Operation Portcullis

Operation Portcullis
	Part of the Battle of the Mediterranean of the Second World War
	; Relief map of the Mediterranean Sea
Date	1–5 December 1942
Location	Mediterranean Sea, Malta35°53′42″N 14°31′14″E / 35.89500°N 14.52056°E
Result	British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Kingdom of Italy; Nazi Germany

Operation Portcullis (1–5 December 1942) was the voyage of the Allied Convoy MW 14 with supplies to Malta from Port Said in Egypt during the Second World War. The convoy followed the success of Operation Stoneage (16–20 November) which had raised the Siege of Malta. Four merchant ships were escorted to Malta by seven destroyers of the 12th Destroyer Flotilla, supported by three cruisers of the 15th Cruiser Squadron and three destroyers from Alexandria.

The convoy was met by Force K from Malta with two cruisers and four destroyers. Convoy MW 14 was not attacked by Axis forces en route or while unloading which was complete by 9 December. Lack of opposition led to the sailing of pairs of ships to Malta with ordinary western desert convoys as far as Benghazi. The ships rendezvoused with escorts from Malta and Force K guarded against a sortie by Italian ships from Taranto.