to be scuttled east of Malta. Force H returned to Gibraltar. 12 January Force A was reinforced west of Crete by Force B, the cruisers of Force D, and from Alexandria. 13 January Convoy ME 6 arrived at Alexandria. The Illustrious blitz What Maltese called the Illustrious Blitz began when bomb stocks depleted during the attacks of 10 and 11 January were replenished and the Axis made a maximum effort to destroy Illustrious before she could be repaired. Illustrious and Essex were hit during an air raid on 16 January. Ten Macchi C.202s, ten CR.42s and twenty Bf 110s escorted 44 Ju 87s. Bombs exploding in Grand Harbour killed numerous fish, that were collected after the raid and eaten. Illustrious was not seriously damaged but a bomb exploded in Essex engine room killing 15 men and wounding 23 more. There was another heavy air raid on 17 January and Illustrious was again hit in an air raid on 18 January. Illustrious was not damaged by the last big attack on 19 January. Illustrious departed Malta on 23 January but her Fulmars remained for the defence of the island. Illustrious was able to complete additional repairs after reaching Alexandria on 25 January but restoration of full combat effectiveness required a trip to United States shipyards. Losses Fairey Fulmar fighters and AA gunners of the Royal Navy shot down at least seven aircraft on 10 January 1941, in defence of Illustrious, while one Fulmar was lost. No merchantmen were lost during Excess but the Royal Navy lost one cruiser sunk and a destroyer damaged beyond repair. See also Battle of the Mediterranean Malta Convoys Notes Footnotes Sources Brown, David Warship Losses of World War II Naval Institute Press (1995) Pack, S.W.C. The Battle for Crete Naval Institute Press (1973) Pegg, Martin Luftwaffe Ground Attack Units 1939–45 Sky Books Press, NY 1977. Smith, Peter C. Junkers Ju 87 Stuka Crowood Press, Ramsbury, 1998. Balkans campaign (World War II) Allied naval victories in the battle of the Mediterranean Malta Convoys Naval aviation operations and battles Naval battles and operations of World War II involving the United Kingdom January 1941 events