Force K
Encyclopedia
Force K was the designation for three British
Royal Navy
task force
s during World War II
. The first Force K operated from West Africa in 1939. The second and third Force Ks operated from Malta in 1941-1943.
, Sierra Leone
, and consisted of battlecruiser
, aircraft carrier
, and destroyers , , , and . Its mission was to track and destroy German
commerce raider
s in the South Atlantic, such as the pocket battleship . After the Battle of the River Plate
in December 1939, Force K was sent to the coast of Uruguay
to prevent any sortie by Graf Spee, which was in Montevideo
.
After Graf Spee was scuttled, Force K was broken up, with Ark Royal escorting the cruiser (damaged in the battle with Graf Spee) back to Britain.
s and , and L and M class destroyer
s and . Force K operated out of Malta
, against Italian
ships carrying supplies to the Axis
forces in North Africa.
Allied submarine
s and aircraft sank some of these ships, but most supply got through. So Force K was added.
On 8-9 November 1941, Force K destroyed an entire Axis convoy
, forcing the Italian high command to consider Tripoli
"practically blockaded". Soon after, Force K was reinforced at Malta by Force B, with light cruisers and and two J, K and N class destroyer
s. The combined force was so effective that during November 1941 the Axis supply line suffered 60% losses. However on 19 December, ships from both Forces ran into a minefield
while pursuing an Italian convoy. Mines sank Neptune and damaged Aurora. The destroyer also struck a mine while attempting to assist the stricken Neptune. Kandahar was scuttled the next day by the destroyer .
Following this, and with a resurgence of the aerial bombardment of Malta, the remaining surface ships were withdrawn from there. Only Penelope remained, as she was too damaged to leave. Frequent air attacks while she remained in harbour earned her the nickname "HMS Pepperpot". She was also withdrawn on 8 April 1942, ending Force K's deployment.
(20 November). Cruisers and and the 14th Destroyer Flotilla were detached from the Stone Age convoy and based at Malta.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
task force
Task force
A task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology...
s during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The first Force K operated from West Africa in 1939. The second and third Force Ks operated from Malta in 1941-1943.
First Force K
This task force was based based in FreetownFreetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, and consisted of battlecruiser
Battlecruiser
Battlecruisers were large capital ships built in the first half of the 20th century. They were developed in the first decade of the century as the successor to the armoured cruiser, but their evolution was more closely linked to that of the dreadnought battleship...
, aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
, and destroyers , , , and . Its mission was to track and destroy German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
commerce raider
Commerce raiding
Commerce raiding or guerre de course is a form of naval warfare used to destroy or disrupt the logistics of an enemy on the open sea by attacking its merchant shipping, rather than engaging the combatants themselves or enforcing a blockade against them.Commerce raiding was heavily criticised by...
s in the South Atlantic, such as the pocket battleship . After the Battle of the River Plate
Battle of the River Plate
The Battle of the River Plate was the first naval battle in the Second World War. The German pocket battleship had been commerce raiding since the start of the war in September 1939...
in December 1939, Force K was sent to the coast of Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
to prevent any sortie by Graf Spee, which was in Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
.
After Graf Spee was scuttled, Force K was broken up, with Ark Royal escorting the cruiser (damaged in the battle with Graf Spee) back to Britain.
Second Force K
The next Force K was created on 21 October 1941, and then consisted of light cruiserLight cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
s and , and L and M class destroyer
L and M class destroyer
The L and M class was a class of sixteen destroyers which served in the British Royal Navy during World War II. The ships of the class were launched between 1939 and 1942.-Design details:...
s and . Force K operated out of Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, against Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
ships carrying supplies to the Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
forces in North Africa.
Allied submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s and aircraft sank some of these ships, but most supply got through. So Force K was added.
On 8-9 November 1941, Force K destroyed an entire Axis convoy
Battle of the Duisburg Convoy
The Battle of the Duisburg Convoy was fought on the night of 8–9 November 1941 between an Italian convoy sailing to Libya with supplies for the Italian Army, civilian authorities in Libya, and the Afrika Corps and a British Naval squadron which intercepted it...
, forcing the Italian high command to consider Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
"practically blockaded". Soon after, Force K was reinforced at Malta by Force B, with light cruisers and and two J, K and N class destroyer
J, K and N class destroyer
The J, K and N class was a class of 24 destroyers of the Royal Navy launched in 1938. They were a return to a smaller vessel, with a heavier torpedo armament, after the Tribal class that emphasised guns over torpedoes. The ships were built in three flotillas or groups, eight each of ships with...
s. The combined force was so effective that during November 1941 the Axis supply line suffered 60% losses. However on 19 December, ships from both Forces ran into a minefield
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
while pursuing an Italian convoy. Mines sank Neptune and damaged Aurora. The destroyer also struck a mine while attempting to assist the stricken Neptune. Kandahar was scuttled the next day by the destroyer .
Following this, and with a resurgence of the aerial bombardment of Malta, the remaining surface ships were withdrawn from there. Only Penelope remained, as she was too damaged to leave. Frequent air attacks while she remained in harbour earned her the nickname "HMS Pepperpot". She was also withdrawn on 8 April 1942, ending Force K's deployment.
Third Force K
Force K was reinstated in November 1942, after Malta was resupplied by a convoy in Operation Stone AgeOperation Stone Age
During World War II, Operation Stone Age or Stoneage was the passage of MW13, the convoy of four merchant ships that reached Malta from Egypt on 20 November 1942 from Alexandria. Its arrival is considered to have broken the siege of that island...
(20 November). Cruisers and and the 14th Destroyer Flotilla were detached from the Stone Age convoy and based at Malta.