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above The three British warships that played the leading role in the Battle of Cape Matapan. In the foreground, firing a broadside, is HMS Valiant, with HMS Barham and HMS Warspite behind.
Cape Matapan, 27-29 March 1941
Graham Goodlad analyses Cunningham’s masterpiece, the battle which broke the power of fascist Italy in the Mediterranean.
This is the second part in MHM's special feature. In the first part (read here), Graham Goodlad analyses the achievements of Admiral Andrew Browne Cunningham.
The Battle of Cape Matapan, fought off the southern tip of Greece, was Admiral Andrew Cunningham’s most significant victory, and also the last major fleet battle in the history of the Royal Navy. It was not just that British forces had an outstanding commander. They possessed clear advantages over their Italian opponents in naval aviation, radar, and intelligence, too. They took the fascist navy, or Regia Marina, largely by surprise and inflicted a stinging defeat. Matapan effectively ended Benito Mussolini’s dream of turnin
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