The Allies were able to launch offensive operations from Malta. Some 60% of Axis shipping was sunk in the second half of 1941. The DAK and its allies needed 50,000
short tons (45,000
t) of supplies a month, but were not receiving that much, and as a result they were unable to resist a strong counter-offensive by British forces in
Operation Crusader.
[1]
For example, in July 62,276 tons of supplies were landed by the Axis, half of the figure in June.
[95] In September 1941,
830 Naval Air Squadron sank or damaged the ships
Andrea Gritti (6,338 tons) and the
Pietro Barbaro (6,330 tons). Ultra intercepts found that 3,500 tons of aerial bombs, 4,000 tons of ammunition, 5,000 tons of food, one entire tank workshop, 25 Bf 109 engines and 25 cases of
glycol coolant for their engines were lost.
[96] Further success was had later in the month, although British losses from anti-aircraft fire from Italian ships were often heavy.
[97] One reason for accepting heavy losses was the difficulty in bombing accurately. Lloyd asked his bombers to attack at mast-height, increasing accuracy but making them easier targets for Italian anti-aircraft defences. Losses averaged 12% during this time.
[98] No. 38,
40 and
104 Squadrons, equipped with Wellington bombers, hit Axis convoys in
Tripoli.
[99]
In concert with Royal Navy submarines, the RAF and FAA sank 108 Axis ships (300,000 grt) between June and September.
[92] In September, one-third of the 96,000 tons of supplies dispatched were lost to British submarine and air attack.
[100]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Malta_(World_War_II)#cite_note-FOOTNOTESpooner1996327-100
Part of the reason for this favourable outcome in November 1941, was the arrival of the Royal Navy's
Force K. Its forces successfully destroyed an entire Axis convoy during the
Battle of the Duisburg Convoy,
[101] which practically blockaded Libyan ports.
[102] Soon after, Force K was reinforced by the arrival in Malta of
Force B with the light cruisers,
HMS Ajax and
Neptune, and the
K-class destroyers,
Kimberley and
Kingston, on 27 November.
[103] Joint operations with the RAF were so effective that during November 1941 the Axis supply line suffered significant losses. Among the written-off Axis cargo were precious fuel stores. The total loss of fuel amounted to 49,365 tons out of 79,208 tons.
[104] Among the contributors to the sinking of Axis shipping was
828 Naval Air Squadron, 830 Naval Air Squadron, the British 10th Naval Flotilla and
No. 69 Squadron RAF which shadowed convoys with their Maryland aircraft.
[105] In particular, special flights of RAF Wellingtons, which were fitted with air-to-surface vessel radar, were critical to Force K operations. Ultra intelligence would reach Malta on Axis Convoy movements. The RAF Malta Command would then dispatch the ASV-Wellingtons to sweep the seas and direct the British naval forces to the targeted convoy.
[106]