Club Run
Part of The Mediterranean campaign of the Second World War
Map of the Western Mediterranean
TypeAircraft ferry operations
Locations
Western Mediterranean

35°N 18°E / 35°N 18°E / 35; 18
Gibraltar

Malta
Planned byRoyal Navy and Royal Air Force
Commanded byAdmiral James Somerville (July 1940 – March 1942)

Edward Syfret (March 1942 – 1943)
ObjectiveDeliver aircraft to Malta
OutcomeAllied victory

Club Run was an informal name for aircraft ferry operations from Gibraltar to Malta during the Siege of Malta from 1940 to 1942 during the Second World War. Malta was half-way between Gibraltar to Alexandria and had the only harbour controlled by the British in the area. Malta had docks, repair facilities, reserves and stores, which had been built up since the cession of the island to Britain in 1814. Malta had become an important staging post for aircraft and a base for air reconnaissance over the central Mediterranean.[1]

The Axis powers Italy and Germany made several attempts from 1941 to 1942 to either force the British military authorities on the island to surrender or to destroy its effectiveness as a military base. The island was a forward base from which Axis supplies to their North African armies could be attacked. It is a measure of Malta's importance that Britain reassigned fighter aircraft from home defence.[2]

Background

Force H

Main article: Force H

Ferry missions were covered by Force H, based at Gibraltar (called The Club), consisting of the battlecruiser HMS Renown, aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, light cruiser HMS Sheffield and the E and F-class destroyers of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla. Its Mediterranean operations were called Club Runs. It was deemed to be an exclusive club of the most efficient warships in the Royal Navy. A mythical "regimental tie" was designed for members of "The Club", consisting of a Mediterranean grey field, scattered with raspberries.[citation needed]

Malta

Malta's air defences were essential, replacement aircraft and reinforcements were always needed. Fighters (Hawker Hurricanes and Supermarine Spitfires) and torpedo bombers (Fairey Swordfish and Fairey Albacores) lacked the range to fly direct from the British base at Gibraltar. The solution was for aircraft carriers to move within range for the fighters to fly off and land at a Maltese airfield.

Prelude

British strategy

At the outbreak of war, the opinion of the Chiefs of Staff was that Malta was indefensible and this view was supported by a later review, "there is nothing practicable that we can do to increase the powers of resistance of Malta". Winston Churchill disagreed. In July 1940, he insisted that Hurricanes be flown in "at the earliest moment". This led to the first Club Run, Operation Hurry, using the ageing aircraft carrier HMS Argus.[3] Additional capacity was created by transporting aircraft in crates and assembling them at Gibraltar or on board carriers, one ferry run from Britain delivering enough aircraft for two Club Runs.

Axis strategy

The Regia Aeronautica and the Luftwaffe sought to attack the aircraft while in transit and catch them on the ground before they could be armed and refuelled. Forty of the Spitfires delivered by the United States Navy carrier USS Wasp in Operation Calendar were destroyed on the ground but in the following operation Operation Bowery the Axis air forces were outwitted by getting the Spitfires airborne and waiting for the Axis aircraft before they arrived.[4]

1942

From early 1942, Spitfires were necessary to counter the more modern Axis fighters. There were faults with the new external 90-gallon external (slipper) tanks that were needed to give Spitfires enough range and two Club Runs were cancelled. After modifications to the slipper tanks at Gibraltar the operations were run again. Calendar delivered inadequately prepared aircraft that were caught on the ground at Malta and the 64 Spitfires delivered by Bowery required adaptations to the slipper tanks while on board USS Wasp. The failure to rectify a fault over several deliveries in such desperate circumstances is unexplained but was described as "embarrassing".[5]

Club Runs

1940

HMS Argus in the 1920s.

1941

1942

Club Runs end

From October 1942, Spitfire Mk VCs with additional internal and external fuel tanks and most armament removed were capable of flying the 1,100 mi (1,800 km) from Gibraltar to Malta, where the adaptations were reversed, which made Club Runs redundant.[21]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ On the return leg, Ark Royal was torpedoed by U-81 and sank a day later; Perpetual II cancelled.
  2. ^ Most of these aircraft were destroyed on the ground.[12]

Footnotes

  1. ^ Playfair 1954, p. 29.
  2. ^ Roskill 1957, pp. 293–295, 298.
  3. ^ Woodman 2000, pp. 56–57.
  4. ^ Woodman 2000, pp. 322–324.
  5. ^ Woodman 2000, pp. 320–323.
  6. ^ Woodman 2003, p. 85.
  7. ^ Woodman 2003, p. 290.
  8. ^ Woodman 2003, p. 291.
  9. ^ Woodman 2003, p. 295.
  10. ^ Smith 2009, p. 140.
  11. ^ Woodman 2003, pp. 320–322.
  12. ^ Woodman 2003, pp. 322.
  13. ^ Woodman 2003, pp. 321–322.
  14. ^ a b c Woodman 2003, p. 328.
  15. ^ Smith 2009, pp. 144–145.
  16. ^ Smith 2009, p. 148.
  17. ^ Woodman 2003, p. 370.
  18. ^ Smith 2009, p. 152.
  19. ^ Woodman 2003, p. 371.
  20. ^ Smith 2009, pp. 152–153.
  21. ^ Whitehead, Christopher (1996). "1942 - The Fight Continues". The Spitfire is 60. Archived from the original on 26 March 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2010.

Bibliography

Further reading

External links

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