Battle of Cape Spada

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Cape Spada


caption="Bartolomeo Colleoni" sinking
partof=the Mediterranean Theater of World War II
date=July 19 1940
place=Mediterranean Sea, near Crete
result=Allied victory
combatant1=flagicon|United Kingdom United Kingdom
flagicon|Australia Australia
combatant2=
commander1=flagicon|United Kingdom|navalJohn Collins
commander2=
strength1=1 light cruiser
5 destroyers
strength2=2 light cruisers
casualties1=None
casualties2=1 light cruiser sunk
121+ dead|

The naval Battle of Cape Spada took place on 19 July 1940 during World War II in the Mediterranean Sea off Cape Spada, the north-western extremity of Crete.

Origins

The battle occurred when an Allied squadron patrolling the Aegean encountered two Italian cruisers transferring from Tripoli to Leros, at that time an Italian colony in the Dodecanese Islands. The Allied squadron was commanded by the Australian Captain John Collins in the light cruiser HMAS "Sydney" and included the destroyers
"Havock",
"Hyperion",
"Hasty",
"Ilex" and
"Hero",while the Italian 2nd Cruiser Division was commanded by Rear Admiral Ferdinando Casardi and consisted of the high-speed light cruisers
"Giovanni dalle Bande Nere" and "Bartolomeo Colleoni".

Battle

When the Italians encountered the Allied destroyers at about 07:30, "Sydney" and "Havock" were 40 miles (64 km) to the north on a sweep for submarines. The other destroyers led the Italian cruisers on a chase northwards to give "Sydney" time to come to the rescue. "Sydney" sighted the Italians at 08:26, opened fire at 08:29, and the Italian cruisers turned away to the southwest.

In the running battle which followed, "Bartolomeo Colleoni" was hard hit by "Sydney" and after a shell hit the rudder (at 09:23) she stopped dead in the water. She fought on but was unable to manoeuvre and she was sunk by torpedoes from "Ilex" and "Hyperion" at 09:59. "Sydney" disengaged because she was short of ammunition and "Giovanni delle Bande Nere" returned to Benghazi. 555 survivors of "Bartolomeo Colleoni" were rescued; 121 died.

Probably the major historical interest in the battle was that it revealed the inflated nature of Italian official trial stats. On paper (on trial) both the Italian cruisers had been listed with a maximum speed of over 40 knots and should never have been overhauled by the 32-knot "Sydney". The truth of the matter is that the Italian navy had been in the habit of running speed trials not only at light-weight (without ammunition and full fuel loaded) but also without much of their designed armament.

Order of battle

Regia Marina

*Rear Admiral Ferdinando Casardi
** 2 light cruisers: "Bartolomeo Colleoni" (sunk), "Giovanni dalle Bande Nere"

Allies

*Captain John Collins
** (slightly damaged)
**

References

* [http://www.regiamarina.net/battles/capespada/capespada_us.htm Action off Cape Spada]
* [http://digilander.libero.it/planciacomando/WW2/spada.htm Scontro di Capo Spada] - _it. Plancia di Comando