torpedo boats sunk, the cruiser seriously damaged. 11 November, the Battle of Taranto. An aerial attack on the Italian fleet in harbour, three battleships are sunk in shallow waters, one of them is disabled for the rest of the war. 27 November, the Battle of Cape Spartivento. Inconclusive fleet action. 1941 6–11 January, Operation Excess. A British convoy to Malta. The Italian torpedo boat Vega sunk, the British destroyer is permanently disabled after hitting a mine. 26 March, Action of Suda Bay, Crete. The British cruiser is sunk by explosive motor boats launched from Italian destroyers. 27–29 March, Battle of Cape Matapan. Fleet action. After an inconclusive engagement near the island of Gavdos, the Regia Marina lost three cruisers and two destroyers during the night. 16 April, Battle of the Tarigo Convoy. Italian convoy attacked and destroyed. Two Italian destroyers also lost along with the British HMS Mohawk. 20 May – 1 June, Battle of Crete. Series of actions supporting army in Crete, nine British warships sunk by Axis air attacks. 24 May, Italian troop ship SS Conte Rosso sunk by Royal Navy submarine HMS Upholder, with 1297 men killed and 1432 rescued. July, Operation Substance. A British convoy to Malta. The British destroyer HMS Fearless is lost to air attack. September, Operation Halberd. A British convoy to Malta. The transport ship Imperial Star is sunk by an Italian aerial torpedo. 8 November, Battle of the Duisburg Convoy. Axis convoy destroyed. The Italian destroyer is also lost. 13 November. The carrier HMS Ark Royal was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-81, greatly affecting the Royal Navy aero-naval capacity, as she had by far the greatest air complement among the British carriers. 25 November. While attempting interception of Italian convoys in the Eastern Mediterranean, the British battleship HMS Barham was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-331 with the loss of 862 crewmen. The dramatic footage of the event became one of most eloquent documents of the Mediterranean campaign. 13 December, Battle of Cape Bon. An Italian fast convoy attacked by Allied destroyers; the Italian light cruisers and are torpedoed and sunk. 17 December, First Battle of Sirte. An indecisive clash between the escorting fleet forces of two convoys. 19 December, Raid on Alexandria. Italian manned torpedoes attack the British fleet, two battleships are sunk in harbor, they are raised and repaired several months later. 1942 22 March,