Battle of Skerki Bank

Battle of Skerki Bank
Part of the Battle of the Mediterranean
Nicoloso da Recco
Date 2 December 1942 Location Skerki Bank, Mediterranean Sea 37°45′12″N 10°57′12″E / 37.75333°N 10.95333°E / 37.75333; 10.95333 Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom  Australia	Italy Germany
Commanders and leaders
Cecil Harcourt	Aldo Cocchia
Strength
3 light cruisers 2 destroyers	3 destroyers 2 torpedo boats 4 troopships
Casualties and losses
splinter damage	c. 2,200 killed 1 destroyer sunk 1 destroyer damaged 2 torpedo boats damaged 4 troopships sunk

The Battle of Skerki Bank was an engagement during the Second World War which took place near Skerki Bank in the Mediterranean Sea in the early hours of 2 December 1942. Force Q, a flotilla of Royal Navy cruisers and destroyers, attacked Convoy H, an Italian convoy and its Regia Marina escort of destroyers and torpedo boats.

Force Q sank the four Italian merchant ships and one of the escorting destroyers in exchange for minor splinter damage. Force Q was attacked by Luftwaffe torpedo bombers at 06:30 on 3 December, sinking the destroyer Quentin with one torpedo and damaging the destroyer Quiberon. The battle was the first and most significant success for Force Q.