HMS Nelson in 1941: A Year of Mediterranean Convoys and Torpedo Damage
The year 1941 was a pivotal one for HMS Nelson, the lead ship of her class and a veteran battleship of the Royal Navy. After serving with the Home Fleet in the Atlantic and North Sea, she was transferred to the Mediterranean, where she played a crucial role in escorting vital convoys to Malta and came under heavy attack from Italian aircraft.
Early 1941: Atlantic and Home Fleet Duties
In March 1941, HMS Nelson was filmed operating in the stormy North Atlantic, with her forward main armament prominent as sea spray broke over her bow.During this period, she supported a commando raid on German facilities near Narvik, Norway.On March 22-24, Admiral Sir John Tovey, Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet, transferred his flag from Nelson to HMS Queen Elizabeth.
In April 1941, Nelson was in Cape Town, South Africa, where she was inspected by Jan Smuts, the Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa.Later that month, she was assigned to convoy escort duty in the Atlantic Ocean.
In May 1941, Nelson was in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and was ordered to Gibraltar to stand by for the chase of the German battleship Bismarck. However, she missed the famous sinking of Bismarck as she did not arrive in time to participate.
Mid-1941: Transfer to Force H and Mediterranean Operations
By June 1941, HMS Nelson was operating from Gibraltar as part of Force H, a powerful British naval squadron. Her primary mission was to escort convoys through the dangerous waters of the western Mediterranean to supply the besieged island of Malta.
Operation Substance (July 1941)
In July 1941, Nelson took part in Operation Substance, a major operation to escort Convoy GM 1 from Gibraltar to Malta.Force H, under Admiral Sir James Somerville, included the battleship Nelson, the battlecruiser Renown, the aircraft carrier Ark Royal, and several cruisers and destroyers.
During this operation, filmed footage captured dramatic scenes: Nelson operated alongside the Ark Royal, with Fairey Fulmar fighters and Swordfish torpedo-bombers flying overhead.On July 23, the destroyer HMS Fearless steamed alongside Nelson to transfer messages.The following day, Italian Regia Aeronautica Savoia-Marchetti SM79 torpedo-bombers attacked the convoy; one was shot down by a Fulmar from the Ark Royal and crashed into the sea.
During a two-day battle with Italian aircraft in the Mediterranean in July, Nelson suffered slight damage.Despite the attack, the convoy reached Malta, although some Italian aircraft were shot down.
Late 1941: Operation Halberd and Torpedo Damage
In August 1941, Nelson continued her convoy escort duties and provided distant cover for another operation.
In September 1941, she participated in Operation Halberd, another heavily escorted convoy to Malta.On September 27, 1941, during this operation, HMS Nelson was struck by an Italian air-launched torpedo and suffered extensive damage.
The damage was severe enough that the battleship required extensive repairs and a general overhaul, which could not be performed at Gibraltar. She was subsequently sent to Britain for repairs, which lasted until May 1942.
Other Incidents in 1941
Earlier in the year, on October 30, 1941, Nelson was unsuccessfully attacked by the German submarine U-56 near the Orkney Islands. The submarine fired three torpedoes at her, but none of them exploded, and Nelson escaped unharmed.
Summary
In 1941, HMS Nelson transitioned from Home Fleet duties to become a key component of Force H in the Mediterranean, playing a vital role in escorting critical convoys to Malta. Her service was cut short by a torpedo strike from an Italian aircraft in September, which inflicted extensive damage and sent her to the repair yards for the remainder of the year. Despite the damage, Nelson survived and would return to active service in 1942, going on to see action in the Mediterranean and later in the Far East.