<prompt> Bhala okuqhubekayo kwalesi sigaba - I-Regia Marina neRoyal Navy bahlanganyela emzabalazweni weminyaka emibili nengxenye wokulawula iMedithera. Umgomo oyinhloko we Regia Marina kwakuwukusekela amabutho e-Axis eNyakatho Afrika ngenkathi evimbela indlela yokulethwa e-Alexandria futhi enqamula ukulethwa eMalta. Umzamo omkhulu weRoyal Navy kwakuwukuqhubeka nokuhlinzekela amabutho ezempi nabantu baseMalta, futhi okwesibili ukuvimbela ukuthunyelwa kwe-convoy eNyakatho Afrika. Isenzo sokuqala esikhulu senzeka ngoNovemba 11, 1940 lapho umkhumbi wezindiza waseBrithani ukhipha amagagasi amabili ama-torpedo-bomber ama-Swordfish ekuhlaseleni okungazelelwe  <response>: ngokumelene nomkhumbi wase-Italy ogibele esikhungweni semikhumbi yempi saseTaranto. Lokhu kuhlasela akuzange kubonwe, futhi kwacwiliswa imikhumbi yempi emithathu. Okunye ukunqotshwa okukhulu kwabangelwa iRegia Marina eCape Matapan, lapho iRoyal Navy neRoyal Australian Navy baphazamisa futhi babhubhisa ama-cruisers amathathu asindayo , futhi; wonke ekilasini elifanayo nama-s amabili ekuhlaselweni ebusuku, ngokulahlekelwa amatilosi angaphezu kuka-2 300. Ama-Ally ayenemishini yokuthwebula i-Ultra, eyayidalula ukunyakaza kwamaNtaliyane, ne-radar, eyayiwavumela ukuba athole imikhumbi futhi ahambise izikhali zawo kude nasebusuku. Amakhono angcono okuhlola emoyeni we-Royal Navys Fleet Air Arm kanye nokusebenzisana kwawo eduze namayunithi angaphezulu komhlaba kwakungezinye izimbangela ezinkulu zokwehla kwe-Italy. 