Battle of the Campobasso Convoy

Battle of the Campobasso Convoy
Part of the Battle of the Mediterranean of the Second World War

HMS Petard photographed from HMS Formidable, December 1943
Date3–4 May 1943
Location
Off Cape Bon, Mediterranean Sea
36°45′N 10°45′E / 36.750°N 10.750°E / 36.750; 10.750
Result British victory
Belligerents
 United Kingdom  Italy
Commanders and leaders
Deric Holland-Martin Saverio Marotta †
Strength
3 destroyers
  • 1 torpedo boat
  • 1 merchantman
Casualties and losses
None
  • Marina mercantile italiana: 76 men killed
  • Regia Marina: 133 men killed
  • Total killed: 209
  • 103 men rescued
  • 1 torpedo boat sunk
  • 1 merchantman sunk

The Battle of the Campobasso Convoy was a naval engagement between three British destroyers and the Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy) Spica-class torpedo boat Perseo that took place off Cape Bon in the Mediterranean Sea on the night of 3/4 May 1943. The Italians were escorting the 3,566-gross register ton (GRT) freighter Campobasso to Tunisia.

East of Kelibia in Cape Bon, the ships were illuminated by star shells by the British destroyers HMS Nubian, HMS Paladin and HMS Petard. Perseo attacked the British ships with torpedoes then turned to the north-west.

Campobasso exploded under the British bombardment that, with more star shells, lit up Perseo and it was severely damaged, sinking an hour later. The 73 crew of Campobasso killed and 20 survived, of the 133 crew on Perseo, 50 were killed and 83 were rescued.

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