147 - Tobruk: A second siege? - WW2 - June 20, 1942

by Panzer
So he had the plans with him in the plane? But didn’t Hitler specifically
say never to do that? But he did anyway? Oh boy... well, for his sake he better have died
in the crash.
June 20, 1942
It’s a name that the world, especially the British, heard last year an awful lot, and
it’s a name that is on everyone’s lips once again this week- Tobruk!
I’m Indy Neidell; this is World War Two.
Last week the Axis had the beginnings of success in cracking the fortress town of Sevastopol,
but they had the beginnings of major success in North Africa, knocking back the 8th Army
and putting it in a dire situation. Two Allied convoys, specifically to help the Allied situation
in Africa, left their ports last week for Malta.
These are the Harpoon and Vigorous convoys, and as we’ve seen, the supply situation
on Malta all spring has been very serious.
The Allies have finally managed to get some planes in lately, to defend the island against
the seemingly endless Axis bombing campaign, but Malta needs supplies if it is to survive,
hence the convoys.
Alban Curteis leads Harpoon Convoy from Gibraltar the 11th, 6 merchant ships escorted by the
battleship Malaya, carriers Eagle and Argus, 4 cruisers, and 17 destroyers. Phillip Vian
leads Vigorous Convoy from Port Said, Haifa, and Alexandria also starting the 11th. He
has 8 cruisers and 26 destroyers to cover 11 merchant ships.
Vigorous is hit by air first on the 13th. Torpedo boats join in on the 14th, sinking
a destroyer. Air attacks the 15th sink two more destroyers. The merchants are down now
to 6 ships. Ammunition is running low and they discover that Italian battleships Littorio
and Vittorio Veneto are on the way with cruiser and destroyer escorts. The convoy turns back.
On the 16th the cruiser Hermione is sunk by a U-Boat.
German and Italian planes attack Harpoon on the 14th, on the 15th the convoy escort is
only a close escort of cruisers and destroyers, and they are again attacked. Two destroyers
and three merchant ships are sunk, only two merchant ships reach Malta the 16th. The tanker
Kentucky is one of the ships sunk which means no new aviation fuel arrives for the dwindling
RAF stocks.
The British do get a bit of revenge when Littorio is damaged by air attack and an Italian heavy
cruiser is sunk by a submarine. This whole thing has been a bit of a relief for the British
8th Army fighting in North Africa during the whole time though, since most of the German
planes in North Africa have been involved in hunting the convoys.
This is not to say the situation for the Allies is by any means easy down there.
On the 14th, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill asks Middle Eastern Theater Commander
Claude Auchinlek by telegram, “To what position does Ritchie want to withdraw the Gazala troops?
Presume there is no question in any case of giving up Tobruk.” Neil Ritchie commands
8th Army in North Africa. Auchinlek replies the 15th, “I have no intention whatever