Remember, we keep the black border around this title in memory of VIC HAWKINS who passed away in the midst of writing this article. He died only a short time after he lost his beloved wife, Capt. PATTIE ROBINSON (US Army) (1497-+-1990).

In September and at the beginning of October, the idea of conquering Greece had matured in Mussolini's mind. Mussolini not only kept his German colleague in the dark about this project, but he also said nothing to the Italian Navy; perhaps because he knew that the Navy would be firmly opposed to any such venture. Thus the Italian Navy was not only completely unaware of the planning already underway but its representatives were not even invited to attend the decisive meeting in Mussolini's office on 15 October 1940 when the occupation of the Greek Islands and ports as well as landing on the Greek coast were discussed.

As soon as the Navy learned on the next day about these decisions, it advised against the adventure. The Navy's view was that the proposed move would worsen, among other things, the strategic situation in the east-central Mediterranean and in the Ionian Sea. Further, this undertaking would put the Italian garrison in the Dodecanses Islands in serious difficulties and would split the Navy's forces even more.

But the decision was irrevocable, and the Navy was again faced with a 'fait accompli'. Consequently there was nothing left for the Navy to do but begin immediately to organize transport operations to the other shore of the Adriatic Sea. To add to these problems, orders arrived on 22nd October to organize a landing operation at Corfu. It was necessary to create immediately a so- called 'Special Naval Force' and to collect its units in the ports of the lower Adriatic.

Special Naval Force

The units assigned to the landing at Corfu moved out on the night of the 31st October but received orders the next day to land all troops at Valona as soon as possible and to cancel the Corfu landing. It was necessary to send these troops immediately to the front to plug the dangerous holes that had been opened in the Italian lines. The war with Greece resulted in the Greeks putting their airports at the disposition of the British. Consequently, the Italian ports on both shores of the lower Adriatic were bombed every night by British carrier planes and the Royal Air Force.

A meeting between Hitler and General Franco on the 23rd October in Hendaye on the Franco-Spanish frontier regarding Spain's entry into the war and the conquest of Gibraltar led to no results by either parties. Meanwhile, another group of Italian submarines are transferred to Bordeaux and after three attempts, have been abandoned because of harbour defenses, the Italian submarine SCIRE still commanded by Borghese, tries again on the 27th October to attack Gibraltar with three MAIALI human torpedoes but they are destroyed before they can reach their targets in the harbour.

HARRY's NOTE - it is generally known that Admiral Canaris, head of the German Abwehr (secret service) had pretty well stacked the cards against Germany in these talks between Germany and Spain regarding German armies coming across Spain to attack Gibraltar. This has already been covered in an earlier KTB.

On the 4th November, LCDR Ronnie Mills, Skipper of HMS TETRARCH, patrolling off Benghazi, sights a small convoy escorted by torpedo boats and decides to attack the closest merchant vessel, a ship of about 2,540 tons. He fires two torpedoes at her, then dives deep to escape the torpedo boats. After about fifteen seconds, they bear two loud explosions as the torpedoes find their target.

The attack by aircraft from HMS ILLUSTRIOUS on the Italian Fleet in their bomeport of Taranto on the 11th and 12th November 1940 was a magnificent achievement in itself. Just over a year later, the Japanese, stimulated by Taranto, were to show the world what a fully-fledged air fleet could really do to an enemy naval base -- Pearl Harbor.

The arrival of HMS ILLUSTRIOUS as part of Admiral Cunningham's fleet, brought more than just air support. With it was Rear Admiral Lyster, ex-Captain of HMS GLORIOUS and someone already familiar with the idea of attacking Taranto by air. Intensive training was necessary for the air crews of HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and HMS EAGLE, particularly in night flying, before their attack.

The aircrews were reported as being ready on Trafalgar Day, 21st October, and the attack was planned for that day. But the plan had to be rapidly revised when the latest photographs of Taranto revealed that the harbour was protected by numerous barrage balloons. The discovery of the barrage balloons was a stroke of good fortune, but the balance of British luck was bad.

First, a serious accident took place aboard HMS ILLUSTRIOUS when an extra 60 gallon fuel tank was being fitted into the observer's seat of an aircraft, so as to increase its 450 mile range, ignited -- destroying the torpedo carrying SWORDFISH and one other. Five others were soaked by the salt water sprays that came on immediately to control the fire. The five drenched aircraft had to be stripped down to almost the last wire.

(continued in KTB #139 next month)