Fewer escorts in the Med

Fenris_Wolf · 10-18-07, 08:37 AM

:hmm:
A grid reference would make things more precise here because I'm also in the same area (and the time period) and what I find a lot (along the north african coast and somewhat north west of Tobruk) is a couple of 1.2k-2.5k ton ships having a front and rear escort as well (mostly a black swan among them).

Sure there are the occasional unescorted merchants. Found three large cargo ships all by their lonesome once, but much nearer to the african coast. After the air cover increased greatly I left that spot and moved further west along a convoy route (bagged a 24k GRT passenger liner there last night).

Ping Panther · 10-18-07, 09:50 AM

A point to consider is that the Brits. historically tended to go on the theory of a routing ships with less significant escort resources; especially in the earlier years.

In the Med., the significance of the occupation of the island of Malta was the "hinge pin" of the ability of the Allied forces to maintain shipping routes and coverage to much of North Africa, the Med. & oil resources in the Mid-east,

"There was no lasting solution for the enemy short of the conquest of Malta."
, P.M. Winston Churchill

Historic attempts to reach the battered Allied forces holding out on Malta:
Operation Harpoon: mid. June '42
Operation Bellows: early Aug. '42
Operation Pedestal: mid. Aug. '42 (considered successful... despite severe losses)
(check in on the significance of escorts provided in Op. Pedestal!... WOW!)

Air support following Allied progression in Med. (retaining Malta's airbase & harbor, N. African Allied forces pushing against Rommel, etc.) provided more coverage. Other naval events thinned some of the more significant escort deployments to the Med. as well.

dmlavan · 10-18-07, 06:43 PM

Thanks for all of the feedback.

For Fenris_Wolf, I found these along the shipping lane just south and south-southeast of Malta.

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10-18-07, 08:37 AM	#1
Fenris_Wolf Sparky Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 155 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	:hmm: A grid reference would make things more precise here because I'm also in the same area (and the time period) and what I find a lot (along the north african coast and somewhat north west of Tobruk) is a couple of 1.2k-2.5k ton ships having a front and rear escort as well (mostly a black swan among them). Sure there are the occasional unescorted merchants. Found three large cargo ships all by their lonesome once, but much nearer to the african coast. After the air cover increased greatly I left that spot and moved further west along a convoy route (bagged a 24k GRT passenger liner there last night).

10-18-07, 09:50 AM	#2
Ping Panther Lieutenant Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: the armpit of the Mid-Atlantic / Quadrant CA42 Posts: 262 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 0	A point to consider is that the Brits. historically tended to go on the theory of a routing ships with less significant escort resources; especially in the earlier years. In the Med., the significance of the occupation of the island of Malta was the "hinge pin" of the ability of the Allied forces to maintain shipping routes and coverage to much of North Africa, the Med. & oil resources in the Mid-east, "There was no lasting solution for the enemy short of the conquest of Malta." , P.M. Winston Churchill Historic attempts to reach the battered Allied forces holding out on Malta: Operation Harpoon: mid. June '42 Operation Bellows: early Aug. '42 Operation Pedestal: mid. Aug. '42 (considered successful... despite severe losses) (check in on the significance of escorts provided in Op. Pedestal!... WOW!) Air support following Allied progression in Med. (retaining Malta's airbase & harbor, N. African Allied forces pushing against Rommel, etc.) provided more coverage. Other naval events thinned some of the more significant escort deployments to the Med. as well.

10-18-07, 06:43 PM	#3
dmlavan Weps Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 351 Downloads: 69 Uploads: 0	Thanks for all of the feedback. For Fenris_Wolf, I found these along the shipping lane just south and south-southeast of Malta.