Operation Pedestal 1942

The Battle for Malta’s Lifeline

Operation Pedestal 1942 cover

Description

A fascinating story of a key turning point in the War in the Mediterranean, as the island of Malta was thrown a vital lifeline.

Since 1940, the island of Malta had been a thorn in the Axis' side. It sat astride the direct sea route between Italy and its North African colonies, and from 1941 the Royal Navy had used the island as a base for its attacks on Axis convoys. The island, though, relied on convoys to survive, and from early 1941 these came under increasingly heavy air and submarine attack. As the situation became critical in 1942, the decision was made to send through a heavily protected convoy, carrying fuel and supplies, in an effort to save the island. This mission was codenamed Operation Pedestal.

This fascinating work describes how, after leaving Britain on 2 August 1942, the convoy was repeatedly pummeled by Axis air and submarine attacks as it ground its way towards Malta, with most of the merchant ships sunk during the passage, along with an aircraft carrier and two cruisers. It also explores how despite this grim toll, the sacrifice was worth it.

The specially commissioned illustrations in this work cover the progress of the convoy step by step, the submarine and surface naval actions during Pedestal's voyage, the Stuka attack on the carrier Indomitable and the air attacks against the convoy, and the broader strategic situation in the Western Mediterranean. The result is a unique visual exploration of one of the most famous episodes of the war in this theatre.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION
CHRONOLOGY
ORIGINS OF THE CAMPAIGN
OPPOSING COMMANDERS
Allies
Axis
OPPOSING FORCES
Allies
Axis
Orders of Battle
OPPOSING PLANS
Allies
Axis
OPERATION PEDESTAL
The first leg
Through the Western Mediterranean, 10–11 August
The secondary operations, 10–12 August
The Western Mediterranean, 12 August
The night action, 12/13 August
Da Zara's sortie
The last air attacks, 13 August
The stragglers
AFTERMATH
THE LEGACY OF PEDESTAL
FURTHER READING
INDEX

Product details

Published Oct 24 2023
Format Paperback
Edition 1st
Extent 96
ISBN 9781472855671
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations Colour illustrations throughout, including battlescene artworks, maps, 3D diagrams and photographs.
Dimensions 10 x 7 inches
Series Campaign
Short code CAM 394
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Angus Konstam

Angus Konstam is a Fellow of the Royal Historical…

Illustrator

Graham Turner

Graham Turner is a leading historical artist, spec…

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