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Honour - MALTA CONVOYS 1941-42


Date - 1941/42
Type - Area Awards
Conflict - World War 2; 1939-45

 
Description After Italy entered the war on 10-Jan-1940, Egypt and the Suez Canal were immediately threatened. The loss of the canal would have threatened the loss of Persian and Middle East oilfields, and possibly bringing Turkey into the war on the Axis side. Malta's position was pivotal in attacking Axis supply convoys to North Africa. Weakening Axis attacks and weakening its forces defensive strength.

Faced with the starvation of the island's population a regular series of supply convoys from both Alexandria and Gibraltar was required. Many convoys took the form of a major fleet operation, with units sent from the UK to bolster Mediterranean Fleet vessels. Aircraft-carriers were required to defend against axis aircraft and fly off replacement aircraft to Malta; battleships and cruisers to defend against the Italian Fleet; destroyers to defend against submarines. All to fight the merchant ships through to the island.

Losses were heavy.

Eventually attacks by submarines and aircraft based at Malta meant axis convoys to North Africa suffered such heavy losses that Axis forces in North Africa were themselves starved of supplies. Their surrender allowed allied forces to start a series of assaults on the south mainland of Europe, which knocked Italy out of the war.

 

  
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FAA Squadrons - ML's
 
HM Ships
         
A         
Ajax 41 Amazon 42 Antelope 42 Arethusa 41-42 Argus 42
Ark Royal 41 Arrow 42 Ashanti 42 Aurora 41 Avon Vale 41-42
         
B         
Badsworth 42 Beaufort 42 Bedouin 42 Beverley 41 Bicester 42
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C         
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D         
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Dido 42  Dulverton 42  Duncan 41     
         
E         
Eagle 42  Echo 42  Edinburgh 41  Encounter 41  Eridge 41-42 
Escapade 42  Eskimo 42  Euryalus 41-42     
         
F         
Farndale 41  Faulknor 41  Fearless 41  Firedrake 41  Fleur de Lys 41 
Foresight 41-42  Forester 41  Fortune 41-42  Foxhound 41  Furious 42 
Fury 41-42         
         
G         
Gallant 41  Geranium 42  Gloucester 41  Gloxinia 41  Greyhound 41 
Griffin 41-42  Gurkha 41-42       
         
H         
Hasty 41-42  Havock 41-42  Hebe 42  Hereward 41  Hermione 41-42 
Hero 41-42  Heythrop 41-42  Hurworth 42  Hyacinth 41  Hythe 42 
         
I         
Icarus 42  Ilex 41  Illustrious 41  Indomitable 42  Inglefield 42 
Intrepid 42  Ithuriel 42       
         
J         
Jaguar 41-42  Janus 41  Jervis 41-42  Jonquil 42  Juno 41 
         
K         
Kandahar 41  Kelvin 42  Kenya 41-42  Keppel 42  Kimberley 41 
Kingston 41-42  Kipling 41-42       
         
L         
Laforey 41-42  Lance 41-42  Ledbury 42  Legion 41-42  Lightning 41-42 
Lively 41-42  Liverpool 42  Lookout 42     
         
M         
Malaya 41-42  Malcolm 42  Manchester 41-42  Manxman 41-42  Maori 41-42 
Marne 42  Matchless 42  Middleton 42  Mohawk 41   
         
N         
Naiad 41-42  Nelson 41-42  Neptune 41  Nestor 41-42  Nigeria 42 
Nizam 41  Nubian 41       
         
O         
Olympus 41-42  Onslow 42  Oribi 41  Orion 41  Osiris 41 
Otus 41         
         
P         
P31 (42)  P32 (41)  P34 (42)  P36 (41)  P42 (42) 
P43 (42)  P44 (42)  P46 (42)  P211 (42)  P222 (42) 
Pandora 41-42  Parthian 42  Partridge 42  Pathfinder 42  Penelope 41-42 
Penn 42  Peony 41  Perth 41  Phoebe 42  Porpoise 42 
Prince of Wales 41  Proteus 42       
         
Q         
Quentin 42         
         
R         
Renown 41-42  Rodney 41-42  Rorqual 41-42  Rye 42   
         
S         
Salvia 41  Sheffield 41  Sikh 41-42  Sirius 42  Somali 42 
Southampton 41  Southwold 42  Speedy 42  Spirea 42   
         
T         
Talisman 41  Tartar 42  Thunderbolt 41-42  Triumph 41  Trusty 41 
         
U         
Unbeaten 41-42  Unique 41  Upholder 41-42  Upright 41  Urge 41 
Ursula 41  Utmost 41-42       
         
V         
Valiant 41  Vansittart 42  Venomous 42  Victorious 42  Vidette 42 
         
W         
Warspite 41  Welshman 42  Westcott 42  Wilton 42  Wishart 42 
Wolverine 42  Wrestler 42       
         
Y         
York 41         
         
Z         
Zetland 42  Zulu 41-42       
         
FAA Squadrons
800 (41-42) 801 (42) 806 (42) 807 (41-42) 808 (41)
809 (42) 812 (41) 813 (42) 816 (41) 820 (41)
824 (42) 825 (41) 827 (42) 831 (42) 832 (42)
884 (42) 885 (42)      
         
ML's
121 (42) 134 (42) 135 (42) 168 (42) 459 (42)
462 (42)        
         
Numbers after name or in brackets show the year/s the Battle Honour was won.
 
 
This page last edited - 24 April, 2013.

Copyright © Ian M King, except where otherwise indicated.