Battle of Taranto

Battle of Taranto
Part of the Battle of the Mediterranean of World War II
Aerial view of the Mar Piccolo showing Italian cruisers preparing to get under way, 12 November 1940; often misinterpreted, the image shows raised mud, and not fuel leaking from damaged ships.
Date 11–12 November 1940 Location Taranto, Italy 40°27′4″N 17°12′27″E / 40.45111°N 17.20750°E / 40.45111; 17.20750 Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Italy
Commanders and leaders
Andrew Cunningham Lumley Lyster	Inigo Campioni
Strength
1 aircraft carrier 2 heavy cruisers 2 light cruisers 4 destroyers 21 torpedo bombers	6 battleships 7 heavy cruisers 7 light cruisers 13 destroyers
Casualties and losses
2 killed 2 captured 2 aircraft destroyed	59 killed 600 wounded 3 battleships disabled 1 heavy cruiser damaged 2 destroyers damaged 2 fighters destroyed
class=notpageimage| Location within Italy

The Battle of Taranto took place on the night of 11/12 November 1940 during the Second World War between British naval forces, under Admiral Andrew Cunningham, and Italian naval forces, under Admiral Inigo Campioni. The Royal Navy launched the first all-aircraft ship-to-ship naval attack in history, employing 21 Fairey Swordfish biplane torpedo bombers from the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious in the Mediterranean Sea.

The attack struck the battle fleet of the Regia Marina at anchor in the harbour of Taranto, using aerial torpedoes despite the shallowness of the water. The success of this attack augured the ascendancy of naval aviation over the big guns of battleships. According to Admiral Cunningham, "Taranto, and the night of 11–12 November 1940, should be remembered forever as having shown once and for all that in the Fleet Air Arm the Navy has its most devastating weapon."^[1]