SD 15 DISPATCH SD WASHINGTON DC JAN 16: OPNAV FROM STATE: CONFIDENTIAL: FOLLOWING IS A PRAPHRASE TELEGRAM NO 13 FROM LEGATION, CAIRO SENT JANUARY 14, 1941, NOON. RECD 550 AM 15TH. QUOTE FROM OPIE FOR THE NAVY DEPARTMENT. 1. THE JANUARY 7 TO 13 MEDITERRANEAN SWEEP WAS MADE UP OF COVERING USUAL CONVOYS TO PIRAEUS AND TO AND FROM MALTA, LIKEWISE FOUR MERCHANT VESSELS, HURRICANE PLANES NUMBERING TWELVE , ANTIAIRCRAFT GUNS NUMERING TWENTY-FOUR FOR MALTA, AND TANKS, PLANES, GUNS, AND PERSONNEL OF THE R.A.F. TO GREECE TO PASS THROUGH THE STRAITS OF SICILY. FROM ALEXANDRIA TO MALTA THE FLEET WAS CONTINUOUSLY SHADOWED. HOWEVER, THE FLEET WAS NOT THE SUBJECT OF ANY AIR ATTACKS. TWO ITALIAN DESTROYERS AT DAWN ON THE 10TH OF JANUARY ATACKED THE SOUTHAMPTON, BONAVENTURA AND THE GLOUCESTER AS WELL AS FOUR DESTROYERS, WHICH VESSELS HAD ESCOURTED WITH SUCCESS THE CONVOY THROUGH THE STRAITS. ONE DESTROYER WAS SUNK BY THE BONAVENTURA, WHILE THE OTHER, ALTHOUGH HIT, ESCAPED. THE PANTELLERIA SHORE BATTERIES DID NOT OPEN FIRE, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE IN RANGE OF THE BRITISH CRUISERS. THE RECREATEING DESTROYER WAS ATACKED BY A BRITISH ANTI-SUBMARINE PATROL PLANE. HOWEVER, NO HITS WERE MADE. THE DESTROYER GALLANT WHICH WAS ON THE STARBOARD BOW OF THE BATTLESHIPS AND SCREENING THEM HAD, AT NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, HER BOW BLOWN OFF TO NUMBER 1 |