Operation Stone Age
Encyclopedia
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. A coordinated convoy from Gibraltar
was cancelled as Axis forces still held Tunisia
and would have been too great a threat.
convoy survivors, including the tanker , delivered sufficient stores and military materiel
to reinvigorate British submarine and aircraft activity from the island's bases. In the month following, Erwin Rommel
's armies were denied 300000 ST (272,155.4 t) of supplies, contributing to the dire lack of fuel that so limited their movement at Alam Halfa
and El Alamein
.
This impact upon land forces brought consequential benefits. As Axis forces withdrew westwards, they gave up air bases from which they had threatened convoys and allowed Allied aircraft to move in and offer protection.
Critical packets of supplies were brought in by fast minelayers
and submarines (tagged Magic Carpet runs). Some of the Pedestal commodities were expected to be exhausted by mid-November, so more and substantial deliveries were needed to sustain the island.
), Dutch Bantam (9,312grt), American Robin Locksley (7,000grt) and Mormacmoon (7,939grt). and escort (15th Cruiser Squadron15th Cruiser Squadron: , , , and and 14th Destroyer Flotilla14th Destroyer Flotilla: , , , , , and ) that departed from Port Said
on 16 November. Two of the ships, Bantam and Denbighshire, had loaded cargo at Port Sudan
before continuing to Port Suez. The four merchant ships gathered at Port Suez where the convoy commodore
boarded Denbighshire and added protective sandbag
s around the bridges gun positions. The four ships passed through the Suez Canal
on 15-16 November and, pausing only to load more ammunition at Port Said, they and their escort promptly departed into the Mediterranean sometime after 4pm.
The escort detached early on 17 November to refuel at Alexandria
, being replaced by "Hunt"-class destroyer
s of the 12th Flotilla12th (or 5th, depending on source) comprised: , , , , , , , , and the Greek ., and rejoined at dawn on the following day. The details of the escort and its dispositions have been taken from Woodman's account, pp459-460. Arnold Hague, in naval-history.com, differs from this. He says that the bulk of the cruisers only joined at Alexandria and that the Hunt class destroyers were of the 5th Flotilla.. Later, at noon, there was an unsuccessful enemy air attack. Later still, after the cruisers had (except for Euryalus) detached off Derna, Libya at 17:30, Arethusa was hit by an air-launched torpedo at 18:00. She suffered severe damage and over 150 fatalities and listed heavily to port. Despite the damage and occasional air attacks, Arethusa was safely towed to Alexandria by HMS Petard, after three days. The attacking aircraft had failed to locate the main convoy.
Malta based Spitfire
s provided air cover for the final 80 mi (128.7 km) section of the operation and the convoy was escorted into Grand Harbour
by minesweepers, including , just after 01:00 on 20 November. The convoy was "cheered" in by spectators.
The operation had benefitted from the British capture of the airfield at Martuba
, near Derna in mid-November. This provided air cover during part of the convoy's journey
Stoneage delivered 35000 ST (31,751.5 t) of supplies), which delayed until January 1943 the so-called "target date" at which Malta would be compelled to surrender for lack of supplies. These supplies enabled increased air and sea activity by Malta based units. Submarines based in Malta, the reinstatement of Force K
(with cruisers HMS Dido and Euryalus and the 14th Destroyer Flotilla) and the transfer of 821 Squadron
's Albacores
allowed increased attacks upon Axis shipping. In addition, the "Magic Carpet" submarine supply runs were stopped.
This convoy operation is seen as the end of the two-year siege of Malta. This is not because it completely fulfilled all of Malta's current and future needs — it did not — but because it coincided with the expulsion of Axis forces from the coasts of Egypt and eastern Libya, allowing further convoys and, later, a regular overnight service from north Africa. The next convoy was Operation Portcullis
, later in November.
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...
, Operation Stone Age or Stoneage was the passage of MW13, the convoy
Malta Convoys
The Malta Convoys were a series of Allied supply convoys that sustained the besieged island of Malta during the Mediterranean Theatre of the Second World War...
of four merchant ships that reached 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...
from Egypt on 20 November 1942 from Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
. Its arrival is considered to have broken the siege of that island. A coordinated convoy from Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
was cancelled as Axis forces still held Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
and would have been too great a threat.
Background
British possession of Malta had been sustained through 1942, despite heavy naval losses and in November 1942 the rewards were realised. The PedestalOperation Pedestal
Operation Pedestal was a British operation to get desperately needed supplies to the island of Malta in August 1942, during the Second World War. Malta was the base from which surface ships, submarines and aircraft attacked Axis convoys carrying essential supplies to the Italian and German armies...
convoy survivors, including the tanker , delivered sufficient stores and military materiel
Materiel
Materiel is a term used in English to refer to the equipment and supplies in military and commercial supply chain management....
to reinvigorate British submarine and aircraft activity from the island's bases. In the month following, Erwin Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
's armies were denied 300000 ST (272,155.4 t) of supplies, contributing to the dire lack of fuel that so limited their movement at Alam Halfa
Battle of Alam Halfa
The Battle of Alam el Halfa took place between 30 August and 5 September 1942 south of El Alamein during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. Panzerarmee Afrika—a German-Italian force commanded by Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel—attempted an envelopment of the British 8th Army,...
and El Alamein
Battle of El Alamein
There were two battles of El Alamein in World War II, both fought in 1942. The Battles occurred in Egypt in and around an area named after a railway stop called El Alamein at .* First Battle of El Alamein – 1–27 July 1942...
.
This impact upon land forces brought consequential benefits. As Axis forces withdrew westwards, they gave up air bases from which they had threatened convoys and allowed Allied aircraft to move in and offer protection.
Critical packets of supplies were brought in by fast minelayers
Abdiel class minelayer
The Abdiel class were a class of six fast minelayers commissioned into the Royal Navy and active during the Second World War. They were also known as the Manxman class and as "mine-laying cruisers".-Design:...
and submarines (tagged Magic Carpet runs). Some of the Pedestal commodities were expected to be exhausted by mid-November, so more and substantial deliveries were needed to sustain the island.
The action
Convoy MW13 consisted of four merchant shipsStoneage merchantmen were British Denbighshire (8,393grtGross Register Tonnage
Gross register tonnage a ship's total internal volume expressed in "register tons", one of which equals to a volume of . It is calculated from the total permanently enclosed capacity of the vessel. The ship's net register tonnage is obtained by reducing the volume of non-revenue-earning spaces i.e...
), Dutch Bantam (9,312grt), American Robin Locksley (7,000grt) and Mormacmoon (7,939grt). and escort (15th Cruiser Squadron15th Cruiser Squadron: , , , and and 14th Destroyer Flotilla14th Destroyer Flotilla: , , , , , and ) that departed from Port Said
Port Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
on 16 November. Two of the ships, Bantam and Denbighshire, had loaded cargo at Port Sudan
Port Sudan
Port Sudan is the capital of Red Sea State, Sudan; it has 489,725 residents . Located on the Red Sea, it is the Republic of Sudan's main port city.-History:...
before continuing to Port Suez. The four merchant ships gathered at Port Suez where the convoy commodore
Convoy commodore
A Convoy Commodore was the title of a civilian put in charge of the good order of the merchant ships in the British convoys used during World War II. Usually the convoy commodore was a retired naval officer or a senior merchant captain drawn from the RNVR...
boarded Denbighshire and added protective sandbag
Sandbag
A sandbag is a sack made of hessian/burlap, polypropylene or other materials that is filled with sand or soil and used for such purposes as flood control, military fortification, shielding glass windows in war zones and ballast....
s around the bridges gun positions. The four ships passed through the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
on 15-16 November and, pausing only to load more ammunition at Port Said, they and their escort promptly departed into the Mediterranean sometime after 4pm.
The escort detached early on 17 November to refuel at Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, being replaced by "Hunt"-class destroyer
Hunt class destroyer
The Hunt class was a class of Destroyer escort of the Royal Navy. The first vessels were ordered early in 1939, and the class saw extensive service in World War II, particularly on the British East Coast and Mediterranean convoys. They were named after British fox hunts...
s of the 12th Flotilla12th (or 5th, depending on source) comprised: , , , , , , , , and the Greek ., and rejoined at dawn on the following day. The details of the escort and its dispositions have been taken from Woodman's account, pp459-460. Arnold Hague, in naval-history.com, differs from this. He says that the bulk of the cruisers only joined at Alexandria and that the Hunt class destroyers were of the 5th Flotilla.. Later, at noon, there was an unsuccessful enemy air attack. Later still, after the cruisers had (except for Euryalus) detached off Derna, Libya at 17:30, Arethusa was hit by an air-launched torpedo at 18:00. She suffered severe damage and over 150 fatalities and listed heavily to port. Despite the damage and occasional air attacks, Arethusa was safely towed to Alexandria by HMS Petard, after three days. The attacking aircraft had failed to locate the main convoy.
Malta based Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
s provided air cover for the final 80 mi (128.7 km) section of the operation and the convoy was escorted into Grand Harbour
Grand Harbour
Grand Harbour is a natural harbour on the island of Malta. It has been used as a harbour since at least Phoenician times...
by minesweepers, including , just after 01:00 on 20 November. The convoy was "cheered" in by spectators.
The operation had benefitted from the British capture of the airfield at Martuba
Martuba Air Base
Martuba Air Base is a Libyan Air Force base in the Derna District of Libya, located approximately south-southeast of Derna, east-northeast of Benghazi. Its primary use is by the Libyan Air Force. The hangars contain Mi-2 and Mi-8 helicopters. A G.222 is stored on the ramp. It appears to be a...
, near Derna in mid-November. This provided air cover during part of the convoy's journey
Aftermath
Unloading and dispersal of the cargoes began at 03:00 and, despite ineffectual air attacks, all was safely ashore by the 26th, much of it "under rock", ie underground.Stoneage delivered 35000 ST (31,751.5 t) of supplies), which delayed until January 1943 the so-called "target date" at which Malta would be compelled to surrender for lack of supplies. These supplies enabled increased air and sea activity by Malta based units. Submarines based in Malta, the reinstatement of Force K
Force K
Force K was the designation for three British Royal Navy task forces 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.-First Force K:...
(with cruisers HMS Dido and Euryalus and the 14th Destroyer Flotilla) and the transfer of 821 Squadron
821 Naval Air Squadron
821 Naval Air Squadron was a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm carrier based squadron formed on 3 April 1933 with the transferral and amalgamation of the Fairey III aircraft from 446 and half of 455 Flight Flights Royal Air Force to the newly formed Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force...
's Albacores
Fairey Albacore
The Fairey Albacore was a British single-engine carrier-borne biplane torpedo bomber built by Fairey Aviation between 1939 and 1943 for the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and used during the Second World War. It had a three-man crew and was designed for spotting and reconnaissance as well as delivering...
allowed increased attacks upon Axis shipping. In addition, the "Magic Carpet" submarine supply runs were stopped.
This convoy operation is seen as the end of the two-year siege of Malta. This is not because it completely fulfilled all of Malta's current and future needs — it did not — but because it coincided with the expulsion of Axis forces from the coasts of Egypt and eastern Libya, allowing further convoys and, later, a regular overnight service from north Africa. The next convoy was Operation Portcullis
Operation Portcullis
Operation Portcullis was a British naval operation to deliver a convoy of four merchant ships to the Mediterranean island of Malta. It occurred during November and December 1942, at a time when the strategic situation in the region had radically changed in the Allies' favour and convoys were under...
, later in November.