The three destroyers HMS DAINTY, HMS DEFENDER and HMS ILEX that Admiral Cunningham had deployed to Crete on the 11th June later attacked two Italian submarines. On the 27th the LIUZZI Class submarine COLSOLE GENERAL LIUZZI (seen at right at her launching) was scuttled by her crew to avoid capture following an engagement with the three destroyers. And on the 27th, southwest of Crete the Italian submarine UEBI SCEBELI did the same to avoid capture by them.

Torpedo carrying SWORDFISH biplanes (seen in photo) from the carrier HMS EAGLE sank the Italian submarine ARGONAUTA on the 28th. Next day, the 29th, they sank another Italian submarine, the RUBINO in the Ionian Sea.

But the Italian submarines had their share of targets. On the 12th, the light cruiser HMS CALYPSO was torpedoed south of Crete by the Italian submarine BAGNOLINI and on the 23rd the Royal Indian Navy sloop HMS PATHAN was torpedoed by the GALVANI off Bombay, which was sunk the next day.

During a British air attack near Tobruk on the 28th June, Italian AA defense inadvertently shot down the aircraft of Marshal Balbo, the Italian Governor of Libya.

HARRY’S NOTE - A main boulevard in Chicago is named Balbo Drive in memory of the time Italio Balbo led a group of seaplanes from Italy to Chicago for the Century of Progress Exposition.

Up to 25th June, the French Navy based at Toulon and Oran, had been responsible for containing the Italian fleet in the western Mediterranean. Therefore, the Royal Navy was obliged to provide, from its already stretched resources, a balanced squadron (FORCE H) based at Gibraltar, commanded by Vice Admiral Sir James Somerville, to operate between Gibraltar and Malta and when required, in the Atlantic & to observe the movements of the French fleet. The future control of the powerful French fleet, which had concentrated in the bay of Mers-el-Kebir, which opens into the sea a few miles west of Oran at the foot of the Djebel Murdjadjo & at Oran was uncertain in the eyes of the British. To understand the situation between the French and the British regarding their fleet - especially in the Mediterranean, we must go back to the fall of France. The Vichy French government with Marshal Petain as its head, was established during the night of June 16, and Admiral Darlan, CinC of the Naval forces, was appointed his new Minister of the Navy as well as CinC of all French naval forces.

On 18 June, President Roosevelt sent a personal message to Admiral Darlan asking him to take the necessary steps immediately to insure that the French fleet would not fall into the hands of the Germans. Despite all assurances by Admiral Darlan, the British Admiralty was deeply concerned over the fate of the French fleet. If the French destroyers, submarines and especially the large French battleships were incorporated into the German fleet, it could be disastrous to England.

Even though they were still allies, in a matter so vital to them, the British had difficulty in trusting others than themselves, whether they be the Admiral of the Fleet - Darlan or a Marshall of France - Petain. The armistice with Germany was signed at 1500 hours on June 22nd, but the German Government withheld applying its terms until the French had also concluded an armistice with Italy.

After discussions & the modifications of certain points, the Italian armistice was signed on June 24. At 0035 hours on June 25, 1940 all French hostilities against Germany & Italy ceased. The signing of the armistice constituted a severe blow to the British & caused considerable resentment by the British for the French. They felt the French had betrayed them. Also, relations were not improved by the return of Pierre Laval to a key post in the French Government.