On this day 16 January - the Germans attack HMS Illustrious while docked at Malta

[7eat51]

The HMS Illustrious under attack on the 10th of January 1941



The HMS Illustrious under attack on the 16th of January 1941

On the 16th of January 1941, at approximately 1:45 in the afternoon, air raid sirens filled the Maltese air, only to be followed by the sound of Axis bombers and fighter escorts. Their target was the HMS Illustrious. A week earlier, Italian and German planes attacked the Illustrious near the island. The British carrier was part of the Mediterranean fleet that, recently, had been tasked with convoy escort duty – Operation Excess – that was transporting supplies to Malta, Alexandria, and Greece. During the at-sea attack, the Illustrious suffered damage from six 1,000-kg bombs. She lost 126 officers and crewmembers, with 91 additionally wounded. Docked at Parlatorio Wharf in French Creek, workers labored to repair the ship, while military personnel and civilians prepared for an attack.

The flag of a Fliegerkorps' commanding General

Having failed to bring Malta to her knees the previous year, the Italians requested help from Germany, which came in the form of the Luftwaffe’s Fliegerkorps X. On the 16th, the Germans made their inaugural attack on the island, with their sites on the wounded carrier. Seventeen Junkers Ju88s, escorted by 20 Messerschmitt Bf110s, and 44 Junkers Ju87s, escorted by 10 Macchi Mc200s and 10 Fiat Cr42s, pounded the dock area with bombs. The few Hurricanes and Fulmars that were on the island tried to push back the airborne onslaught, as Bofors AA guns fired shell upon shell. Though the Illustrious was only hit once, and that to no real damage, the surrounding towns of Cospicua, Senglea, and Vittoriosa felt the devastating sting of the German bombs.

Junkers JU87



Junkers JU88



Macchi Mc200



Fiat Cr42

References
http://maltagc70.wordpress.com/1941-illustrious-blitz/
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles...6#.UtduaDnv22w
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Excess
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Illustrious_(R87)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10th_Air_Corps_(Germany)

[Blackronin]

Excellent images and references, Eric.
You are becoming my daily search number one. Thanks!

[Lt. S.Kafloc]

Great ideas for AAR's Eric. Keep them coming.

[Jager]

Interesting stuff, Eric.
I'm a bit surprised that X. Fliegerkorps didn't do a better job hitting the Illustrious while docked. While most of it's component units had taken heavy losses the previous year (BoF, BoB), and might have had a leavening of green pilots with less than adequate experience, StG 1 (Stukas) was an anti-shipping unit, and doesn't appear to have had heavy losses in the BoB. Good luck for the British.
Karl

[csadn]

I'm a bit surprised that X. Fliegerkorps didn't do a better job hitting the Illustrious while docked. While most of it's component units had taken heavy losses the previous year (BoF, BoB), and might have had a leavening of green pilots with less than adequate experience, StG 1 (Stukas) was an anti-shipping unit, and doesn't appear to have had heavy losses in the BoB. Good luck for the British.

The at-sea attack mentioned was one thing; trying to hit it in-harbor meant dealing with all that ground fire. Plus, it's possible the harbor attack *wasn't* directed at the ship, but at the surrounding docks (warehouses, etc.).