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Operation Pedestal
Operation Pedestal (referenced in Italian sources as the Battaglia di Mezzo Agosto) was a British operation to get desperately needed supplies to the island of Malta in August 1942, during the Second World War. Malta was the base from which surface ships, submarines and aircraft attacked Axis convoys carrying essential supplies to the Italian and German armies in North Africa. In 1941–42, Malta was effectively under siege, blockaded by Axis air and naval forces. To sustain Malta, the United Kingdom had to get convoys through at all costs. Despite serious losses, just enough supplies were delivered for Malta to survive,〔 although it ceased to be an effective offensive base for much of 1942. The most crucial supply was fuel delivered by the , an American-built tanker with a British crew.〔.〕 The operation officially started on 3 August 1942, though the convoy did not sail through the Strait of Gibraltar until 9 August.〔 published in 〕
The convoy is also known as the "Battle of Mid-August" in Italy and as the ''Konvoj ta' Santa Marija'' in Malta. The arrival of the last ships of the convoy on 15 August 1942, coincided with the Feast of the Assumption (''Santa Marija'') and the name ''Santa Marija Convoy'' or ''Sta Marija Convoy'' is still used. That day's public holiday and celebrations, in part, celebrate the arrival of the convoy. The attempt to run fifty ships past bombers, E-boats, minefields, and submarines has gone down in military history as one of the most important〔(【引用サイトリンク】 url=http://www.usmm.org/malta.html )〕 British strategic victories of the Second World War. However, it was at a cost of more than 500 lives, with only five of the original 14 merchant ships reaching the Grand Harbour.
==Background==
In 1942, the British Empire was waging a land war against Italian forces in North Africa and their allies, Rommel's Afrika Korps. Malta was a critical component〔(【引用サイトリンク】publisher=The We Were There Exhibition )〕 to this campaign, as the island could be used as a base to interdict efforts to resupply Axis forces operating in North Africa.〔(【引用サイトリンク】publisher=The Royal Navy ) "The Mediterranean campaign revolved around the island of Malta, where the British based surface ships, submarines and aircraft to attack the supplies for Italian and German armies in North Africa. Major convoy operations were mounted to sustain Malta and the island narrowly survived."〕 During this stage of the war, Malta was critically short on munitions, food, and fuel for both military operations and civil use.〔.〕 Attempts to run the blockade and resupply Malta proved to be costly and often ended in failure; the two-pronged effort to resupply Malta during June 1942—known as Operations ''Harpoon'' (from Gibraltar) and ''Vigorous'' (from Alexandria, Egypt)—were unsuccessful, only two merchantmen from ''Harpoon'' and none from ''Vigorous'' reached Malta, while many others (including the only tanker included in ''Harpoon'') were sunk,〔Wade, Chapter IX〕 and the escorting warships also suffered heavy casualties.〔Bradford, p. 187〕 Military planners knew Malta would be forced to surrender if fuel, food, and ammunition did not get through before the end of August. The local air commander had warned the planners that there remained only a few weeks' supply of aviation fuel. The Admiralty drew up plans for another convoy to sail at the earliest practical date, mid-August.〔 Churchill, in Moscow at the time, attached such importance to the mission that he asked to be briefed daily about it.
抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』
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