1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 The Second Battle of Sirte (on 22 March 1942) was a naval engagement in the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Gulf of Sidra and south-east of Malta, during the Second World War.

[8][9] As Malta was running short of aircraft, anti-aircraft guns, fuel, food and ammunition, convoy MW10 sailed from Alexandria on 21 March.

In December 1941, the two battleships (Queen Elizabeth and Valiant) stationed in the eastern Mediterranean had been disabled by an attack by Italian frogmen, leaving the fleet with only cruisers and destroyers.

The next day, the squadron aborted the operation and returned to port—the carriers were unable to launch aircraft reinforcements to Malta due to defective long-range fuel tanks.

[14] The first five divisions would act as a rearguard to lay smoke and delay the Regia Marina while Carlisle and the Hunt-class destroyers proceeded with the cargo ships to Malta.

Admiral Vian immediately implemented his plan; the cargo ships and escorts turned away to the south while the light cruisers and remaining destroyers laid smoke and charged the Italians.

[17] The battle raged for two and a half hours, with the British ships leaving the safety of their huge smoke screen to fire a few volleys and then returning to it when the Italian salvos got too close.

[18] During one of these exchanges, Havock suffered severre damage from a near-miss when fired at by the Italian battleship Littorio, and was ordered to withdraw from the battle line and join the convoy.

None of the torpedoes found their targets but as Kingston turned she was hit by a round that penetrated her boiler room and ignited a fire, temporarily bringing her to a halt.

[31][32] According to British reports, "HMS Cleopatra was struck on the after part of the bridge at 16:44"[37] by a 152 mm (6.0 in) hit from the light cruiser Giovanni delle Bande Nere; 16 seamen were killed.

[44][45][46] and left the destroyer dead in the water, with her starboard whaleboat torn apart, her anti-aircraft guns, searchlight tower and torpedo launchers shattered by the explosion.

[46] Lively was forced to retreat to Tobruk for repairs at 18:55, after a near miss' splinter from Littorio's aft turret holed her hull, resulting in some flooding.

The cargo ship Clan Campbell was sunk 20 nmi (23 mi; 37 km) from harbour and the oil tanker Breconshire was too damaged to reach Valletta.

[65] On 8 April an Italian boarding party from the tug Instancabile (former Royal Yugoslav Navy Spasilac) searched the wreck looking for secret information.

[66] Havock's crew and passengers were interned by the Vichy French at Laghouat in the Sahara but were released in November as a result of Operation Torch.