Battle of the Campobasso Convoy

Battle of the Campobasso Convoy
Part of the Battle of the Mediterranean of the Second World War

HMS Petard photographed from HMS Formidable, December 1943
Date3-4 May 1943
Location36°45′N 10°45′E / 36.750°N 10.750°E / 36.750; 10.750
Result British victory
Belligerents
 United Kingdom  Italy
Commanders and leaders
Deric Holland-Martin Saverio Marotta 
Strength
3 destroyers 1 torpedo boat
1 merchantman
Casualties and losses
None 76 men killed (Italian merchant navy)
133 men killed (Italian Navy): Total: 209
103 men rescued
1 torpedo boat sunk
1 merchantman sunk

The Battle of the Campobasso Convoy was a naval engagement between three British Royal Navy destroyers and the Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy) Spica-class torpedo boat Perseo which took place off Cape Bon in the Mediterranean Sea on the night of 3/4 May 1943. The Italians were escorting the 3,566-gross register ton (GRT) freighter Campobasso to Tunisia.

The ships were illuminated by star shells, east of Kelibia in Cape Bon; Perseo attacked the British ships with torpedoes then turned to the north-west. Campobasso exploded under the British bombardment, that, with more star shells, lit up Perseo, which was severely damaged, sinking an hour later. The 93 crew of Campobasso suffered 73 killed, and of 133 crew on Perseo, 83 survived.


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