Battle of the Cigno Convoy

Battle of the Cigno Convoy
Part of the Battle of the Mediterranean of the Second World War
Belluno (ex. Fort de France) in a pre-war photograph
Date 16 April 1943 Location Mediterranean off Marettimo Island 37°48′35.22″N 12°11′29.01″E / 37.8097833°N 12.1913917°E / 37.8097833; 12.1913917 Result Italian victory[1]
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Italy
Commanders and leaders
Basil Jones	Carlo Maccaferri
Strength
2 destroyers	4 torpedo boats 1 transport ship
Casualties and losses
10 men killed 14 wounded 1 destroyer scuttled 1 destroyer damaged	~130 men killed 1 torpedo boat sunk 1 torpedo boat severely damaged

The Battle of the Cigno Convoy (or Belluno Convoy) was a naval engagement between two British destroyers of the Royal Navy and two torpedo boats of the Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy) south-east of Marettimo island to the west of Sicily, in the early hours of 16 April 1943. The Italian ships were escorting the transport ship Belluno (4,200 gross register tons) to Tunisia; the torpedo boat Tifone, carried aviation fuel. The British force was fought off by the Italian ships for the loss of a torpedo boat. A British destroyer, disabled by Italian gunfire, had to be scuttled after the action when it was clear that it could not make port before dawn.