Raid on Souda Bay

Raid on Souda Bay
Part of the Battle of the Mediterranean of the Second World War
The hulk of HMS York with Sirio alongside
Date 26 March 1941 Location Souda Bay, Mediterranean Sea Result Italian victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom  Norway	Italy
Commanders and leaders
Reginald Portal	Arturo Redaelli[1] Ugo Ferruta[1] Luigi Faggioni (POW)
Strength
3 cruisers 1 destroyer 5 auxiliary ships and tankers	2 destroyers 6 motor assault boats
Casualties and losses
1 heavy cruiser 1 tanker 2 killed	6 prisoners

The Raid on Souda Bay was an assault by Regia Marina explosive boats on Souda Bay, Crete, during the early hours of 26 March 1941. The motor boats were launched by the torpedo boats (small destroyers) Francesco Crispi and Quintino Sella at the approaches to the bay. After negotiating the boom defences, the small craft attacked the British heavy cruiser HMS York and the Norwegian tanker Pericles.

The vessels were sunk in shallow waters by the explosive charges and eventually lost. The six MTM pilots, Luigi Faggioni, Alessio de Vito, Emilio Barberi, Angelo Cabrini, Tullio Tedeschi and Lino Beccati were taken prisoner and were later awarded the Italian Gold Medal of Military Valor (Medaglia d'oro al valor militare).