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Battle of Cape Spada
Part of World War II
Bartolomeo Colleoni sinking
Date July 19, 1940 Location Mediterranean near Crete Result Allied victory
Combatants
United Kingdom Australia	Italy
Commanders
John Collins	Ferdinando Casardi
Strength
1 light cruiser 5 destroyers	2 light cruisers
Casualties
None	1 light cruiser sunk 121+ dead

Mediterranean Campaign
Mers-el-Kebir – Calabria – Spada – Taranto – Spartivento – Matapan – Tarigo – Crete – Duisburg – Bon – 1st Sirte – 2nd Sirte – Harpoon – Vigorous–Pedestal – Torch – Skerki – Sicily

The naval Battle of Cape Spada took place on 19 July 1940 during World War II in the Mediterranean Sea off Cape Spada, the north-western extremity of Crete.

Contents 1 Origins 2 Battle 3 Order of battle 3.1 Regia Marina 3.2 Allies 4 References

The battle occurred when an Allied squadron patrolling the Aegean encountered two Italian cruisers transferring from Tripoli to Leros, at that time an Italian colony in the Dodecanese Islands. The Allied squadron was commanded by the Australian Captain John Collins in the light cruiser HMAS Sydney and included the destroyers Havock, Hyperion, Hasty, Ilex and Hero, while the Italian 2nd Cruiser Division was commanded by Rear Admiral Ferdinando Casardi and consisted of the high-speed light cruisers Giovanni dalle Bande Nere and Bartolomeo Colleoni.

When the Italians encountered the Allied destroyers at about 07:30, Sydney and Havock were 40 miles (64 km) to the north on a sweep for submarines. The other destroyers led the Italians cruisers on a chase northwards to give Sydney time to come to the rescue. Sydney sighted the Italians at 08:26, opened fire at 08:29, and the Italian cruisers turned away to the southwest.

In the running battle which followed, Bartolomeo Colleoni was hard hit by Sydney and after a shell hit the rudder (at 09:23) she stopped dead in the water. She fought on but was unable to manoeuvre and she was sunk by torpedoes from Ilex and Hyperion at 09:59. Sydney disengaged because she was short of ammunition and Giovanni delle Bande Nere returned to Benghazi. 555 survivors of Bartolomeo Colleoni were rescued; 121 died.

• Rear Admiral Ferdinando Casardi
  • 2 light cruisers: Bartolomeo Colleoni (sunk), Giovanni dalle Bande Nere

• Captain John Collins
  • Royal Australian Navy: 1 light cruiser: HMAS Sydney (slightly damaged)
  • Royal Navy: 5 destroyers: Hasty, Havock (damaged) Hero, Hyperion, Ilex

• Action off Cape Spada
• Scontro di Capo Spada - Plancia di Comando