Operation Pedestal August 1942

摘要

By first light on the fourteenth the only two merchant ships still afloat and not yet entered into Valetta's Grand Harbour were the freighter Brisbane Star and the tanker Ohio. The Brisbane Star, damaged by a torpedo during the evening of the twelfth, had been unable to keep up with the main convoy, and completely unescorted, her master Captain Riley had decided to chart his own course down the coast of Tunisia. On the thirteenth they spotted a U-boat whilst in the Gulf of Hammamet. This was successfully evaded after many hours of clever navigation through a series of off-shore shallows, whilst always remaining within Vichy French territorial waters. In the evening a Vichy patrol boat came out to meet them and this put a shot across the ship's bows.Two officers came on board, but Captain Riley talked his way out of trouble, and incredibly the ship was allowed to continue. In the early hours of the fourteenth the Axis renewed their attempts to find the ship, and at possibly around 06.30 she was approached by S.79s of 30 Gruppo BT, it seems engaged on armed reconnaissance, at least two of them from 56 Squadriglia plus possibly other elements out from Sciacca, Sicily. By now however the ship was within range of Malta's Beaufighters. An S.79 was shot down by a Beaufighterfrom 235 Squadron and another was lost whilst landing on Pantellaria. Later, probably also during the morning, Brisbane Star was reported to have been bombed by three Cant Z1007bis from 29 Gruppo BT, 63 Squadriglia from Chinisia Sicily, but without result. Already benefiting from Beaufighter escort, Brisbane Star was soon able to obtain both Spitfire and Naval escort, and the ship put safely into Valetta without further mishap later that day.