Battle of Cape Matapan: Just Four Minutes to Cripple a Fleet

In the spring of 1941, the British Mediterranean Fleet engaged in a significant naval battle against the Italian Regia Marina off Cape Matapan during World War II. This was the largest and one of the most one-sided fleet battles in the European theater. The episode is sponsored by Curiosity Stream, a subscription streaming service offering a vast collection of documentaries. The British War Cabinet decided to support Greece against Axis invasion, deploying an expeditionary force from Egypt with close protection provided by Vice Admiral Henry Prentice's Force B. British intelligence intercepted Italian naval signals, prompting Admiral Andrew Cunningham to suspend convoys and reposition his forces. On March 27th, an RAF Sunderland flying boat spotted Italian cruisers, leading Cunningham to deploy his battle fleet from Alexandria. The Italian fleet, larger but with less heavy firepower, was led by Admiral Angelo Iachino and included the modern battleship Vittorio Veneto. The fleets were unaware of each other's positions and strengths until Vittorio Veneto's aircraft and HMS Formidable's aircraft made sighting reports. The ensuing battle saw Force B, led by Vice Admiral Pritam Whipple, face off against the more powerful Italian cruisers, leading to a strategic retreat and regrouping with the British battle fleet.

Admiral Cunningham, upon receiving signals of Force B's encounter, quickly moved his fleet westward to engage the Italian battle fleet. The British used their aircraft carrier, HMS Formidable, to launch a strike against the Vittorio Veneto, which, although unsuccessful, forced the Italian fleet to break off pursuit. At midday, further attacks by British aircraft from Crete led to the Italians becoming more cautious. By 1:00 p.m., Force B's retreat had brought them within visual contact of the British battle fleet, but the Italians had disappeared, having used smoke screens to evade. Cunningham faced the challenge of locating and engaging an elusive and faster Italian fleet. Aerial contact was regained at 3:00 p.m., leading to a second attack from Formidable, coinciding with a raid by RAF Blenheim bombers. Despite intense anti-aircraft fire, a third airstrike was ordered for dusk, with Force B tasked to make contact with the Italians. The final British air attack of the day resulted in a hit on the heavy cruiser Pola, causing significant damage and leaving the Italian fleet in disarray. The British were unaware of the extent of the damage and prepared for a night torpedo attack, while the Italians, believing British capital ships were far away, focused on defending against air and destroyer attacks.

As night fell, the British detached destroyers to hunt down the Italians, but a miscalculation on the Italian fleet's speed and position led to a fruitless chase. Meanwhile, Cunningham's battle fleet, relying on radar, detected a ship and pursued it, leading to a surprise encounter with the Italian cruisers Zara and Fiume, along with their escorts. The British battleships Warspite and Valiant opened fire at point-blank range, catching the Italians completely off guard. The intense British fire resulted in the sinking of several Italian cruisers and destroyers within minutes. Cunningham detached his escorting destroyers to finish off the crippled Italian cruisers and continued north. A chaotic melee ensued between the British and Italian destroyers as the remnants of the Italian squadron attempted to escape. By the early hours of the morning, the Italian cruisers Zara and Pola were sunk by torpedoes from British destroyers, concluding the Battle of Cape Matapan. The battle resulted in a devastating defeat for the Italian Navy, wiping out an entire heavy cruiser division and significantly impacting their morale and future offensive capabilities.

The video, sponsored by Curiosity Stream, highlights the Battle of Cape Matapan and its impact on World War II. Curiosity Stream offers a variety of documentaries, including 'Apocalypse: World War 2,' which provides an extensive overview of the war. The video encourages viewers to take advantage of a promotional offer for Curiosity Stream, allowing access to their extensive documentary library for a reduced monthly and annual rate, with the first 30 days free. The promotion is accessible by signing up at curiositystream.com/historicraf and using the provided promo code. The video concludes with a musical outro, emphasizing the support provided by Curiosity Stream in making the historical account possible.