Operations

I am trying to piece together the ships which took part & apologise for omissions.

Operation Hurry	August 2nd 1940	This was the first delivery consisting of 12 Hurricanes from the carrier HMS Argus. All 12 aircraft arrived safely on Malta.
*Operation Hats*	25th August / 5th September 1940	The first convoy consisting of 3 merchantmen & a Naval escort (HMS Valiant, (battleship), HMS Coventry and HMS Calcutta (anti-aircraft cruisers) from Alexandria. 40,000 tons of supplies were off loaded. http://www.regiamarina.net/operations/hats/hats_it.htm
*Operation Collar*	12th November 1940	A 3 ship convoy comprising New Zealand Star, Clan Forbes & Clan Fraser escorted by HMS Manchester & HMS Southampton carrying 1370 RAF Technicians. Later reinforced by the destroyer Hotspur & corvettes Peony, Salvia, Gloxinia & Hyacinth.
*Operation White*	November 17th 1940	12 Hurricanes were delivered from HMS Argus but only 4 arrived on the Island with 8 running out of fuel before landfall.
Operation Excess MW 5½ ME 5½ ME 6	January 6th 1941	A complex series of 4 convoys. See the page on the operation in the Index to left.
*Operation Dunlop*	April 27th 1941	24 Hurricanes flown off HMS Ark Royal but one failed to arrive.
*Operation Tracer*	June 14th 1941	Carriers HMS Ark Royal & HMS Victorious flew off 48 Hurricanes but 3 failed to make landfall
*Operation Substance*	July 1941	A convoy from Gibraltar consisting of 6 merchantmen & Naval escort. 65,000 tons of supplies were off loaded.
Operation Halberd	September 1941	Gibraltar convoy consisting 9 merchantmen - , 1 carrier, 3 battleships, 5 cruisers & 18 destryers. 85,000 tons of supplies off loaded. Casualties included 1 merchantman & 1 battleship sunk.
*Operation Herkules*	December 1941	This was an Axis code name for an invasion of Malta with General Kurt Student in command of 2 airborne divisions (one of which being the Italian 2nd Parachute Division). The role of these divisions was to sieze the higher ground behind Valletta. From here they would overrun an airfield & secure it for axis troop carrying aircraft to land with heavier weapons. Their was to be a feint or diversionary attack at Marsa Scirocco bay to cover the main assault by the Italian Navy which would land 2-3 assault divisions south of Valletta. A date near mid July 1941 was set for the invasion partly due to the need to bring men from other frontline positions & partly as Hitler considered the Italian Navy to be no match for the Royal Navy. Glider strips (3) were being prepared 25 miles south of Mount Etna. Kesselring urged Hitler to invade Malta but this was turned down. Rommel & Goering supported scrapping the operation as they considered high casualties would be incurred as was the case in the Crete invasion. This operation was finally shelved following the allies re-capturing Tobruk on November 11th 1941.
*Operation MF 5*	February 1942	Convoy from Alexandria consisting of 3 merchantmen Rowallen Castle, Clan Chattan, Clan Campbell, 3 cruisers & 16 destroyers. This convoy had to turn back on the 14th February without making Malta. The Rowallen Castle & Clan Chattan were sunk & the Clan Campbell turned back to Egypt.
*Operation Spotter*	February 28th 1942	First time Spitfires were flown off HMS Eagle to Malta. This operation was abandoned due to a fault with untested & overloaded fuel tanks. The whole fleet was forced to return to Gibralter.
*Operation MW 10* Sometimes referred to as 'Operation Salvation' An Italian view of the convoy. "2nd Battle of Sirte2"	March 20 - 25th 1942	Convoy departing from Alexandria consisting of 4 merchantmen, 5 cruisers (HMS Dido, Eurya- lus ?& Cleopatra +)& 17 destroyers. Destroyer Legion was bombed & sunk in Grand Harbour. Merchantmen Pampas & Talabot (Norwegian ship loaded with ammunition) were sunk in Grand Harbour after a bombing raid; the Clan Campbell was sunk some 20 miles to the southeast of Malta; the Breconshire (oil tanker) was hit in the engine room by a 250 lb (?) bomb dropped by a fighter on a fast run in. The ship didn't catch fire. The seas were too rough to attach a line to the crippled ship so she dropped anchor & 3 destroyers (HMS Eridge +?)were detailed to look after her. HMS Eridge took 112 seamen off the crippled merchantman. Later she was towed the last few miles to Marsaxlokk Bay where she was later bombed & sunk in a raid. From this convoy 5,000 tons of supplies were off loaded including some oil from Breconshire.
*Operation Calendar*	April 20th 1942	US Navy carrier Wasp flies off 47 Spitfires of 601 & 603 Squadrons, only 1 failed to arrive, this being a pilot who defected. A large enemy attack followed leaving only 7 serviceable aircraft 48 hours later. The force set out from Greenock (Scotland) for Gibraltar.
*Operation Bowery*	May 9th 1942	US Navy carrier Wasp & Royal Navy carrier HMS Eagle deliver 64 Spitfires, 4 of which failed to make the Island. The mistakes of Operation Calendar were ironed out in this Operation. Prior to leaving Gibraltar experienced pilots were flown in by Hudson (piloted by Flying Officer Matthews) from Malta to train the new pilots in what operations were like over Malta & to instruct them in new procedures where each aircraft on landing would be met by groundcrew carrying a numbered sign which they would follow to a safety pen where they would be re-fuelled & re-armed as fast as possible & get back in the air to meet the Axis aircraft sent over to destroy the new aircraft on the ground. HMS Eagle returned to Gibraltar & loaded another shipment of 16 Spitfires & returned to Malta as Operation LB.
*Operation LB*	May 18th 1942	HMS Eagle flies off 16 Spitfires all of which arrive safely. 76 Spitfires arriving in these 2 shipments give heavy reinforcements to the Island & mark a turning point to control the skies above Malta.
Unknown Operation Names	Between June 3rd - October 29th 1942	HMS Eagle & HMS Furious deliver 226 Spitfires to the Island, 13 were lost en route.
*Operation Vigorous*	June 11 - 16th 1942	A convoy from Alexandria consisting of 11 merchantmen, 1 dummy battleship, 8 cruisers, 26 destroyers, 4 corvettes, 2 minesweepers & 2 rescue ships had to turn back to Egypt due to the presence of the Italian Fleet. This fleet included the new battleships Littorio & Vittorio veneto with 2 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers & 12 destroyers. With 2 battleships to contend with the convoy would have been up against it & did the right thing in turning back on the 15th June. The weight of the air attack also took a toll on the convoy with 4 merchantmen sunk & 2 damaged,. The escort suffered submarine attacks also with 3 cruisers damaged, 3 destroyers sunk, 2 corvettes damaged & 1 torpedo boat sunk. On returning to Taranto the submarine HMS Umbra sunk a heavy cruiser after torpedo carrying aircraft from Malta attacked the ship. The battleship Littorio was also hit by 1 bomb & 1 torpedo but not sunk.
*Operation Harpoon*	June 11 - 16th 1942	A convoy from Gibraltar consisting of 6 merchantmen (Kentucky - oil tanker - 5,500 tons, Burdwan - British, Tannibar - Dutch, Troilus, Orari, Chant - USA), 1 battleship, cruisers (unknown number but including HMS Manchester), 26 destroyers, 4 corvettes, 2 minesweepers & 2 rescue ships were under heavy attack for 4 days. 2 merchantmen only reached Grand Harbour (Troilus - 7500 tons & Orari - 10,500 tons). Losses included 1 cruiser (HMS Manchester), 5 destroyers & four merchantmen. 25,000 tons of supplies were off loaded. This represented a further 2-3 months supply for the Island. HMS Welshman also arrived safely at Malta & unloaded cargo. On this western convoy 4 merchantmen were sunk including the tanker Kentucky, 1 other merchantman damaged, 2 cruisers damaged, 1 destroyer sunk & 1 damaged. Troilus & Orari unloaded some 20,000 tons of cargo (flour & ammunition) at Malta.
*Operation Pedestal*	August 10 - 15th 1942	Probably the most famous & well known operation. Also called the 'Santa Maria convoy' this sailed from Gibraltar & consisted of 14 merchantmen (Ohio (tanker), Port Chalmers, Melbourne Star, Rochester Castle, Brisbane Star), 4 aircraft carriers (HMS Eagle, HMS Indomitable), 2 battleships(HMS Rodney), 7 cruisers(anti aircraft cruiser HMS Cairo, HMS Manchester, HMS Nigeria, HMS Kenya), 24 destroyers (HMS Foresight). This convoy is under heavy attack for 5 days by U-boats, aircraft & elements of the Italian Fleet. Only 5 merchantmen reached the Island with 53,000 tons of supplies out of 85,000 tons which started the journey. Losses included 9 merchantmen, 1 carrier (HMS Eagle), 2 cruisers. Damaged ships included 1 carrier (HMS Indomitable), 1 battleship (HMS Rodney) all 7 cruisers (HMS Nigeria, HMS Kenya) & 3 merchantmen.
*Operation Stoneage* sometimes erroneously called 'Stonehenge'.	November 15 - 20th 1942	A convoy from Alexandria consisting of 4 merchantmen, 5 cruisers (Euryalus) & 16 (17 in some lierature?) destroyers (Hunt Class) deliver 35,000 tons of supplies. 1 cruiser sustained damage. This convoy marked the end of the siege. HMS Penelope was damaged in this convoy but all ships made Malta despite passing through a November gale. three Spitfires based on Malta were lost due to this severe weather.
Operation Portcullis	December 1942	Convoy consisting 4 merchantmen, 1 cruiser, 18 destroyers & 1 minelayer delivered 55,000 tons of supplies without loss. 4 candles & 8 nightlights were issued to every family on the Island.

References:
Siege Malta 1940 -1943. Ernle Bradford.

Links:
http://www.marina.difesa.it/default.asp Italian Naval Ministry. Contains many photos of Italian ships used in WWII. Google users right click this page & select 'Translate page into English'.