-el-K%C3%A9bir" title="Attack on Mers-el-Kébir">Mers-el-Kébir</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Calabria" title="Battle of Calabria">Calabria</a>¹²</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Cape_Spada" title="Battle of Cape Spada">Cape Spada</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Hurry" title="Operation Hurry"><i>Hurry</i></a>¹</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Action_off_Cape_Passero" title="Action off Cape Passero">Cape Passero</a>¹</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_MB8" title="Operation MB8"><i>MB8</i></a>¹</li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink"><b>Taranto</b></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Strait_of_Otranto_(1940)" class="mw-redirect" title="Battle of the Strait of Otranto (1940)">Otranto</a>²</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_White" title="Operation White"><i>White</i></a> ¹</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Cape_Spartivento" title="Battle of Cape Spartivento">Cape Spartivento</a>¹</li></ul> <p><b>1941</b> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Excess" title="Operation Excess">Excess</a>¹</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Attack_on_Convoy_AN_14" title="Attack on Convoy AN 14">Convoy AN 14</a>¹</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Grog" title="Operation Grog"><i>Genoa</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Abstention" title="Operation Abstention"><i>Abstention</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Raid_on_Souda_Bay" title="Raid on Souda Bay">Souda Bay</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Cape_Matapan" title="Battle of Cape Matapan"><b>Matapan</b></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Tarigo_Convoy" title="Battle of the Tarigo Convoy">Tarigo</a>²</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Crete" title="Battle of Crete">Crete</a>²</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Substance" title="Operation Substance"><i>Substance</i></a>¹</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Grand_Harbour" class="mw-redirect" title="Battle of Grand Harbour">Grand Harbour</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Halberd" title="Operation Halberd"><i>Halberd</i></a>¹</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Duisburg_Convoy" title="Battle of the Duisburg Convoy"><i>Duisburg</i></a>²</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Cape_Bon_(1941)" title="Battle of Cape Bon (1941)">Bon</a>²</li> <li><a href="/wiki/First_Battle_of_Sirte" title="First Battle of Sirte">1st Sirte</a>¹²</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Raid_on_Alexandria_(1941)" title="Raid on Alexandria (1941)">Alexandria</a></li></ul> <p><b>1942</b> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Sirte" title="Second Battle of Sirte">2nd Sirte</a>¹</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Calendar" title="Operation Calendar"><i>Calendar</i></a>¹</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Bowery" title="Operation Bowery"><i>Bowery</i></a>¹</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Albumen" title="Operation Albumen"><i>Albumen</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Harpoon_(1942)" title="Operation Harpoon (1942)"><i>Harpoon</i></a>¹</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Vigorous" title="Operation Vigorous"><i>Vigorous</i></a>¹</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Pedestal" title="Operation Pedestal"><i>Pedestal</i></a>¹</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Agreement" title="Operation Agreement"><i>Agreement</i></a></li> <li><b><a href="/wiki/Operation_Torch" title="Operation Torch"><i>Torch</i></a></b></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Stoneage" title="Operation Stoneage"><i>Stoneage</i></a>¹</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scuttling_of_the_French_fleet_at_Toulon" title="Scuttling of the French fleet at Toulon">Toulon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Portcullis" title="Operation Portcullis"><i>Portcullis</i></a>¹</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Skerki_Bank" title="Battle of Skerki Bank">Skerki</a>²</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Italian_auxiliary_ship_Olterra" title="Italian auxiliary ship Olterra"><i>Olterra</i></a>¹</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Raid_on_Algiers" title="Raid on Algiers">Algiers</a>¹</li></ul> <p><b>1943</b> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Battle_off_Zuwarah" title="Battle off Zuwarah">Zuwarah</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Cigno_Convoy" title="Battle of the Cigno Convoy"><i>Cigno</i></a>²</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Campobasso_Convoy" title="Battle of the Campobasso Convoy"><i>Campobasso</i></a>²</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Corkscrew" title="Operation Corkscrew">Pantelleria</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Sicily" title="Allied invasion of Sicily"><b>Sicily</b></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Gela_(1943)" title="Battle of Gela (1943)">Gela</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Operation_Scylla" title="Operation Scylla"><i>Scylla</i></a>²</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Messina_Convoy" title="Battle of the Messina Convoy">Messina convoy</a>²</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Action_off_Bastia" title="Action off Bastia">Bastia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Italian_battleship_Roma_(1940)#Service_history" title="Italian battleship Roma (1940)">Strait of Bonifacio</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dodecanese_campaign" title="Dodecanese campaign">Dodecanese</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Rhodes_(1943)" title="Battle of Rhodes (1943)">Rhodes</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Leros" title="Battle of Leros">Leros</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Kos_(1943)" title="Battle of Kos (1943)">Kos</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Action_off_Cape_Bougaroun" title="Action off Cape Bougaroun">Cape Bougaroun</a>¹</li></ul> <p><b>1944</b> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Ist" title="Battle of Ist">Ist</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Raid_on_Santorini" title="Raid on Santorini">Santorini</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Raid_on_Symi" title="Raid on Symi">Symi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Port_Cros" title="Battle of Port Cros">Port Cros</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_La_Ciotat" title="Battle of La Ciotat">La Ciotat</a></li></ul> <p><b>1945</b> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Ligurian_Sea" title="Battle of the Ligurian Sea">Ligurian Sea</a>¹</li></ul> <hr /> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Allied_convoys_during_World_War_II_by_region#Mediterranean_and_North_African_Coastal_Convoys" title="List of Allied convoys during World War II by region">Allied convoys</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Malta_convoys" title="Malta convoys">Malta convoys</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mediterranean_U-boat_campaign_of_World_War_II" title="Mediterranean U-boat campaign of World War II">U-boat Campaign</a></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2" style="background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><div>¹ — Involved an Allied convoy or delivery mission<br /> ² — Involved an Axis convoy or delivery mission</div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div> <p>The <b>Battle of Taranto</b> took place on the night of 11/12 November 1940 during the <a href="/wiki/Second_World_War" class="mw-redirect" title="Second World War">Second World War</a> between British naval forces, under Admiral <a href="/wiki/Andrew_Cunningham,_1st_Viscount_Cunningham_of_Hyndhope" title="Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope">Andrew Cunningham</a>, and Italian naval forces, under Admiral <a href="/wiki/Inigo_Campioni" title="Inigo Campioni">Inigo Campioni</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Royal_Navy" title="Royal Navy">Royal Navy</a> launched the first all-aircraft ship-to-ship naval attack in history, employing 21 <a href="/wiki/Fairey_Swordfish" title="Fairey Swordfish">Fairey Swordfish</a> biplane <a href="/wiki/Torpedo_bomber" title="Torpedo bomber">torpedo bombers</a> from the <a href="/wiki/Aircraft_carrier" title="Aircraft carrier">aircraft carrier</a> <a href="/wiki/HMS_Illustrious_(87)" title="HMS Illustrious (87)">HMS <i>Illustrious</i></a> in the <a href="/wiki/Mediterranean_Sea" title="Mediterranean Sea">Mediterranean Sea</a>. </p><p>The attack struck the battle fleet of the <i><a href="/wiki/Regia_Marina" title="Regia Marina">Regia Marina</a></i> at anchor in the harbour of <a href="/wiki/Taranto" title="Taranto">Taranto</a>, using <a href="/wiki/Aerial_torpedo" title="Aerial torpedo">aerial torpedoes</a> despite the shallowness of the water. The success of this attack augured the ascendancy of <a href="/wiki/Naval_aviation" title="Naval aviation">naval aviation</a> over the big guns of <a href="/wiki/Battleship" title="Battleship">battleships</a>. According to Admiral Cunningham, "Taranto, and the night of 11–12 November 1940, should be remembered forever as having shown once and for all that in the <a href="/wiki/Fleet_Air_Arm" title="Fleet Air Arm">Fleet Air Arm</a> the Navy has its most devastating weapon."<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Origins">Origins</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Taranto&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Origins"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Since long before the <a href="/wiki/First_World_War" class="mw-redirect" title="First World War">First World War</a>, the Italian <i><a href="/wiki/Regia_Marina" title="Regia Marina">Regia Marina</a></i><span class="nowrap" style="padding-left:0.1em;">'</span>s First Squadron had been based at <a href="/wiki/Taranto" title="Taranto">Taranto</a>, a port-city on Italy's south-east coast. In the inter-war period, the British <a href="/wiki/Royal_Navy" title="Royal Navy">Royal Navy</a> developed plans to counter the Italian navy in the event of a war in the Mediterranean. Plans for the capture of the port at Taranto were considered as early as the Italian invasion of <a href="/wiki/Ethiopian_Empire" title="Ethiopian Empire">Abyssinia</a> in 1935.<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p> After Italy's entry into World War II in 1940, British and Italian forces in North Africa engaged each other in the <a href="/wiki/Western_Desert_Campaign" class="mw-redirect" title="Western Desert Campaign">Western Desert Campaign</a>. Italian troops based in <a href="/wiki/Libya" title="Libya">Libya</a> required a supply line from Italy. British troops, based in Egypt, suffered from much greater supply difficulties. Before Italy entered the war, British <a href="/wiki/Convoy" title="Convoy">convoys</a> had travelled across the Mediterranean, from <a href="/wiki/Gibraltar" title="Gibraltar">Gibraltar</a> via <a href="/wiki/Malta" title="Malta">Malta</a> to Egypt. However, the threat from the Italian navy and airforce made this very difficult. Instead, British ships steamed around the <a href="/wiki/Cape_of_Good_Hope" title="Cape of Good Hope">Cape of Good Hope</a>, up the east coast of Africa, and then through the <a href="/wiki/Suez_Canal" title="Suez Canal">Suez Canal</a> to reach <a href="/wiki/Alexandria" title="Alexandria">Alexandria</a>. </p><figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Inigo_Campioni.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Inigo_Campioni.jpg/220px-Inigo_Campioni.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="179" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Inigo_Campioni.jpg/330px-Inigo_Campioni.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Inigo_Campioni.jpg/440px-Inigo_Campioni.jpg 2x" data-file-width="640" data-file-height="522" /></a><figcaption>Admiral Inigo Campioni.</figcaption></figure> <p>Following the concept of a <a href="/wiki/Fleet_in_being" title="Fleet in being">fleet in being</a>, the Italians usually kept their warships in harbour and were unwilling to seek battle with the Royal Navy on their own, also because any ship lost larger than a destroyer could not be replaced. The Italian fleet at Taranto was powerful: six <a href="/wiki/Battleship" title="Battleship">battleships</a> (of which one was not yet battleworthy, <a href="/wiki/Italian_battleship_Andrea_Doria" title="Italian battleship Andrea Doria"><i>Andrea Doria</i></a> having her crew still in training after her reconstruction), seven <a href="/wiki/Heavy_cruiser" title="Heavy cruiser">heavy cruisers</a>, two <a href="/wiki/Light_cruiser" title="Light cruiser">light cruisers</a> and eight <a href="/wiki/Destroyer" title="Destroyer">destroyers</a>. This made the threat of a <a href="/wiki/Sortie" title="Sortie">sortie</a> against British shipping a serious problem. </p><p>During the <a href="/wiki/Munich_Crisis" class="mw-redirect" title="Munich Crisis">Munich Crisis</a> of 1938, <a href="/wiki/Dudley_Pound" title="Dudley Pound">Admiral Sir Dudley Pound</a>, the commander of the British <a href="/wiki/Mediterranean_Fleet" title="Mediterranean Fleet">Mediterranean Fleet</a>, was concerned about the survival of the <a href="/wiki/Aircraft_carrier" title="Aircraft carrier">aircraft carrier</a> <a href="/wiki/HMS_Glorious" title="HMS Glorious">HMS <i>Glorious</i></a> in the face of Italian opposition in the Mediterranean, and ordered his staff to re-examine all plans for attacking Taranto.<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> He was advised by <a href="/wiki/Lumley_Lyster" title="Lumley Lyster">Lumley Lyster</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Captain_(Royal_Navy)" title="Captain (Royal Navy)">captain</a> of <i>Glorious</i>, that his <a href="/wiki/Fairey_Swordfish" title="Fairey Swordfish">Fairey Swordfish</a> biplane <a href="/wiki/Torpedo_bomber" title="Torpedo bomber">torpedo bombers</a> were capable of a night attack. Indeed, the <a href="/wiki/Fleet_Air_Arm" title="Fleet Air Arm">Fleet Air Arm</a> was then the only <a href="/wiki/Naval_aviation" title="Naval aviation">naval aviation</a> arm with such a capability.<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Pound took Lyster's advice and ordered training to begin. Security was kept so tight there were no written records.<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Just a month before the war began, Pound advised his replacement, <a href="/wiki/Andrew_Cunningham,_1st_Viscount_Cunningham_of_Hyndhope" title="Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope">Admiral Andrew Cunningham</a>, to consider the possibility. This came to be known as Operation Judgment.<sup id="cite_ref-tarantoRN_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-tarantoRN-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_France" title="Battle of France">fall of France</a> and the consequent loss of the <a href="/wiki/French_Mediterranean_Fleet" class="mw-redirect" title="French Mediterranean Fleet">French fleet in the Mediterranean</a> (even before <a href="/wiki/Attack_on_Mers-el-K%C3%A9bir" title="Attack on Mers-el-Kébir">Operation Catapult</a>) made redress essential. The older carrier, <a href="/wiki/HMS_Eagle_(1918)" title="HMS Eagle (1918)">HMS <i>Eagle</i></a>, on Cunningham's strength, was ideal, possessing a very experienced air group composed entirely of the obsolescent Swordfish aircraft. Three <a href="/wiki/Gloster_Gladiator" title="Gloster Gladiator">Sea Gladiator</a> fighters were added for the operation.<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Firm plans were drawn up after the Italian Army halted at <a href="/wiki/Sidi_Barrani" title="Sidi Barrani">Sidi Barrani</a>, which freed up the British Mediterranean Fleet.<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Operation Judgment was just a small part of the overarching <a href="/wiki/Operation_MB8" title="Operation MB8">Operation MB8</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> It was originally scheduled to take place on 21 October 1940, <a href="/wiki/Trafalgar_Day" title="Trafalgar Day">Trafalgar Day</a>, but a fire in an auxiliary fuel tank of one Swordfish led to a delay. 60 imp gal (270 L) auxiliary tanks were fitted in the observer's position on torpedo bombers - the observer taking the air gunner's position - to extend the operating range of the aircraft enough to reach Taranto. This minor fire spread into something more serious that destroyed two Swordfish.<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <i>Eagle</i> then suffered a breakdown in her fuel system,<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> so she was removed from the operation. </p><p>When the brand-new carrier <a href="/wiki/HMS_Illustrious_(87)" title="HMS Illustrious (87)">HMS <i>Illustrious</i></a>, based at Alexandria, became available in the Mediterranean, she took on board five Swordfish from <i>Eagle</i> and launched the strike alone.<sup id="cite_ref-sturtivant_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sturtivant-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The complete force, commanded by now-Rear Admiral Lyster,<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Flag Officer, Mediterranean Aircraft Carriers, who had originated the plan of attack on Taranto—consisted of <i>Illustrious</i>, the heavy cruisers <a href="/wiki/HMS_Berwick_(65)" title="HMS Berwick (65)">HMS <i>Berwick</i></a> and <a href="/wiki/HMS_York_(90)" title="HMS York (90)"><i>York</i></a>, the light cruisers <a href="/wiki/HMS_Gloucester_(62)" title="HMS Gloucester (62)">HMS <i>Gloucester</i></a> and <a href="/wiki/HMS_Glasgow_(C21)" title="HMS Glasgow (C21)"><i>Glasgow</i></a>, and the destroyers <a href="/wiki/HMS_Hyperion_(H97)" title="HMS Hyperion (H97)">HMS <i>Hyperion</i></a>, <a href="/wiki/HMS_Ilex" title="HMS Ilex"><i>Ilex</i></a>, <a href="/wiki/HMS_Hasty_(H24)" title="HMS Hasty (H24)"><i>Hasty</i></a> and <a href="/wiki/HMS_Havelock_(H88)" title="HMS Havelock (H88)"><i>Havelock</i></a>.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The 24<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> attack Swordfish came from <a href="/wiki/813_Naval_Air_Squadron" title="813 Naval Air Squadron">813</a>, <a href="/wiki/815_Naval_Air_Squadron" title="815 Naval Air Squadron">815</a>, <a href="/wiki/819_Naval_Air_Squadron" title="819 Naval Air Squadron">819</a>, and <a href="/wiki/824_Naval_Air_Squadron" title="824 Naval Air Squadron">824 Naval Air Squadrons</a>. The small number of attacking warplanes raised concern that <i>Judgment</i> would only alert and enrage the Italian Navy without achieving any significant results.<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <i>Illustrious</i> also had <a href="/wiki/Fairey_Fulmar" title="Fairey Fulmar">Fairey Fulmar</a> <a href="/wiki/Fighter_plane" class="mw-redirect" title="Fighter plane">fighters</a> of <a href="/wiki/806_Naval_Air_Squadron" title="806 Naval Air Squadron">806 Naval Air Squadron</a> aboard to provide air cover for the task force, with radar and fighter control systems.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Swordfish_(7582559196).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Swordfish_%287582559196%29.jpg/220px-Swordfish_%287582559196%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="150" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Swordfish_%287582559196%29.jpg/330px-Swordfish_%287582559196%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Swordfish_%287582559196%29.jpg/440px-Swordfish_%287582559196%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2876" data-file-height="1960" /></a><figcaption>A <a href="/wiki/Fairey_Swordfish" title="Fairey Swordfish">Fairey Swordfish</a></figcaption></figure> <p>Half of the Swordfish were armed with torpedoes as the primary strike aircraft, with the other half carrying <a href="/wiki/Aerial_bomb" title="Aerial bomb">aerial bombs</a> and flares to carry out diversions.<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> These torpedoes were fitted with Duplex magnetic/contact <a href="/wiki/Exploder" class="mw-redirect" title="Exploder">exploders</a>, which were extremely sensitive to rough seas,<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> as the attacks on the <a href="/wiki/Kriegsmarine" title="Kriegsmarine">German</a> battleship <a href="/wiki/German_battleship_Bismarck" title="German battleship Bismarck"><i>Bismarck</i></a> later showed. There were also worries the torpedoes would bottom out in the harbour after being dropped.<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The loss rate for the bombers was expected to be fifty per cent.<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Several <a href="/wiki/Reconnaissance" title="Reconnaissance">reconnaissance</a> flights by <a href="/wiki/Martin_Maryland" title="Martin Maryland">Martin Marylands</a> of the RAF's No. 431 General Reconnaissance Flight<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> flying from Malta confirmed the location of the Italian fleet. These flights produced photos on which the <a href="/wiki/Military_intelligence" title="Military intelligence">intelligence</a> officer of <i>Illustrious</i> spotted previously unexpected <a href="/wiki/Barrage_balloon" title="Barrage balloon">barrage balloons</a>; the attack plan was changed accordingly.<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> To make sure the Italian warships had not sortied, the British also sent over a <a href="/wiki/Short_Sunderland" title="Short Sunderland">Short Sunderland</a> <a href="/wiki/Flying_boat" title="Flying boat">flying boat</a> on the night of 11 November, just as the carrier task force was forming up off the Greek island of <a href="/wiki/Cephalonia" title="Cephalonia">Cephalonia</a>, about 170 <a href="/wiki/Nautical_mile" title="Nautical mile">nmi</a> (310 <a href="/wiki/Kilometre" title="Kilometre">km</a>; 200 <a href="/wiki/Mile" title="Mile">mi</a>) from Taranto harbour. This reconnaissance flight alerted the Italian forces in southern Italy, but since they were without any <a href="/wiki/Radar" title="Radar">radars</a>, they could do little but wait for whatever came along. The <i>Regia Marina</i> could conceivably have gone to sea in search of any British naval force, but this was distinctly against the naval philosophy of the Italians between January 1940 and September 1943.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (February 2015)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p>The complexity of Operation MB8, with its various forces and convoys, succeeded in deceiving the Italians into thinking only normal convoying was under way. This contributed to the success of <i>Judgment</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-steven_2-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-steven-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The base of Taranto was defended by 101 anti-aircraft guns and 193 machine guns and was usually protected against low-flying aircraft by barrage balloons, of which only 27 were in place on 11 November, as strong winds on 6 November had blown away 60 balloons.<sup id="cite_ref-Smith_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Smith-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Capital ships were also supposed to be protected by anti-torpedo nets, but 12,800 m (42,000 ft) of netting was required for full protection, and only one-third of that was rigged before the attack due to a scheduled gunnery exercise. Moreover, these nets did not reach the bottom of the harbour, allowing the British torpedoes to clear them by about 60 cm (24 in).<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Attack">Attack</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Taranto&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Attack"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Battle_of_Taranto_map-en.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Battle_of_Taranto_map-en.svg/220px-Battle_of_Taranto_map-en.svg.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="189" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Battle_of_Taranto_map-en.svg/330px-Battle_of_Taranto_map-en.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Battle_of_Taranto_map-en.svg/440px-Battle_of_Taranto_map-en.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="712" data-file-height="611" /></a><figcaption>Attack directions of the British planes</figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Italian_ship_BB_LIttorio_on_November_12,_1940,_after_Taranto_attack_(P00090.091).jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Italian_ship_BB_LIttorio_on_November_12%2C_1940%2C_after_Taranto_attack_%28P00090.091%29.jpg/220px-Italian_ship_BB_LIttorio_on_November_12%2C_1940%2C_after_Taranto_attack_%28P00090.091%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="121" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Italian_ship_BB_LIttorio_on_November_12%2C_1940%2C_after_Taranto_attack_%28P00090.091%29.jpg/330px-Italian_ship_BB_LIttorio_on_November_12%2C_1940%2C_after_Taranto_attack_%28P00090.091%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Italian_ship_BB_LIttorio_on_November_12%2C_1940%2C_after_Taranto_attack_%28P00090.091%29.jpg/440px-Italian_ship_BB_LIttorio_on_November_12%2C_1940%2C_after_Taranto_attack_%28P00090.091%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1567" data-file-height="864" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Italian_battleship_Littorio" title="Italian battleship Littorio"><i>Littorio</i></a> surrounded by <a href="/wiki/Tugboat" title="Tugboat">salvage tugs</a></figcaption></figure> <p>The first wave of 12 aircraft, led by Lieutenant Commander Kenneth "Hooch" Williamson RN of 815 Squadron, left <i>Illustrious</i> just before 21:00 hours on 11 November 1940, followed by a second wave of nine about 90 minutes later. Of the second wave, one aircraft turned back as its auxiliary fuel tank detached from the aircraft ensuring the aircraft would not be able to complete the trip, and one launched 20 minutes late, after requiring emergency repairs to damage following a minor taxiing accident, so only eight made it to the target. </p><p>The first wave, which consisted of six Swordfish armed with torpedoes, two with flares and four 250 lb (110 kg) bombs, and four with six bombs, was split into two sections when three of the bombers and one torpedo bomber strayed from the main force while flying through thin clouds. The smaller group continued to Taranto independently. The main group approached the harbour at <i>Mar Grande</i> at 22:58. Sixteen flares were dropped east of the harbour, then the flare dropper and another aircraft made a <a href="/wiki/Dive_bombing" class="mw-redirect" title="Dive bombing">dive bombing</a> attack to set fire to oil tanks. The next three aircraft, led by Lieutenant Commander K Williamson RN of 815 Squadron, attacked over San Pietro Island, and struck the battleship <a href="/wiki/Italian_battleship_Conte_di_Cavour" title="Italian battleship Conte di Cavour"><i>Conte di Cavour</i></a> with a torpedo that blasted a 27 ft (8.2 m) hole in her side below her waterline. Williamson's plane was immediately shot down by the Italian battleship's <a href="/wiki/Anti-aircraft_warfare" title="Anti-aircraft warfare">anti-aircraft guns</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-fabio_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-fabio-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The two remaining aircraft in this sub-flight continued, dodging barrage balloons and receiving heavy anti-aircraft fire from the Italian warships and shore batteries, to press home an unsuccessful attack on the battleship <i>Andrea Doria</i>. The next sub-flight of three attacked from a more northerly direction, attacking the battleship <a href="/wiki/Italian_battleship_Littorio" title="Italian battleship Littorio"><i>Littorio</i></a>, hitting it with two torpedoes and launching one torpedo at the flagship, the battleship <a href="/wiki/Italian_battleship_Vittorio_Veneto" title="Italian battleship Vittorio Veneto"><i>Vittorio Veneto</i></a>, which missed. The bomber force, led by Captain O. Patch RM, attacked next. They found the targets difficult to identify, but attacked and hit two cruisers moored at <i>Mar Piccolo</i> hitting both with a single bomb each from 1,500 ft (460 m), followed by another aircraft that straddled four destroyers.<sup id="cite_ref-sturtivant_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sturtivant-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The second wave of eight aircraft, led by Lieutenant Commander J. D. Hale of 819 Squadron, was now approaching from a northerly direction towards the <i>Mar Grande</i> harbour, with two of the four bombers also carrying flares, the remaining five carrying torpedoes. Flares were dropped shortly before midnight. Two aircraft aimed their torpedoes at <i>Littorio</i>, one of which hit. One aircraft, despite having been hit twice by anti-aircraft fire, aimed a torpedo at <i>Vittorio Veneto</i> but the torpedo missed. Another aircraft hit the battleship <a href="/wiki/Italian_battleship_Duilio" title="Italian battleship Duilio"><i>Duilio</i></a> with a torpedo, blowing a large hole in her hull and flooding both of her forward <a href="/wiki/Magazine_(artillery)#Naval_magazines" title="Magazine (artillery)">magazines</a>. The aircraft flown by Lieutenant G. Bayley RN was shot down by antiaircraft fire from the heavy cruiser <a href="/wiki/Italian_cruiser_Gorizia" title="Italian cruiser Gorizia"><i>Gorizia</i></a><sup id="cite_ref-fabio_10-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-fabio-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> following the successful attack on <i>Littorio</i>, the only aircraft lost from the second wave. The final aircraft to arrive on the scene 15 minutes behind the others made an unsuccessful <a href="/wiki/Dive-bombing" class="mw-redirect" title="Dive-bombing">dive-bombing</a> attack on one of the Italian cruisers despite heavy anti-aircraft fire, then safely returned to <i>Illustrious</i>, landing at 02:39.<sup id="cite_ref-sturtivant_4-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sturtivant-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Of the two aircraft shot down, the pilot and observer of the first (L4A), Lieutenant Commander K. Williamson, and Lieutenant N. J. 'Blood' Scarlett respectively, were taken prisoner. The pilot and observer of the second aircraft (E4H), Lieutenant G. Bayley and Lieutenant H. Slaughter, were both killed.<sup id="cite_ref-ANAM_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ANAM-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Italian battleships suffered significant damage: </p> <ul><li><i>Conte di Cavour</i> had a 12 m × 8 m (39 ft × 26 ft) hole in the hull, and permission to ground her was withheld until it was too late, so her keel touched the bottom at a deeper depth than intended. 27 of the ship's crew were killed and over 100 more wounded. In the end, only her superstructure and main armament remained above water.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> She was subsequently raised, partially repaired and transferred to <a href="/wiki/Trieste" title="Trieste">Trieste</a> for further repairs and upgrades, but a changed situation put these works in low priority. She was still undergoing repairs when Italy surrendered, so she never returned to full service;<sup id="cite_ref-santoni_13-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-santoni-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><i>Duilio</i> had only a slightly smaller hole (11 m × 7 m (36 ft × 23 ft)) and was saved by running her aground;<sup id="cite_ref-santoni_13-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-santoni-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li></ul> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Littorio-11-November-1940.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Littorio-11-November-1940.svg/220px-Littorio-11-November-1940.svg.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="94" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Littorio-11-November-1940.svg/330px-Littorio-11-November-1940.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Littorio-11-November-1940.svg/440px-Littorio-11-November-1940.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="4000" data-file-height="1700" /></a><figcaption>Damaged <i>Littorio</i></figcaption></figure> <ul><li><i>Littorio</i> had considerable flooding caused by three torpedo hits. Despite underwater protection (the <a href="/wiki/Pugliese_torpedo_defense_system" class="mw-redirect" title="Pugliese torpedo defense system">Pugliese torpedo defense system</a>, standard in all Italian battleships), the damage was extensive, although actual damage to the ship's structures was relatively limited (the machinery was intact). Casualties were 32 crewmen killed and many wounded. She was holed in three places, once on the port side (7 m × 1.5 m (23 ft 0 in × 4 ft 11 in)), and twice on the starboard side (15 m × 10 m (49 ft × 33 ft) and 12 m × 9 m (39 ft × 30 ft)). She too was saved by running her aground. Despite this, in the morning, the ship's bows were totally submerged.<sup id="cite_ref-santoni_13-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-santoni-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li></ul> <p>Italian defences fired 13,489 shells from the land batteries, while several thousand were fired from the ships. The anti-aircraft barrage was formidable, having 101 guns and 193 machine guns. There were also 87 balloons, but strong winds caused the loss of 60 of them. Only 4.2 km (2.3 nmi; 2.6 mi) of anti-torpedo nets were actually fielded around the ships, up to 10 m (33 ft) in-depth, while the need was for 12.8 km (6.9 nmi; 8.0 mi). There were also 13 <a href="/wiki/Acoustic_location#Military_use" title="Acoustic location">aerophonic</a> stations and 22 searchlights (the ships had two searchlights each).<sup id="cite_ref-santoni_13-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-santoni-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Denis Boyd, Commanding Officer HMS <i>Illustrious</i>, stated in his after-action report, "It is notable that the enemy did not use the searchlights at all during either of the attacks."<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p><i>Littorio</i> was repaired with all available resources and was fully operational again within four months, while restoration of the older battleships proceeded at a much slower pace (repairs took seven months for <i>Duilio</i>, and the repairs for <i>Conte di Cavour</i> were never completed). In all, the Swordfish attack was made with just 20 aircraft. Two Italian aircraft were destroyed on the ground by the bombing, and two unexploded bombs hit the cruiser <a href="/wiki/Italian_cruiser_Trento" title="Italian cruiser Trento"><i>Trento</i></a> and the destroyer <i>Libeccio</i>. Near misses damaged the destroyer <i>Pessagno</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-santoni_13-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-santoni-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Meanwhile, X-Force cruisers attacked an Italian convoy (<a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Strait_of_Otranto_(1940)" class="mw-redirect" title="Battle of the Strait of Otranto (1940)">Battle of the Strait of Otranto</a>). This force had three cruisers (<a href="/wiki/HMS_Ajax_(22)" title="HMS Ajax (22)">HMS <i>Ajax</i></a>, <a href="/wiki/HMS_Orion_(85)" title="HMS Orion (85)"><i>Orion</i></a> and <a href="/wiki/HMAS_Sydney_(D48)" title="HMAS Sydney (D48)">HMAS <i>Sydney</i></a>) and two <a href="/wiki/Tribal-class_destroyer_(1936)" title="Tribal-class destroyer (1936)">Tribal-class</a> destroyers (<a href="/wiki/HMS_Nubian_(F36)" title="HMS Nubian (F36)">HMS <i>Nubian</i></a> and <a href="/wiki/HMS_Mohawk_(F31)" title="HMS Mohawk (F31)"><i>Mohawk</i></a>). Just past midnight, they met and destroyed four Italian merchantmen (<i>Capo Vado</i>, <i>Catalani</i>, <i>Locatelli</i> and <i>Premuda</i>), damaging the torpedo-boat <a href="/wiki/Italian_destroyer_Nicola_Fabrizi" title="Italian destroyer Nicola Fabrizi"><i>Nicola Fabrizi</i></a>, while the heavily out-gunned <a href="/wiki/Auxiliary_cruiser" class="mw-redirect" title="Auxiliary cruiser">auxiliary cruiser</a> <i><a href="/wiki/Ramb_III" class="mw-redirect" title="Ramb III">Ramb III</a></i> fled.<sup id="cite_ref-santoni_13-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-santoni-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Cunningham and Lyster wanted to strike Taranto again the next night with Swordfish (six torpedo-bombers, seven bombers, and two flare-dispensers) – one wag in the pilots' room remarked, "They only asked the <a href="/wiki/Charge_of_the_Light_Brigade" title="Charge of the Light Brigade">Light Brigade</a> to do it once!"<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> – but bad weather prevented the action.<sup id="cite_ref-santoni_13-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-santoni-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Aftermath">Aftermath</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Taranto&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Aftermath"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The Italian fleet lost half of its capital ships in one night; the next day, the <i>Regia Marina</i> transferred its undamaged ships from Taranto to Naples to protect them from similar attacks,<sup id="cite_ref-sturtivant_4-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sturtivant-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> until the defences at Taranto (mainly the anti-torpedo nets) were brought up to adequate levels to protect them from further attacks of the same kind (which happened between March and May 1941).<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Repairs to <i>Littorio</i> took about four months, to <i>Duilio</i> seven months; <i>Conte di Cavour</i> required extensive salvage work and her repairs were incomplete when Italy surrendered in 1943.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Cunningham wrote after the attack: "The Taranto show has freed up our hands considerably & I hope now to shake these damned <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Eyetie" class="extiw" title="wikt:Eyetie">Eyeties</a> up a bit. I don't think their remaining three battleships will face us and if they do I'm quite prepared to take them on with only two." Indeed, the balance of power had swung to the British Mediterranean Fleet which now enjoyed more operational freedom: when previously forced to operate as one unit to match Italian capital ships, they could now split into two battlegroups; each built around one aircraft carrier and two battleships.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <ul class="gallery mw-gallery-packed"> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 278.66666666667px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 276.66666666667px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Taranto_1940_(4).jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="Aerial photo of Italian warships moored in Mar Grande harbour at Taranto. Note the 'Y' jetty."><img alt="Aerial photo of Italian warships moored in Mar Grande harbour at Taranto. Note the 'Y' jetty." src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/13/Taranto_1940_%284%29.jpg/415px-Taranto_1940_%284%29.jpg" decoding="async" width="277" height="275" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/13/Taranto_1940_%284%29.jpg/622px-Taranto_1940_%284%29.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Taranto_1940_%284%29.jpg 2x" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="795" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">Aerial photo of Italian warships moored in <i>Mar Grande</i> harbour at Taranto. Note the 'Y' jetty.</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 362px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 360px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Taranto_1940_(3).JPG" class="mw-file-description" title="Aftermath of the battle showing an Italian battleship down by the bows and beached (far right)"><img alt="Aftermath of the battle showing an Italian battleship down by the bows and beached (far right)" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Taranto_1940_%283%29.JPG/540px-Taranto_1940_%283%29.JPG" decoding="async" width="360" height="275" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Taranto_1940_%283%29.JPG 1.5x" data-file-width="640" data-file-height="488" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">Aftermath of the battle showing an Italian battleship down by the bows and beached (far right)</div> </li> </ul> <p>Nevertheless, Cunningham's estimate that Italians would be unwilling to risk their remaining heavy units was quickly proven wrong. Only five days after Taranto, Campioni sortied with two battleships, six cruisers and 14 destroyers to successfully disrupt <a href="/wiki/Operation_White" title="Operation White">a mission to deliver aircraft to Malta</a>. The follow-up to this operation led to the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Cape_Spartivento" title="Battle of Cape Spartivento">Battle of Cape Spartivento</a> on 27 November 1940. Two of the three damaged battleships were repaired by mid-1941 and control of the Mediterranean continued to swing back and forth until the <a href="/wiki/Italian_armistice" class="mw-redirect" title="Italian armistice">Italian armistice</a> in 1943. </p><p>The attack on Taranto was avenged a year later by the Italian navy in its <a href="/wiki/Raid_on_Alexandria_(1941)" title="Raid on Alexandria (1941)">Raid on Alexandria</a>, when the Mediterranean fleet of the Royal Navy was attacked using <a href="/wiki/Midget_submarine" title="Midget submarine">midget submarines</a>, severely damaging the battleships <a href="/wiki/HMS_Queen_Elizabeth_(1913)" title="HMS Queen Elizabeth (1913)">HMS <i>Queen Elizabeth</i></a> and <a href="/wiki/HMS_Valiant_(1914)" title="HMS Valiant (1914)"><i>Valiant</i></a>. </p><p>However, measured against its primary task of disrupting Axis convoys to Africa, the Taranto attack had very little effect. In fact, Italian shipping to Libya increased between the months of October 1940 – January 1941 to an average of 49,435 tons per month, up from the 37,204-ton average of the previous four months.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Moreover, rather than change the balance of power in the central Mediterranean, British naval authorities had "failed to deliver the true knockout blow that would have changed the context within which the rest of the war in the Mediterranean was fought."<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Aerial torpedo experts in all modern navies had previously thought that torpedo attacks against ships must be in water at least 75 ft (23 m) deep.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Taranto harbour had a depth of only about 39 ft (12 m); but the Royal Navy had developed a new method of preventing torpedoes from diving too deep. A drum was attached beneath the nose of the aircraft, from which a roll of wire led to the nose of the torpedo. As it dropped, the tension from the wire pulled up the nose of the torpedo, producing a belly-flop rather than a nose dive.<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Influence_on_Pearl_Harbor">Influence on Pearl Harbor</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Taranto&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Influence on Pearl Harbor"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>It is likely the <a href="/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Navy" title="Imperial Japanese Navy">Imperial Japanese Navy</a>'s staff carefully studied the Taranto raid during planning for the <a href="/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor" title="Attack on Pearl Harbor">attack on Pearl Harbor</a>, as both attacks faced similar issues attacking a shallow harbour. Japanese Lieutenant Commander Takeshi Naito, the assistant naval attaché to Berlin, flew to Taranto to investigate the attack firsthand. Naito subsequently had a lengthy conversation with Commander <a href="/wiki/Mitsuo_Fuchida" title="Mitsuo Fuchida">Mitsuo Fuchida</a> about his observations in October 1941.<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Fuchida led the Japanese attack on 7 December 1941. More significant, perhaps, was a Japanese military mission to Italy in May 1941. A group of IJN officers visited Taranto and had lengthy discussions with their Italian Navy opposite numbers.<sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, the Japanese had been working on shallow-water solutions since early 1939, with various shallow ports as the notional targets, including <a href="/wiki/Manila" title="Manila">Manila</a>, <a href="/wiki/Singapore" title="Singapore">Singapore</a>, <a href="/wiki/Vladivostok" title="Vladivostok">Vladivostok</a>, and Pearl Harbor.<sup id="cite_ref-Peattie144_25-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Peattie144-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In the early 1930s, as their <a href="/wiki/Type_91_torpedo" title="Type 91 torpedo">Type 91 aerial torpedo</a> entered service, the Japanese used a breakaway wooden nose to soften its impact with the water. As early as 1936, they perfected breakaway wooden fins for added aerial stability.<sup id="cite_ref-Peattie144_25-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Peattie144-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was a considerably larger operation than Taranto. All six <a href="/wiki/Imperial_Japanese_Navy_in_World_War_II" title="Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II">Imperial Japanese</a> <a href="/wiki/Fleet_carrier" title="Fleet carrier">fleet carriers</a>, each one equipped with an air wing having over twice the number of planes of any British carrier, took part. It resulted in far more devastation; seven American battleships were sunk or disabled, and several other warships were destroyed or damaged. The U.S. Navy thereafter designed its fleet operations in the <a href="/wiki/Pacific_War" title="Pacific War">Pacific Ocean</a> around its carriers instead of its <a href="/wiki/Standard_type_battleship" class="mw-redirect" title="Standard type battleship">battleships</a> as <a href="/wiki/Capital_ship" title="Capital ship">capital ships</a>. Battleships were found to be less useful in the expanses of the Pacific than in the confines of the Mediterranean; the older ships were too slow to escort the carriers and were chiefly used as fire support for amphibious operations.<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Notes">Notes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Taranto&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Notes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Simpson, Michael (2004). <i>A life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham. A Twentieth-century Naval Leader</i>. Routledge Ed., p. 74. <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7146-5197-2" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-7146-5197-2">978-0-7146-5197-2</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-steven-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-7"><sup><i><b>h</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-8"><sup><i><b>i</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-9"><sup><i><b>j</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-10"><sup><i><b>k</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-11"><sup><i><b>l</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-12"><sup><i><b>m</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-13"><sup><i><b>n</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-14"><sup><i><b>o</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-15"><sup><i><b>p</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-16"><sup><i><b>q</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-17"><sup><i><b>r</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-steven_2-18"><sup><i><b>s</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFStephen1988" class="citation book cs1">Stephen, Martin (1988). Grove, Eric (ed.). <i>Sea Battles in Close-up: World War 2</i>. Vol. 1. Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allanm. pp. 34–38. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7110-1596-1" title="Special:BookSources/0-7110-1596-1"><bdi>0-7110-1596-1</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Sea+Battles+in+Close-up%3A+World+War+2&rft.place=Shepperton%2C+Surrey&rft.pages=34-38&rft.pub=Ian+Allanm&rft.date=1988&rft.isbn=0-7110-1596-1&rft.aulast=Stephen&rft.aufirst=Martin&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABattle+of+Taranto" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-tarantoRN-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-tarantoRN_3-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101024184628/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/history/battles/taranto/">"Taranto 1940"</a>. Royal Navy. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/history/battles/taranto/">the original</a> on 24 October 2010.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Taranto+1940&rft.pub=Royal+Navy&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.royalnavy.mod.uk%2Fhistory%2Fbattles%2Ftaranto%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABattle+of+Taranto" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-sturtivant-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-sturtivant_4-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-sturtivant_4-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-sturtivant_4-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-sturtivant_4-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSturtivant1990" class="citation book cs1">Sturtivant, Ray (1990). <i>British naval aviation: the Fleet Air Arm 1917–1990</i>. London: Arms & Armour Press. pp. 48–50. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-85368-938-5" title="Special:BookSources/0-85368-938-5"><bdi>0-85368-938-5</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=British+naval+aviation%3A+the+Fleet+Air+Arm+1917%E2%80%931990&rft.place=London&rft.pages=48-50&rft.pub=Arms+%26+Armour+Press&rft.date=1990&rft.isbn=0-85368-938-5&rft.aulast=Sturtivant&rft.aufirst=Ray&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABattle+of+Taranto" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">'The Aeroplane, Vol. LXXIII No. 1887, 8 August 1947, p. 154</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Wragg, David, <i>Swordfish</i>, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2003, pp. 78–79</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">These aircraft had an auxiliary fuel tank under the fuselage</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Smith-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Smith_8-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSmith2014" class="citation book cs1">Smith, Peter (2014). <i>Combat Biplanes of World War II</i>. United Kingdom: Pen & Sword. p. 151. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1783400546" title="Special:BookSources/978-1783400546"><bdi>978-1783400546</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Combat+Biplanes+of+World+War+II&rft.place=United+Kingdom&rft.pages=151&rft.pub=Pen+%26+Sword&rft.date=2014&rft.isbn=978-1783400546&rft.aulast=Smith&rft.aufirst=Peter&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABattle+of+Taranto" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFGiorgerini2002" class="citation book cs1">Giorgerini, Giorgio (2002). <i>La guerra italiana sul mare : la marina tra vittoria e sconfitta: 1940–1943</i> (1st Oscar storia. ed.). Milano: Mondadori. pp. 218–9. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-88-04-50150-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-88-04-50150-3"><bdi>978-88-04-50150-3</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=La+guerra+italiana+sul+mare+%3A+la+marina+tra+vittoria+e+sconfitta%3A+1940%E2%80%931943&rft.place=Milano&rft.pages=218-9&rft.edition=1st+Oscar+storia.&rft.pub=Mondadori&rft.date=2002&rft.isbn=978-88-04-50150-3&rft.aulast=Giorgerini&rft.aufirst=Giorgio&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABattle+of+Taranto" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-fabio-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-fabio_10-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-fabio_10-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation cs2 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.fabiosiciliano.it/htm/verdeguerra/pdf/notte.pdf"><i>La Notte di Taranto</i></a> [<i>The Taranto night</i>] <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> (in Italian), Fabio Siciliano</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=La+Notte+di+Taranto&rft.pub=Fabio+Siciliano&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fabiosiciliano.it%2Fhtm%2Fverdeguerra%2Fpdf%2Fnotte.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABattle+of+Taranto" class="Z3988"></span>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-ANAM-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-ANAM_11-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAustralian_Naval_Aviation_Museum1998" class="citation book cs1">Australian Naval Aviation Museum (1998). <i>Flying Stations: a story of Australian naval aviation</i>. Sydney: Allen & Unwin. p. 23. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-86448-846-8" title="Special:BookSources/1-86448-846-8"><bdi>1-86448-846-8</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Flying+Stations%3A+a+story+of+Australian+naval+aviation&rft.place=Sydney&rft.pages=23&rft.pub=Allen+%26+Unwin&rft.date=1998&rft.isbn=1-86448-846-8&rft.au=Australian+Naval+Aviation+Museum&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABattle+of+Taranto" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFDentJordan2010" class="citation book cs1">Dent, Stephen; Jordan, John, eds. (2010). <i>Warship 2010</i> (2010 ed.). London: Conway. pp. 81–85. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84486-110-1" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-84486-110-1"><bdi>978-1-84486-110-1</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Warship+2010&rft.place=London&rft.pages=81-85&rft.edition=2010&rft.pub=Conway&rft.date=2010&rft.isbn=978-1-84486-110-1&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABattle+of+Taranto" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-santoni-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-santoni_13-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-santoni_13-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-santoni_13-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-santoni_13-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-santoni_13-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-santoni_13-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-santoni_13-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSantoni1990" class="citation cs2 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source">Santoni, Alberto (November 1990), "L'attacco inglese a Taranto" [The English attack on Taranto], <i>Rivista Italiana di Difesa</i> (in Italian): 88–95</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Rivista+Italiana+di+Difesa&rft.atitle=L%27attacco+inglese+a+Taranto&rft.pages=88-95&rft.date=1990-11&rft.aulast=Santoni&rft.aufirst=Alberto&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABattle+of+Taranto" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-14">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Boyd's Report was attached to an Intelligence Report filed with the Office of Naval Intelligence by Lt Commander John N Opie, III, USN. Opie's report is found at the National Archives, Record Group 38, A-1-z/22863D.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-15">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Newton, Don & A. Cecil Hampshire, <i>Taranto</i>, London, W Kimber, 1959, p 165.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-16">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFGiorgerini2002" class="citation book cs1">Giorgerini, Giorgio (2002). <i>La guerra italiana sul mare : la marina tra vittoria e sconfitta : 1940–1943</i> (1. ed. Oscar storia. ed.). Milano: Mondadori. p. 223. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-8-80-450150-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-8-80-450150-3"><bdi>978-8-80-450150-3</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=La+guerra+italiana+sul+mare+%3A+la+marina+tra+vittoria+e+sconfitta+%3A+1940%E2%80%931943&rft.place=Milano&rft.pages=223&rft.edition=1.+ed.+Oscar+storia.&rft.pub=Mondadori&rft.date=2002&rft.isbn=978-8-80-450150-3&rft.aulast=Giorgerini&rft.aufirst=Giorgio&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABattle+of+Taranto" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-17">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Playfair, Vol I, p. 237.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFO'Hara2009" class="citation book cs1">O'Hara, Vincent (2009). <i>Struggle for the Middle Sea</i>. London: Conway. p. 65. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-184486-102-6" title="Special:BookSources/978-184486-102-6"><bdi>978-184486-102-6</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Struggle+for+the+Middle+Sea&rft.place=London&rft.pages=65&rft.pub=Conway&rft.date=2009&rft.isbn=978-184486-102-6&rft.aulast=O%27Hara&rft.aufirst=Vincent&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABattle+of+Taranto" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-19">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBragadin" class="citation cs2">Bragadin, <i>Italian Navy in World War II</i>, p. 356</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Italian+Navy+in+World+War+II&rft.pages=356&rft.au=Bragadin&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABattle+of+Taranto" class="Z3988"></span>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-20">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Caravaggio, p. 122.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-21">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Christopher O'Connor <i>Taranto, The Raid, The Observer, The Aftermath</i> Dog Ear Publishing, 2010, page 79</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-22">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLowryWellham1995" class="citation cs2">Lowry, Thomas P; Wellham, JWG (1995), <i>The Attack on Taranto</i>, Stackpole, pp. 38–39</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Attack+on+Taranto&rft.pages=38-39&rft.pub=Stackpole&rft.date=1995&rft.aulast=Lowry&rft.aufirst=Thomas+P&rft.au=Wellham%2C+JWG&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABattle+of+Taranto" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-23">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Interview with Mitsuo Fuchida, 25 February 1964, Donald M. Goldstein Papers, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-24">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFFioravanzo1956" class="citation cs2">Fioravanzo, Giuseppe (January 1956), "The Japanese Military Mission to Italy", <i>USNI Proceedings</i>: 24–32</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=USNI+Proceedings&rft.atitle=The+Japanese+Military+Mission+to+Italy&rft.pages=24-32&rft.date=1956-01&rft.aulast=Fioravanzo&rft.aufirst=Giuseppe&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABattle+of+Taranto" class="Z3988"></span>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Peattie144-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Peattie144_25-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Peattie144_25-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFPeattie2007" class="citation book cs1">Peattie, Mark R (2007). <i>Sunburst: The Rise of Japanese Naval Air Power, 1909–1941</i>. Naval Institute Press. p. 144. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-59114664-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-59114664-3"><bdi>978-1-59114664-3</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Sunburst%3A+The+Rise+of+Japanese+Naval+Air+Power%2C+1909%E2%80%931941&rft.pages=144&rft.pub=Naval+Institute+Press&rft.date=2007&rft.isbn=978-1-59114664-3&rft.aulast=Peattie&rft.aufirst=Mark+R&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABattle+of+Taranto" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-26">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Peattie 2007, p. 145.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-27">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFKeegan1993" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/John_Keegan" title="John Keegan">Keegan, John</a> (1993). <i>Battle at Sea</i>. London: <a href="/wiki/Pimlico_(publishing_imprint)" class="mw-redirect" title="Pimlico (publishing imprint)">Pimlico</a>. pp. 157–211. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7126-5991-9" title="Special:BookSources/0-7126-5991-9"><bdi>0-7126-5991-9</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Battle+at+Sea&rft.place=London&rft.pages=157-211&rft.pub=Pimlico&rft.date=1993&rft.isbn=0-7126-5991-9&rft.aulast=Keegan&rft.aufirst=John&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABattle+of+Taranto" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Taranto&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li>Bragadin, A, <i>Italian Navy in World War II</i>, 1st Ed, US Naval Institute, Annapolis, 1957. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/087021327X" title="Special:BookSources/087021327X">087021327X</a></li> <li>Caravaggio, A.N, Lieutenant Colonel, 'The Attack at Taranto: Tactical Success, Operational Failure', <i>Naval War College Review</i>, 1997.</li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFPlayfairwith_StittMolonyToomer2004" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Ian_Stanley_Ord_Playfair" class="mw-redirect" title="Ian Stanley Ord Playfair">Playfair, Major-General I.S.O.</a>; with Stitt, Commander G.M.S; Molony, Brigadier C.J.C. & Toomer, Air Vice-Marshal S.E. (2004) [1st. pub. <a href="/wiki/HMSO" class="mw-redirect" title="HMSO">HMSO</a>:1954]. <a href="/wiki/James_Ramsay_Montagu_Butler" class="mw-redirect" title="James Ramsay Montagu Butler">Butler, J.R.M</a> (ed.). <i>Mediterranean and Middle East Volume I: The Early Successes Against Italy (to May 1941)</i>. History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Uckfield, UK: Naval & Military Press. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-84574-065-3" title="Special:BookSources/1-84574-065-3"><bdi>1-84574-065-3</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Mediterranean+and+Middle+East+Volume+I%3A+The+Early+Successes+Against+Italy+%28to+May+1941%29&rft.place=Uckfield%2C+UK&rft.series=History+of+the+Second+World+War%2C+United+Kingdom+Military+Series&rft.pub=Naval+%26+Military+Press&rft.date=2004&rft.isbn=1-84574-065-3&rft.aulast=Playfair&rft.aufirst=Major-General+I.S.O.&rft.au=with+Stitt%2C+Commander+G.M.S&rft.au=Molony%2C+Brigadier+C.J.C.&rft.au=Toomer%2C+Air+Vice-Marshal+S.E.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ABattle+of+Taranto" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li>Carlo Stasi, <i>Otranto e l'Inghilterra (episodi bellici in Puglia e nel Salento)</i>, in <i>Note di Storia e Cultura Salentina</i>, anno XV, pp. 127–159, (Argo, Lecce, 2003),</li> <li>Carlo Stasi, <i>Otranto nel Mondo. Dal "Castello" di Walpole al "Barone" di Voltaire</i> (Editrice Salentina, Galatina 2018) <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-88-31964-06-7" title="Special:BookSources/978-88-31964-06-7">978-88-31964-06-7</a>,</li> <li>Thomas P. Lowry, <i>The Attack on Taranto</i> (Stackpoole Books paperbacks, 2000)</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Further_reading">Further reading</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Taranto&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Further reading"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Charles_Lamb_(WWII_naval_officer)" class="mw-redirect" title="Charles Lamb (WWII naval officer)">Lamb, Charles</a> <i>To War in a Stringbag</i>. Cassell and Collier Macmillan (1977) <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-304-29778-X" title="Special:BookSources/0-304-29778-X">0-304-29778-X</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Thomas_P._Lowry" title="Thomas P. Lowry">Lowry, Thomas P.</a> & Wellham, John W.G. <i>The Attack on Taranto: Blueprint for Pearl Harbor</i>. Stackpole Books (1995) <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-8117-1726-7" title="Special:BookSources/0-8117-1726-7">0-8117-1726-7</a></li> <li>O'Connor, Christopher Patrick <i>Taranto: The Raid, The Observer, The Aftermath</i>. Dog Ear Publishing (2010) <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-160844-721-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-160844-721-3">978-160844-721-3</a></li> <li>Konstam, Angus <i>Taranto 1940; The Fleet Air Arm's precursor to Pearl Harbor</i>. Osprey Campaign Series #288. Osprey Publishing (2015) <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4728-0896-7" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-4728-0896-7">978-1-4728-0896-7</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Taranto&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1235681985">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .side-box-flex{display:flex;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{flex:1;min-width:0}}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .side-box{width:238px}.mw-parser-output .side-box-right{clear:right;float:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-left{margin-right:1em}}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1237033735">@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox{display:none!important}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}</style><div class="side-box side-box-right plainlinks sistersitebox"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1126788409"> <div class="side-box-flex"> <div class="side-box-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="30" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/45px-Commons-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/59px-Commons-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="1376" /></span></span></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist">Wikimedia Commons has media related to <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Battle_of_Taranto" class="extiw" title="commons:Category:Battle of Taranto">Battle of Taranto</a></span>.</div></div> </div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://digilander.libero.it/planciacomando/WW2/taranto1.htm">La notte di Taranto</a> – Plancia di Commando</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.navweaps.com/index_oob/OOB_WWII_Mediterranean/OOB_WWII_Taranto.htm">Order of battle</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80024832">IWM Interview with John Wellham, who piloted a Swordfish during the battle</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170808042800/http://dioramas-and-models.com/the%20attack%20on%20taranto%2C%20nov%201949.html">Battle of Taranto Diorama</a></li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="British_Empire_battles_of_the_Second_World_War" style=";wide;padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:British_Empire_WWII_battles" title="Template:British Empire WWII battles"><abbr title="View this template" style="color:inherit">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:British_Empire_WWII_battles" title="Template talk:British Empire WWII battles"><abbr title="Discuss this template" style="color:inherit">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:British_Empire_WWII_battles" title="Special:EditPage/Template:British Empire WWII battles"><abbr title="Edit this template" style="color:inherit">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="British_Empire_battles_of_the_Second_World_War" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/British_Empire_in_World_War_II" title="British Empire in World War II">British Empire battles of the Second World War</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;">Africa</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/East_African_campaign_(World_War_II)" title="East African campaign (World War II)"><b>East Africa</b></a></dt> <dd><a href="/wiki/Italian_invasion_of_British_Somaliland" title="Italian invasion of British Somaliland">Invasion of British Somaliland</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/East_African_campaign_(World_War_II)#Italian_Somaliland" title="East African campaign (World War II)">Capture of Italian Somaliland</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Appearance" title="Operation Appearance">Recapture of British Somaliland</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Italian_guerrilla_war_in_Ethiopia" title="Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia">Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia</a></dd></dl> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/North_African_campaign" title="North African campaign"><b>North Africa</b></a></dt> <dd><a href="/wiki/First_Battle_of_El_Alamein" title="First Battle of El Alamein">First Battle of El Alamein</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Second_Battle_of_El_Alamein" title="Second Battle of El Alamein">Second Battle of El Alamein</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Italian_invasion_of_Egypt" title="Italian invasion of Egypt">Italian invasion of Egypt</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Compass" title="Operation Compass">Operation Compass</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Run_for_Tunis" title="Run for Tunis">Run for Tunis</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Siege_of_Giarabub" title="Siege of Giarabub">Siege of Giarabub</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Siege_of_Tobruk" title="Siege of Tobruk">Siege of Tobruk</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Crusader" title="Operation Crusader">Capture of Tobruk</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Brevity" title="Operation Brevity">Operation Brevity</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Skorpion" title="Operation Skorpion">Operation Skorpion</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Sonnenblume" title="Operation Sonnenblume">Operation Sonnenblume</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/British_Military_Administration_(Libya)" title="British Military Administration (Libya)">Occupation of Libya</a></dd></dl> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_South_Africa_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of South Africa during World War II">Southern Africa</a></dt> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Madagascar" title="Battle of Madagascar">Battle of Madagascar</a></dd></dl> <dl><dt>West Africa</dt> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Dakar" title="Battle of Dakar">Battle of Dakar</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Postmaster" title="Operation Postmaster">Operation Postmaster</a></dd></dl> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><a href="/wiki/European_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="European theatre of World War II"><b>Europe</b></a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/Arctic_naval_operations_of_World_War_II" title="Arctic naval operations of World War II"><b>Arctic</b></a></dt> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Barents_Sea" title="Battle of the Barents Sea">Battle of the Barents Sea</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Alphabet" title="Operation Alphabet">Evacuation of Norway</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Allied_occupation_of_Iceland" title="Allied occupation of Iceland">Occupation of Iceland</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Gauntlet" title="Operation Gauntlet">Evacuation of Spitsbergen</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/British_occupation_of_the_Faroe_Islands" title="British occupation of the Faroe Islands">Faroe Islands occupation</a></dd></dl> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/Balkans_campaign_(World_War_II)" title="Balkans campaign (World War II)"><b>Balkans</b></a></dt> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Lustre" title="Operation Lustre">Reinforcement of Greece</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Crete" title="Battle of Crete">Battle of Crete</a> (<a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Rethymno" title="Battle of Rethymno">Rethymno</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Thermopylae_(1941)" title="Battle of Thermopylae (1941)">Thermopylae</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Vevi_(1941)" title="Battle of Vevi (1941)">Vevi</a>)</dd></dl> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Mediterranean" title="Battle of the Mediterranean"><b>Mediterranean</b></a></dt> <dd><a href="/wiki/Attack_on_Convoy_AN_14" title="Attack on Convoy AN 14">Convoy AN 14</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Attack_on_Mers-el-K%C3%A9bir" title="Attack on Mers-el-Kébir">Attack on Mers-el-Kébir</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Calabria" title="Battle of Calabria">Battle of Calabria</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Campobasso_Convoy" title="Battle of the Campobasso Convoy">Campobasso Convoy</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Cape_Bon_(1941)" title="Battle of Cape Bon (1941)">Battle of Cape Bon</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Cape_Matapan" title="Battle of Cape Matapan">Battle of Cape Matapan</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Cape_Passero_(1940)" class="mw-redirect" title="Battle of Cape Passero (1940)">Battle of Cape Passero</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Cape_Spada" title="Battle of Cape Spada">Battle of Cape Spada</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Cape_Spartivento" title="Battle of Cape Spartivento">Battle of Cape Spartivento</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Cigno_Convoy" title="Battle of the Cigno Convoy">Cigno Convoy</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Duisburg_Convoy" title="Battle of the Duisburg Convoy">Duisburg Convoy</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Espero_Convoy" title="Battle of the Espero Convoy">Espero Convoy</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Ligurian_Sea" title="Battle of the Ligurian Sea">Battle of the Ligurian Sea</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Skerki_Bank" title="Battle of Skerki Bank">Battle of Skerki Bank</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Strait_of_Otranto_(1940)" class="mw-redirect" title="Battle of the Strait of Otranto (1940)">Battle of the Strait of Otranto (1940)</a></dd> <dd><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Battle of Taranto</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Tarigo_Convoy" title="Battle of the Tarigo Convoy">Tarigo Convoy</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_off_Zuwarah" title="Battle off Zuwarah">Battle off Zuwarah</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Abstention" title="Operation Abstention">Operation Abstention</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Agreement" title="Operation Agreement">Operation Agreement</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Albumen" title="Operation Albumen">Operation Albumen</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Excess" title="Operation Excess">Operation Excess</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Grog" title="Operation Grog">Operation Grog</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Harpoon_(1942)" title="Operation Harpoon (1942)">Operation Harpoon</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Pedestal" title="Operation Pedestal">Operation Pedestal</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Scylla" title="Operation Scylla">Operation Scylla</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Vigorous" title="Operation Vigorous">Operation Vigorous</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_White" title="Operation White">Operation White</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Raid_on_Alexandria_(1941)" title="Raid on Alexandria (1941)">Raid on Alexandria</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Raid_on_Souda_Bay" title="Raid on Souda Bay">Raid on Souda Bay</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Siege_of_Malta_(World_War_II)" title="Siege of Malta (World War II)">Siege of Malta</a> <dl><dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Grand_Harbour" class="mw-redirect" title="Battle of Grand Harbour">Battle of Grand Harbour</a></dd></dl></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Malta_convoys" title="Malta convoys">Malta convoys</a></dd></dl> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/European_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="European theatre of World War II"><b>Western Europe</b></a></dt> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Heligoland_Bight_(1939)" title="Battle of the Heligoland Bight (1939)">Battle of the Heligoland Bight</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_II)" title="British Expeditionary Force (World War II)">BEF</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_France" title="Battle of France">Battle of France</a> (<a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Arras_(1940)" title="Battle of Arras (1940)">Arras</a>)</dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/German_invasion_of_Belgium_(1940)" title="German invasion of Belgium (1940)">Battle of Belgium</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/German_invasion_of_the_Netherlands" title="German invasion of the Netherlands">Battle of the Netherlands</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Dunkirk_evacuation" title="Dunkirk evacuation">Dunkirk evacuation</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Britain" title="Battle of Britain">Battle of Britain</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/The_Blitz" title="The Blitz">The Blitz</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Dieppe_Raid" title="Dieppe Raid">Dieppe Raid</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Channel_Dash" title="Channel Dash">Channel Dash</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Gisela" title="Operation Gisela">Operation Gisela</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Steinbock" title="Operation Steinbock">Operation Steinbock</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Diver" title="Operation Diver">Operation Diver</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Evacuation_of_the_Gibraltarian_civilian_population_during_World_War_II" title="Evacuation of the Gibraltarian civilian population during World War II">Evacuation of Gibraltar</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Juno_Beach" title="Juno Beach">Juno Beach</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Gold_Beach" title="Gold Beach">Gold Beach</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Sword_Beach" title="Sword Beach">Sword Beach</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Windsor" title="Operation Windsor">Operation Windsor</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Clearing_the_Channel_Coast" title="Clearing the Channel Coast">Clearing the Channel Coast</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Market_Garden" title="Operation Market Garden">Operation Market Garden</a> (<a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Arnhem" title="Battle of Arnhem">Battle of Arnhem</a>, <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Nijmegen" title="Battle of Nijmegen">Battle of Nijmegen</a>)</dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Scheldt" title="Battle of the Scheldt">Battle of the Scheldt</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Blackcock" title="Operation Blackcock">Operation Blackcock</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Veritable" title="Operation Veritable">Battle of the Reichswald</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/St_Nazaire_Raid" title="St Nazaire Raid">St Nazaire Raid</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Liberation_of_Belgium" title="Liberation of Belgium">Liberation of Belgium</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Liberation_Day_(Netherlands)" title="Liberation Day (Netherlands)">Liberation of the Netherlands</a></dd></dl> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><a href="/wiki/South-East_Asian_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="South-East Asian theatre of World War II">Far East</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Hong_Kong" title="Battle of Hong Kong">Hong Kong</a></dt> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Hong_Kong#Kowloon_and_New_Territories" title="Battle of Hong Kong">Battle of Kowloon and New Territories</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Hong_Kong#Hong_Kong_Island" title="Battle of Hong Kong">Battle of Hong Kong Island</a></dd></dl> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/Malayan_campaign" title="Malayan campaign">Malay</a></dt> <dd><a href="/wiki/Japanese_invasion_of_Malaya" class="mw-redirect" title="Japanese invasion of Malaya">Japanese invasion of Malaya</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Jitra" title="Battle of Jitra">Battle of Jitra</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Muar" title="Battle of Muar">Defence of Johore</a></dd></dl> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Singapore" class="mw-redirect" title="Battle of Singapore">Singapore</a></dt> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Singapore" class="mw-redirect" title="Battle of Singapore">Fall of Singapore</a></dd></dl> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/Burma_campaign" title="Burma campaign">Burma</a></dt> <dd><a href="/wiki/Japanese_invasion_of_Burma" title="Japanese invasion of Burma">Japanese invasion of Burma</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Arakan_Campaign_1942%E2%80%9343" class="mw-redirect" title="Arakan Campaign 1942–43">Arakan Campaign 1942–43</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Burma_campaign_(1944%E2%80%931945)" title="Burma campaign (1944–1945)">Recapture of Burma</a></dd></dl> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/India_in_World_War_II" title="India in World War II">India</a></dt> <dd><a href="/wiki/Burma_campaign#Japanese_invasion_of_India_1944" title="Burma campaign">Invasion of India</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_U-Go" title="Operation U-Go">Operation U-Go</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Imphal" title="Battle of Imphal">Battle of Imphal</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Kohima" title="Battle of Kohima">Battle of Kohima</a></dd></dl> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/Indian_Ocean_in_World_War_II" title="Indian Ocean in World War II"><b>Indian Ocean</b></a></dt> <dd><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_the_United_Kingdom_during_World_War_II#Indian_Ocean_disaster" title="Military history of the United Kingdom during World War II">Indian Ocean disaster</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_the_United_Kingdom_during_World_War_II#Indian_Ocean_retreat" title="Military history of the United Kingdom during World War II">Indian Ocean retreat</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Cocos_Islands_mutiny" title="Cocos Islands mutiny">Cocos Islands mutiny</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Indian_Ocean_raid" title="Indian Ocean raid">Indian Ocean raid</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Easter_Sunday_Raid" title="Easter Sunday Raid">Battle of Ceylon</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Italian_invasion_of_British_Somaliland#Evacuation" title="Italian invasion of British Somaliland">Evacuation of British Somaliland</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Japanese_occupation_of_the_Andaman_Islands" class="mw-redirect" title="Japanese occupation of the Andaman Islands">Japanese occupation of the Andaman Islands</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Indian_Ocean_raid_(1944)" title="Indian Ocean raid (1944)">Indian Ocean raid (1944)</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Military_history_of_the_United_Kingdom_during_World_War_II#Indian_Ocean_strike" title="Military history of the United Kingdom during World War II">Indian Ocean strike</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Malacca_Strait" title="Battle of the Malacca Strait">Battle of the Malacca Strait</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Outflank" title="Operation Outflank">Bombing of Sumatra</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Collie" title="Operation Collie">Bombardment of Andaman Islands</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Operation_Livery" title="Operation Livery">Bombardment of Northern Malaya</a></dd></dl> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><a href="/wiki/Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War 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href="/wiki/Anglo-Soviet_invasion_of_Iran#British_invasion_of_Central_Iran" title="Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran">Invasion of Central Iran</a></dd></dl> <dl><dt><a href="/wiki/Syria%E2%80%93Lebanon_campaign" title="Syria–Lebanon campaign">Syria–Lebanon</a></dt> <dd><a href="/wiki/Syria%E2%80%93Lebanon_campaign#Campaign" title="Syria–Lebanon campaign">Invasion of Lebanon</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Beirut_(1941)" title="Battle of Beirut (1941)">Capture of Beirut</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Syria%E2%80%93Lebanon_campaign#Campaign" title="Syria–Lebanon campaign">Invasion of Syria</a></dd> <dd><a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Damascus_(1941)" title="Battle of Damascus (1941)">Capture of Damascus</a></dd></dl> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><a href="/wiki/American_theater_(World_War_II)" title="American theater (World War II)">Americas</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" 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