Taranto raid

Taranto raid, mounted on 11 November 1940 by units of Admiral Cunningham's Mediterranean Fleet against this southern Italian naval base. It strongly influenced Japanese plans for their attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and together with that operation proved an important landmark in naval history, for it brought to a close the battleship era (see also sea power).

The raid was undertaken by 21 Swordfish biplanes which were flown from the British carrier Illustrious, positioned 290 km. (180 mi.) from Taranto. They attacked in two waves an hour apart. Each wave included two aircraft which illuminated the targets with flares before flying on to attack ships in the inner harbour to divert the attention of the anti-aircraft guns. Last-minute photographic reconnaissance averted probable disaster by showing that the anchorage had recently been protected by barrage balloons, and the battleships by nets, which enabled the pilots to avoid these obstacles.

Surprise was total. One new and two old battleships were torpedoed, a cruiser was hit, and the dockyard damaged. Two British aircraft were lost, but at one bold stroke the balance of naval power in the battle for the Mediterranean was tilted in favour of the Allies. The next day every seaworthy Italian ship left Taranto for safer harbours on Italy's west coast, thus reducing the threat to British convoys.