View source for Operation Excess

{{Use British English|date=January 2019}}
{{infobox military conflict
|conflict=Operation Excess|partof  = the [[Battle of the Mediterranean]] of the [[Second World War]]
|image = File:HMS Valiant fires guns 1942.jpg
|image_upright = 1.0
|caption = A later image taken from ''Illustrious'' showing ''Valiant'' in the background. Both ships were part of Force A and the closest aircraft are Fulmar fighters of the type defending operation Excess.
|date=10–11 January 1941
|place=South of [[Sicily]]
|coordinates = {{coord|37|30|N|14|00|E|display=title}}
|result=British victory
|combatant1={{flag|United Kingdom}}<br />{{flag|Australia}}
|combatant2={{flagcountry|Fascist Italy (1922-1943)}}<br />{{flagcountry|Nazi Germany}}
|strength1=1 aircraft carrier<br />2 battleships<br />3 cruisers<br />7 destroyers
|strength2=2 destroyers<br />unknown number of [[Stuka]] dive-bombers and fighters
|casualties1=1 aircraft carrier damaged<br />1 cruiser sunk<br />1 cruiser damaged<br />1 destroyer damaged beyond repair
|casualties2=1 torpedo boat sunk<br />8 aircraft shot down<br /><small>(British claim)</small>
|campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Mediterranean Campaign}}
}}
'''Operation Excess''' was a series of [[United Kingdom|British]] supply convoys to [[Malta]], [[Alexandria]] and [[Greece]] in January 1941. The operation was the first to encounter ''[[Luftwaffe]]'' anti-shipping aircraft over the [[Mediterranean Sea]] and all the convoyed freighters reached their destinations. The destroyer ''Gallant'' was disabled by Italian mines and Axis bombers severely damaged the cruiser ''Southampton'' and the aircraft carrier ''Illustrious''.

==Background==
[[Italy]]'s declaration of War on 10 June 1940 brought the [[Second World War]] to the Mediterranean Sea and placed the ''[[Regia Aeronautica]]'' astride the traditional British sea route to [[Indian Ocean]] ports, while the ''[[Regia Marina]]'' roughly tripled the numbers of [[battleship]]s, [[cruiser]]s and [[submarine]]s available to challenge British sea power. The [[Royal Navy]] had held the eastern Mediterranean and [[France]] the western Mediterranean but the [[Second Armistice at Compiègne]] removed the French navy from the alliance on 25 June 1940. From bases at [[Gibraltar]] and Alexandria, the Royal Navy attempted to convoy supplies to Malta to maintain it as a base in the central Mediterranean. As Italy attacked [[Egypt]] from [[Libya]] in September 1940 and Greece from [[Albania]] in October 1940, the Royal Navy maintained most of the [[Mediterranean Fleet]] at Alexandria and used [[Force H]] at Gibraltar for raids. British successes in early November 1940, including providing help to the Greeks to defeat the Italian offensive in Greece and the Royal Navy disabling Italian battleships {{ship|Italian battleship|Littorio||2}}, {{ship|Italian battleship|Conte di Cavour||2}} and {{ship|Italian battleship|Duilio||2}} at the [[Battle of Taranto]], provided incentive and opportunity to supply Malta and Greece.{{sfn|Potter|Nimitz|1960|pp=521–527}}

==Prelude==
===Allies===
'''Convoy MC 4''' consisted of four freighters at Gibraltar, ''Clan Cumming'', ''Clan MacDonald'' and [[List of Empire ships (Si–Sy)#Empire Song|''Empire Song'']] carried [[materiel]] destined for [[Piraeus]]. ''Essex'' carried {{cvt|3000|LT}} of seed potatoes, {{cvt|4000|LT}} of [[ammunition]] and twelve crated [[Hawker Hurricane]]s for Malta.{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=47–48}}

'''Convoy MW 5''' consisted of the Freighters ''Breconshire'' and ''Clan Macaulay'' at Alexandria with cargo bound for Malta.{{sfn|Hague|2000|p=192}}

'''Convoy ME 6''' was made up of nine freighters waiting at Malta for passage to Alexandria.{{sfn|Hague|2000|p=192}}

'''Force A''' comprised {{HMS|Warspite|03|6}}, {{HMS|Valiant|1914|2}}, {{HMS|Nubian|F36|2}}, {{HMS|Mohawk|F31|2}}, {{HMS|Dainty|H53|2}}, {{HMS|Gallant|H59|2}}, {{HMS|Greyhound|H05|2}}, {{HMS|Griffin|H31|2}}, {{HMS|Jervis|F00|2}} and {{HMS|Illustrious|87|2}} to sail from Alexandria, covering convoys MC 4, MW 5 and ME 6 east of the [[Skerki Banks]].{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=47–48}}

'''Force B''' of {{HMS|Gloucester|C62|6}}, {{HMS|Southampton|C83|2}}, {{HMS|Ilex|D61|2}} and {{HMS|Janus|F53|2}}{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=47–48}} would carry five hundred soldiers and airmen from the Aegean to Malta and join convoy MC 4 after dropping their passengers in Malta.{{sfn|Greene|Massignani|2002|pp=133–136}}

'''Force C''' was to screen Convoy MW 5 with {{HMS|Calcutta|D82|6}}, {{HMS|Defender|H07|2}} and {{HMS|Diamond|H22|2}}.{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=47–48}}

'''Force D''', {{HMS|York|90|6}} and {{HMS|Orion|85|2}}, was to sail from Alexandria with {{sclass2|Flower|corvette}}s ''Gloxinia'', {{HMS|Peony|K40|2}}, {{HMS|Hyacinth|K84|2}}, {{HMS|Salvia|K97|2}} and the [[replenishment oiler]] ''Brambleleaf'' to be joined by {{HMS|Ajax|22|6}} and {{HMAS|Perth|D29|6}} from [[Souda Bay]].{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=47–48}}

'''Force F''' was to cover Convoy MC 4 with {{HMS|Jaguar|F34|6}}, {{HMS|Hero|H99|2}}, {{HMS|Hasty|H24|2}}, {{HMS|Hereward|H93|2}} and {{HMS|Bonaventure|31|2}} carrying four hundred soldiers and airmen to Malta.{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=47–48}}{{sfn|Greene|Massignani|2002|pp=133–136}}

'''Force H''' was to protect Convoy MC 4 from Gibraltar to the Skerki Banks with {{HMS|Malaya||6}}, {{HMS|Renown|1916|2}}, {{HMS|Sheffield|C24|2}}, {{HMS|Faulknor|H62|2}}, {{HMS|Fury|H76|2}}, {{HMS|Forester|H74|2}}, {{HMS|Fortune|H70|2}}, {{HMS|Firedrake|H79|2}} and {{HMS|Ark Royal|91|2}} ferrying six [[Fairey Swordfish]] for Malta.{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=47–48}}

===Axis===
Five hundred anti-shipping aircraft of [[10th Air Corps (Germany)|''Fliegerkorps'' X]] were being transferred from [[Norway]] to [[Sicily]] to protect Axis convoys to North Africa and prevent passage of British convoys to Malta.{{sfn|Potter|Nimitz|1960|pp=521–527}}

==Operations==

===6 January 1941===

[[File:SM79 193.jpg|left|thumb|Royal Navy personnel accustomed to these ''Regia Aeronautica'' SM.79s were surprised by the intensity of ''X Fliegerkorps'' operations encountered during Operation Excess.{{sfn|Bartimeus|1944|pp=56–61}}]]
Convoy MC 4 left Gibraltar, feinting toward the [[Atlantic]], before turning toward Malta after dark, to mislead [[Axis ship-watching activities in the Gibraltar area|Axis agents]] near Gibraltar.{{sfn|Greene|Massignani|2002|pp=133–136}}

===7 January===
Force H sailed from Gibraltar to cover convoy MC 4. Force A, Force D and convoy MW 5 with Force C sailed from Alexandria and Force B sailed from the Aegean toward Malta.{{sfn|Hague|2000|p=192}} Force A was located by Italian air reconnaissance that afternoon.{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=47–48}}

===8 January===
Force B landed its passengers in Malta and proceeded west to meet convoy MC 4.{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=47–48}} [[Vickers Wellington|Wellington]] bombers raided [[Naples]], damaging {{ship|Italian battleship|Giulio Cesare||2}} with three near misses and causing the only operational Italian battleship, {{ship|Italian battleship|Vittorio Veneto||2}}, to retreat from the approaching convoys.{{sfn|Greene|Massignani|2002|pp=133–136}}{{sfn|Potter|Nimitz|1960|pp=521–527}}

===9 January===
Force A was joined by Force D and {{HMAS|Sydney|D48|6}} {{cvt|210|nmi|mi+km|abbr=on}} south-east of Malta, Force B joined convoy MC 4; Convoy MC 4 and Force H were discovered by Italian aircraft and attacked by ten [[Savoia-Marchetti SM.79|SM.79s]] from Sardinia. Two SM.79s were shot down by [[Fairey Fulmar|Fulmars]] from ''Ark Royal'' and a later attack by 15 [[Fiat CR.42 Falco]]s carrying {{cvt|100|kg|order=flip}} bombs also failed. Force H left convoy MC 4 that afternoon after ''Ark Royal'' launched six Swordfish for the defence of Malta; Force A joined convoy MC 4 at dusk.{{sfn|Greene|Massignani|2002|pp=133–136}}

===10 January===

[[File:Junkers Ju 87Bs in flight c1941.jpg|right|thumb|{{center|Few ships survived dive bombing attacks of the intensity ''Illustrious'' endured from these Ju 87 ''Stukas''.}}]]
Italian ships from [[La Spezia]] failed to find Force H.{{sfn|Potter|Nimitz|1960|pp=521–527}} The Italian submarine {{ship|Italian submarine|Ruggiero Settimo||2}} and [[torpedo boat]]s {{ship|Italian torpedo boat|Circe||2}} and ''Vega'' (Commander [[Giuseppe Fontana]]) launched torpedoes against Convoy MC 4 but missed.{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=47–48}}  ''Bonaventure'' and ''Hereward'' sank ''Vega'' {{cvt|6|nmi}} south of [[Pantellaria]] at 08:30 and ''Circe'' escaped undamaged. ''Bonaventure'' was slightly damaged and two men killed; 75 per cent of her ammunition was expended in the engagement.{{sfn|Woodman|2003|p=113}} Two of ''Vega''{{'s}} crew survived.{{sfn|Brown|1995|pp=40–41}} Right after the engagement, which pushed the British convoy too far south of their route, ''Gallant'' struck a [[naval mine]] at 08:35.{{sfn|O'Hara|2013|p=80}} ''Mohawk'' took ''Gallant'' in tow toward Malta while the Force B cruisers provided protection from air attacks.{{sfn|Bartimeus|1944|pp=56–61}}  Convoys MC 4 and MW 5 arrived at Malta and Convoy ME 6 departed for Alexandria.{{sfn|Hague|2000|p=192}}

Fulmars from ''Illustrious'' shot down an Italian aircraft shadowing Force A at 09:30. ''Valiant'' avoided torpedoes launched by two SM.79s approaching under the [[radar]] horizon at 12:30.{{sfn|Bartimeus|1944|pp=56–61}} As the combat air patrol Fulmars dropped altitude to engage the SM.79s, Force A was attacked at 12:35 by 18 [[Heinkel He 111]]s of ''[[Kampfgeschwader 26]]'' (KG 26) and 43 [[Junkers Ju 87]]s of ''[[Sturzkampfgeschwader 1]]'' (StG 1) and ''[[Sturzkampfgeschwader 2]]'' (StG 2) escorted by 10 ''[[Messerschmitt Bf 110]]'' (Bf 110) of ''[[Zerstörergeschwader 26]]'' (ZG 26).{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=47–48}}{{sfn|Wood|Gunston|1990|p=33}}

''Illustrious'' completed launching Fulmar and Swordfish patrol aircraft as the attack developed. ''Illustrious'' was the main target and was enveloped in waterspouts and mist of exploding bombs. Some bombers diving from {{cvt|12000|ft}} delayed bomb release until they pulled-out lower than the height of ''Illustrious''{{'}} funnel. The five air patrol Fulmars had not returned from chasing the SM.79s which attacked ''Valiant'' and the last four Fulmars to take off were unable to gain altitude rapidly enough to break up the attack. The Fulmars claimed eight enemy aircraft during the bombing of Force A as they shuttled to Malta airfields to refuel and re-arm.{{sfn|Bartimeus|1944|pp=56–61}}

[[File:15 Fairey Fulmar I (15812158306).jpg|thumb|{{center|Fairey Fulmar Mk I}}]]
''Warspite'' was lightly damaged by a bomb.{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|2005|p=55}} ''Illustrious'' was hit by five bombs, including one which failed to explode and a near miss disabled her rudder mechanism. A bomb striking a lowered elevator caused extensive hangar damage, with many casualties among aircraft maintenance personnel and the destruction of nine Swordfish and five Fulmars. At 15:30 ''Illustrious'' headed for Malta steering with engines and the bombing continued. Seven SM.79s were discouraged by massed anti-aircraft fire but an attack by six Italian Ju 87s at 16:00 scored another bomb hit and two near misses. Fourteen German Ju 87s missed ''Valiant'' and ''Janus'' and a later attack by fourteen He 111s was similarly ineffective. ''Illustrious'' reached Malta at 21:30 and suffered 126 dead and 91 wounded by the time she departed from Malta.{{sfn|Greene|Massignani|2002|pp=133–136}}

===11 January===
''Gallant'' was beached in Malta's Grand Harbor at dawn and never repaired.{{sfn|Bartimeus|1944|pp=56–61}}{{sfn|Brown|1995|pp=40–41}} As ''Mohawk'' and the Force B cruisers steamed from Malta to rejoin Force A, they were surprised by 12 Ju 87R dive bombers of II/St.G.2 attacking out of the sun at 15:20.{{sfn|Pegg|1977|p=12}}{{sfn|Smith|1998|p=101}} ''Gloucester'' was hit by a bomb which failed to explode and ''Southampton'' was hit by two bombs, which killed eighty men and started fires, requiring the ship to be scuttled {{cvt|180|nmi|mi+km}} east of Malta.{{sfn|Brown|1995|pp=40–41}} Force H returned to Gibraltar.{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=47–48}}

===12 January===
Force A was reinforced west of [[Crete]] by Force B, the cruisers of Force D, the battleship {{HMS|Barham|04|6}} and the aircraft carrier {{HMS|Eagle|1918|6}} from Alexandria.{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|1992|pp=47–48}}

===13 January===
Convoy ME 6 arrived at Alexandria.{{sfn|Hague|2000|p=192}}

==The Illustrious ''Blitz''==
[[File:The Royal Navy during the Second World War A20659.jpg|thumb|{{center|{{HMS|Illustrious|87|6}} at anchor during the war}}]]
What Maltese called the Illustrious ''Blitz'' began when bomb stocks depleted during the attacks of 10 and 11 January were replenished and the Axis made a maximum effort to destroy ''Illustrious'' before she could be repaired. ''Illustrious'' and ''Essex'' were hit during an air raid on 16 January. Ten [[Macchi C.202]]s, ten CR.42s and twenty Bf 110s escorted 44 Ju 87s. Bombs exploding in Grand Harbour killed numerous fish, that were collected after the raid and eaten.{{sfn|Greene|Massignani|2002|pp=133–136}} ''Illustrious'' was not seriously damaged but a bomb exploded in ''Essex''{{'s}} engine room killing 15 men and wounding 23 more.{{sfn|Bartimeus|1944|pp=56–61}} There was another heavy air raid on 17 January and ''Illustrious'' was again hit in an air raid on 18 January.{{sfn|Greene|Massignani|2002|pp=133–136}}{{sfn|Bartimeus|1944|pp=56–61}}  ''Illustrious'' was not damaged by the last big attack on 19 January.{{sfn|Greene|Massignani|2002|pp=133–136}}  ''Illustrious'' departed Malta on 23 January but her Fulmars remained for the defence of the island.{{sfn|Potter|Nimitz|1960|pp=521–527}} ''Illustrious'' was able to complete additional repairs after reaching Alexandria on 25 January but restoration of full combat effectiveness required a trip to United States shipyards.{{sfn|Greene|Massignani|2002|pp=133–136}}{{sfn|Pack|1973|p=17}}

==Losses==
Fairey Fulmar fighters and AA gunners of the Royal Navy shot down at least seven aircraft on 10 January 1941, in defence of ''Illustrious'', while one Fulmar was lost.{{efn|''The Italian Navy in WW2'', Sadkovich, p. 114, states that 5 German and 2 Italian aircraft were shot down, while 2 FAA aircraft were lost. ''The Royal Navy and the Mediterranean Convoys'', p. 10 has the Fulmars shooting down 5 aircraft, the AA three and one Fulmar lost.}}  No merchantmen were lost during ''Excess'' but one cruiser was sunk and a destroyer damaged beyond repair.{{sfn|Llewellyn-Jones|2007|p=}}

== See also ==
* [[Battle of the Mediterranean]]
* [[Malta Convoys]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==Footnotes==
{{reflist|20em}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Bartimeus |first=W. M. |title=East of Malta, West of Suez |publisher=Little, Brown |year=1944 |location=New York/Boston |oclc=1727304}}
* {{cite book |last=Brown |first=David |title=Warship Losses of World War II |year=1995 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, MD |isbn=978-1-55750-914-7}}
* {{cite book |title=The Naval War in the Mediterranean 1940–1943 |last1=Greene |first1=J. |last2=Massignani |first2=A. |year=2002 |orig-year=1998 |publisher=Chatham |location=Rochester |edition=pbk. |isbn=978-1-86176-190-3}}
* {{cite book |last=Hague |first=Arnold |title=The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=2000 |location=Annapolis, MD |isbn=978-1-55750-019-9}}
* {{cite book |title=Struggle for the Middle Sea |last=O'Hara |first=Vincent |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, MD |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-61251-408-6}}
* {{cite book |last=Llewellyn-Jones |first=M. |series=Naval Staff Histories |title=The Royal Navy and the Mediterranean Convoys: A Naval Staff History |year=2007 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=978-0-415-39095-8}}
* {{cite book |last=Pack |first=S. W. C. |title=The Battle for Crete |year=1973 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, MD |isbn=978-0-87021-810-1}}
* {{cite book |last=Pegg |first=Martin |title=Luftwaffe Ground Attack Units 1939–45 |year=1977 |publisher=Sky Books Press |location=New York NY |isbn=978-0-89402-013-1}}
* {{cite book |editor1-last=Potter |editor1-first=E. B. |editor2-last=Nimitz |editor2-first=C. W. |title=Sea Power |year=1960 |publisher=Prentice-Hall |location=Englewood Cliffs |oclc=933965485}}
* {{cite book |last1=Rohwer |first1=Jürgen |last2=Hümmelchen |first2=Gerhard |title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945 |year=1992 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, MD |isbn=978-1-55750-105-9}}
* {{cite book |first1=Jürgen |last1=Rohwer |first2=Gerhard |last2=Hümmelchen |title=Chronology of the War at Sea, 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two |year=2005 |orig-year=1972 |publisher=Chatham |location=London |edition=3rd rev. |isbn=1-86176-257-7}}
* {{cite book |last=Smith |first=Peter C. |title=Junkers Ju 87 Stuka |year=1998 |publisher=Crowood Press |location=Ramsbury |isbn=978-1-86126-177-9}}
* {{cite book |last1=Wood |first1=Tony |last2=Gunston |first2=Bill |title=Hitler's Luftwaffe |year=1990 |publisher=Crescent Books |location=New York |oclc=704898536}}
* {{cite book |last=Woodman |first=R. |title=Malta Convoys 1940–1943 |year=2003 |publisher=John Murray |location=London |edition=pbk. |isbn=978-0-7195-6408-6}}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Dannreuther |first=Raymond |title=Somerville's Force H: The Royal Navy's Gibraltar-based Fleet, June 1940 to March 1942 |year=2005 |publisher=Aurum Press |location=London |isbn=1-84513-020-0}}
* {{cite book |last=Jordan |first=Roger W. |title=The World's Merchant Fleets 1939: The Particulars and Wartime Fates of 6,000 Ships |year=2006 |orig-year=1999 |publisher=Chatham/Lionel Leventhal |location=London |edition=2nd |isbn=978-1-86176-293-1}}

{{World War II}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Excess}}
[[Category:Balkans campaign (World War II)]]
[[Category:Allied naval victories in the battle of the Mediterranean]]
[[Category:Malta Convoys]]
[[Category:Naval aviation operations and battles]]
[[Category:Naval battles and operations of World War II involving the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:January 1941 in Europe]]