ke ▁led ▁the ▁attack ▁in ▁a ▁Curt iss ▁P - 4 0 ▁K itt y h awk ▁from ▁No . ▁ 2 5 0 ▁Squadron ▁R AF , ▁part ▁of ▁No . ▁ 2 3 9 ▁Wing ▁R AF , ▁which ▁was ▁composed ▁of ▁K itt y h awk ▁and ▁Must ang ▁squad rons ▁and ▁special ised ▁in ▁d ive - b omb ing ▁operations . ▁The ▁f igh ters ▁attacked ▁the ▁gun ▁def ences ▁of ▁the ▁do cks ▁and , ▁that ▁done , ▁the ▁bom bers ▁then ▁div ed ▁in ▁to ▁the ▁attack ▁almost ▁vert ically ▁to ▁ensure ▁precision , ▁with ▁civil ian ▁obser vers ▁feeling ▁safe ▁enough ▁to ▁clim b ▁on ▁the ▁city ' s ▁ro o ft ops ▁to ▁observe ▁the ▁attack ▁and ▁with ▁the ▁only ▁architect ural ▁damage ▁being ▁no ▁more ▁than ▁a ▁few ▁broken ▁windows . ▁ ▁The ▁attack ▁s ank ▁the ▁Ari ete - class ▁T A 4 2 ▁( ex ▁Italian ▁Al ab arda ), ▁two ▁merchant ▁ships ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁naval ▁esc ort s ▁and ▁smaller ▁vessels , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁seriously ▁dam aging ▁a ▁large ▁cargo ▁ship ▁and ▁destroy ing ▁five ▁w are h ouses , ▁an ▁A xis ▁mine ▁stock p ile ▁( b low ing ▁a ▁ 1 0 0 - yard ▁hole ▁in ▁the ▁qu ays ide ) ▁and ▁other ▁har bour ▁infrastr ucture , ▁such ▁as ▁an ▁under water ▁training ▁establishment ▁for ▁f rog men ▁and ▁human ▁tor ped o es . ▁ ▁West la ke ▁was ▁recogn ised ▁soon