Battle of the Strait of Otranto
1940 CE.
Shown on the map at 40.805°, 18.690°.
The Action in the Strait of Otranto, also known as the Battle of the Strait of Otranto (1940), was the destruction of an Italian convoy on 12 November 1940 during the Battle of the Mediterranean in the Second World War. It took place in the Strait of Otranto in the Adriatic Sea, between the Royal Navy and the Italian Royal Navy (Regia Marina). In late 1940, Italian ships had been transporting men, equipment and supplies from Brindisi to the Albanian ports of Valona and Durazzo for another offensive against Greece, during the Italo-Greek War (28 October 1940 – 23 April 1941). On 21 October 1940, Supermarina, the Italian Admiralty, established Maritrafalba to convoy ships sailing between Brindisi, Valona, and Durazzo. The British conducted several operations by the Mediterranean Fleet from Alexandria and Force H from Gibraltar, several convoys to Greece and Malta, the return of ships from Malta, ship reinforcements to the Mediterranean Fleet by Force H, attacks by carrier aircraft on Sardinian airfields, the Battle of Taranto (11/12 November) and a raid into the southern Adriatic to attack convoys on the Brindisi–Valona route. Force X, three British light cruisers and two destroyers
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