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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox military conflict
 |conflict    = Operation White
 |partof      = the [[Battle of the Mediterranean]] of the [[Second World War]]
 |image       = Skua L2987.jpg
 |image_size  = 250px
 |caption     = Skua dive bomber forced to crash-land on [[Sicily]]
 |date        = 15–18 November 1940
 |place       = [[Strait of Sicily]], [[Mediterranean Sea]]
 |coordinates = {{coord|37|12|00|N|11|20|00|E|display=INLINE,title}}
 |result      = Inconclusive
 |combatant1  = {{flagcountry|UK}}
 |combatant2  = {{flagcountry|Fascist Italy (1922–1943)}}
 |commander1  = [[James Somerville]]
 |commander2  = [[Inigo Campioni]]
 |strength1   = {{ubl|2 aircraft carriers|1 battlecruiser|2 cruisers|7 destroyers}}
 |strength2   = {{ubl|2 battleships|2 heavy cruisers|16 destroyers}}
 |casualties1 = {{ubl|9 aircraft lost|7 pilots missing|2 {{POW}}}}
 |casualties2 = None
 |campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Mediterranean Naval WW2}}
}}
'''Operation White''' (15–18 November 1940) was a British attempt to deliver fourteen aircraft, twelve [[Hawker Hurricane]] [[Fighter aircraft|fighters]] and two [[Blackburn Skua|Skua]] [[dive bomber]]s, to [[Malta]] from the [[aircraft carrier]] {{HMS|Argus|I49|6}}. White was one of what became known as [[Club Run]]s, that supplied fighters for the defence of Malta.

The operation was thwarted by the presence of the Italian fleet, which prompted the premature dispatch of the fighters; combined with bad weather and some poor navigation, this led to only five aircraft reaching Malta, all but one the other pilots and aircraft being lost at sea.{{sfn|Sturtivant|1982|pp=37, 82}}

An enquiry blamed the Hurricane pilots for lack of familiarity with the constant-speed propeller on the Hurricane Mk II but few people were convinced and Vice-Admiral Sir [[James Somerville]], the commander of [[Force H]] at Gibraltar, confided in his diary that the operation was "a frightful failure" and blamed himself for the tragedy.

==Background==

===Malta===
[[File:Strait of Sicily map.png|thumb|{{center|Map of the Strait of Sicily, showing Malta}}]]
After the entry of Italy in the [[Second World War]] on 10 June 1940, the division of responsibility in the Mediterranean between the French Navy ({{lang|fr|[[Marine Nationale]]}}) in the west and the British in the eastern Mediterranean ended. To compensate for the withdrawal of the French, the [[Admiralty (United Kingdom)|Admiralty]] established [[Force H]] at Gibraltar. The British authorities designed a formal system of aircraft reinforcement to Malta, to assemble an adequate air defence and replace potential losses. Only two routes remained open after the [[Battle of France]], via North Africa, by shuttling the fighters over the [[Sahara]] or via the [[Suez Canal]] to Egypt and by delivering them by aircraft carrier from the western [[Mediterranean]].{{sfn|Shores|Cull|Malizia|1999|pp=43–44}}

===Operation Hurry===

{{main|Operation Hurry}}

Force H ([[Admiral (Royal Navy)|Admiral]] Sir [[James Somerville]]), comprised the fleet carrier {{HMS|Ark Royal|91|6}}, the [[battleship]]s {{HMS|Valiant|1914|6}} and {{HMS|Resolution|09|2}}, the [[cruiser]]s {{HMS|Arethusa|26|6}}, {{HMS|Delhi|D47|2}} and {{HMS|Enterprise|D52|2}} and the destroyers {{HMS|Faulknor|H62|6}}, {{HMS|Forester|H74|2}}, {{HMS|Foresight|H68|2}}, {{HMS|Foxhound|H69|2}}, {{HMS|Fearless|H67|2}}, {{HMS|Escapade||2}}, {{HMS|Active|H14|2}} and {{HMS|Wrestler||2}}. On 2 August, nine [[Fairey Swordfish]] aircraft took off from ''Ark Royal'' to bomb [[Cagliari]] and three to lay mines.{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|2005|p=34}} The first party to conduct a [[Club Run]] was 418 [[Flight (military unit)|Flight]] [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF), comprising RAF pilots transferred from their squadrons and other pilots who had been attached to the [[Fleet Air Arm]] and trained for deck operations.{{sfnm|1a1=Sturtivant|1y=1990|1p=46|2a1=Shores|2a2=Cull|2a3=Malizia|2y=1999|2pp=44–45}} On 2 August 1940, the aircraft took off from {{HMS|Argus|I49|6}} south-west of [[Sardinia]], sailing independently of Force H, with a destroyer escort comprising {{HMS|Encounter|H10|6}}, {{HMS|Gallant|H59|2}}, {{HMS|Greyhound|H05|2}} and {{HMS|Hotspur|H01|2}}.{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|2005|p=34}}

[[File:Aircraft carrier HMS Argus in the later 1920s.jpg|thumb|left|{{centre|{{HMS|Argus|I49|6}}}}]]
When the Italian naval headquarters ({{lang|it|[[Supermarina]]}}) discovered the sailing of Force H, two lines of submarines, [[Italian submarine Scirè (1938)|''Scirè'']], [[Italian submarine Argo (1936)|''Argo'']], {{ship|Italian submarine|Neghelli||2}}, {{ship|Italian submarine|Turchese||2}}, [[Italian submarine Medusa (1931)|''Medusa'']], {{ship|Italian submarine|Axum||2}}, {{ship|Italian submarine|Diaspro||2}} and {{ship|Italian submarine|Luciano Manara||2}} were assembled on 1 August to the north of [[Cap Bougaroûn]] but the move proved abortive, with no sightings by 9 August.{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|2005|p=34}} Three {{lang|it|[[Regia Aeronautica]]}} (Italian Royal Air force) [[Savoia-Marchetti SM.79]] [[medium bomber]]s attacked Force H but Skuas from ''Ark Royal'' shot down one of the SM.79s and drove off the other two. The British fighters reached the airstrip at [[Luqa]] at Malta but two of the aeroplanes crash-landed. The first engagement of the new aircraft took place on the night of 13/14 August, when they shot down another SM.79. By 16 August, 418 Flight and the original Malta units were amalgamated into [[No. 261 Squadron RAF|261 Squadron]].{{sfn|Shores|Cull|Malizia|1999|pp=46–47, 52–53}}
{{clear}}

==Prelude==

===Force H===
[[File:It-map-sardinie.jpg|thumb|{{centre|Map of Sardinia showing Cagliari}}]]
Following the success of Hurry, another mission was planned for November. The aircraft were to be delivered by ''Argus'' again, escorted by Force H from [[Gibraltar]], with the [[battlecruiser]] {{HMS|Renown|1916|6}}, the carrier ''Ark Royal'', the cruisers {{HMS|Despatch|D30|6}} and {{HMS|Sheffield|C24|2}} and the destroyers ''Faulknor'', {{HMS|Fortune|H70|2}}, {{HMS|Fury|H76|2}}, {{HMS|Wishart|D67|2}}, ''Forester'', {{HMS|Firedrake|H79|2}}, {{HMS|Duncan|D99|2}} and ''Foxhound''.{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|2005|p=49}} The convoy departed Gibraltar at dawn on 15 November. Earlier that day, a report was passed to Somerville that the Italian fleet was at sea south of Naples, to confront Force H. He decided to launch the fighters as soon as possible.{{sfn|Woodman|2003|p=92}}{{sfn|Shores|Cull|Malizia|1999|pp=86–88}}

==={{lang|it|Regia Marina}}===

{{main|Regia Marina}}

{{lang|it|Supermarina}}, the Italian naval headquarters, was informed of the operation by its spies in Gibraltar four hours after Force H had sailed.{{sfn|O'Hara|2009|p=65}} Ships of the {{lang|it|Regia Marina}} sailed from [[Naples]] and [[Messina]] commanded by Admiral [[Inigo Campioni]]. By the morning of 17 November, the battleships {{Ship|Italian battleship|Vittorio Veneto||2}} and {{Ship|Italian battleship|Giulio Cesare||2}} which had survived the [[Battle of Taranto]] (11/12 November 1940) the British air attack on Taranto Harbour.{{sfn|Greene|Massignani|2002|p=115}} With two heavy cruisers and several destroyers the battleships lay in wait {{cvt|35|nmi}} south-west of Sardinia.{{sfn|de la Sierra|1976|p=148}}

==Operation==
===First wave===
[[File:HAWKER HURRICANE MKXII.jpg|thumb|{{center|Hawker Hurricane Mk IIA at the National Museum of the United States Air Force}}]]
At dawn on 17 November, the first six Hurricanes were brought on deck.{{sfn|Cull|Galea|2001|p=38}}{{efn|Hurricane ''V7474'', Flight Lieutenant J. A. F. MacLachlan DFC, ''V7346'', Sergeant J. K. Norwell, ''V7370'' Pilot Officer C. E. Hamilton, ''V7413'', Sergeant R. A. Spyer, ''V7548'', Pilot Officer H. W. Eliot, ''V7374'', Sergeant W. G. Cunnington.{{sfn|Cull|Galea|2001|p=38}}}} The navigating Skua (L2882) was crewed by Sub- Lieutenant (A) Nowell, who had flown on Operation Hurry and Sub-Lieutenant (O) P. Gordon-Smith. lt was about {{cvt|400|mi}} to Malta; if flown at optimum speed, revs and altitude, the Hurricanes were expected to reach Malta with 45 minutes' of fuel left. Engine start was at {{nowrap|6:15 a.m.}} and it took 15 minutes to get the seven aircraft airborne and formed up into two sections, which took a third of the safety margin.{{sfn|Cull|Galea|2001|p=38}} Given the correct cruising speed, the Hurricanes would have had 45 minutes' fuel in hand after reaching the Malta coast but they used third of the reserve while scrambling and forming up. The fighters flew at {{cvt|150|mph}} at a height of {{cvt|2000|ft}}, far from the optimum height and speed for the distance to be covered.{{sfn|Woodman|2003|p=93}}

The {{cvt|510|mi}}-range of the [[Hawker Hurricane variants#Hurricane Mk II|Hurricane Mk II]] was achieved at {{cvt|10000|ft}}, not the denser air lower down. The formation unexpectedly encountered a headwind, for which no allowance had been made.{{sfn|Woodman|2003|p=93}} The wind backed from south-west to south-east, hampering the eastward flight of the aircraft. Near the [[Galite Islands]], {{cvt|50|mi}} north of Tunisia and {{cvt|93|mi}} south of Sardinia, the wave made rendezvous with a [[Short Sunderland]] [[flying boat]] which lead the formation to Malta. A Hurricane ran out of fuel at {{nowrap|9:08 a.m.}} {{cvt|45|nmi}} from Malta and another at {{nowrap|9:12 a.m.}} One of the pilots was rescued by the Sunderland but the other was lost at sea. The four remaining Hurricanes and the Skua landed at Luqa at {{nowrap|9:20 a.m.}}{{sfn|Shores|Cull|Malizia|1999|pp=86–88}}

===Second wave===
[[File:Blackburn Skua.jpg|thumb|{{center|Photograph of a Blackburn Skua in flight}}]]
The second flight of Hurricanes followed an hour later, their navigating Skua (L2987) flown by Petty Officer (A) W. E. J. Stockwell and Sub-Lieutenant (O) R. C. Neil.{{sfn|Cull|Galea|2001|p=39}}{{efn|The Hurricanes were flown by Flying Officers R. W. Clarke, E. G. Bidgood, P. W. Horton (New Zealand), J. R. Walker (Canada), and Pilot Officers F. J. Boret and J. M. Horrex.{{sfn|Cull|Galea|2001|p=39}}}} The flight went wrong from the start, the Sunderland escort from Gibraltar failing to take off from Gibraltar. The headwind increased and the flight missed its landfall at Galite Island, failed to rendezvous with a [[Martin Maryland|Maryland]] sent from Malta and became lost.{{sfn|Cull|Galea|2001|p=39}} The Skua navigator radioed for help but his receiver was unserviceable. As the Skua crew searched for land, the Hurricanes dropped out of formation one-by-one and landed in the sea. Just before the Skua ran out of fuel, the crew observed the southern coast of Sicily through the mist. The Skua, {{cvt|75|nmi|mi+km}} off course.{{sfn|Woodman|2003|p=93}} Anti-aircraft fire damaged the Skua, which crash-landed on the beach at Punta Palo on the [[Isola delle Correnti Lighthouse|Isola delle Correnti]], near [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracuse]], Stockwell and Neil being taken prisoner. A Maryland from Malta sent to search for survivors found nothing, the six Hurricane pilots having died in the sea.{{sfn|Cull|Galea|2001|p=39}}

==Aftermath==
===Analysis===

[[File:Battleship Giulio Cesare.jpg|thumb|{{centre|Italian battleship ''Giulio Cesare'', sent to intercept Force H and ''Argus''}}]]
MacLachlan wrote in his diary, "Today has been one of the most tragic in my life. Nine [sic] chaps who were alive and well twelve hours ago are dead, and I might easily have been one of them".{{sfn|Cull|Galea|2001|p=39}} MacLachlan did not know the fate of the missing Skua and its crew. A few days later, he and Sub Lieutenant (O) Gordon-Smith were summoned to attend a [[Court of Inquiry (Royal Navy)|Court of Inquiry]] at Gibraltar, which found that the loss of the aircraft was "mainly due to a lack of knowledge on the part of the Hurricane pilots as to how to fly their aircraft when fitted with constant speed airscrews" and "bad navigation on the part of the observer of the second Skua".{{sfn|Cull|Galea|2001|p=39}} Somerville privately assessed the operation "a frightful failure" and blamed himself.{{sfn|Woodman|2003|p=93}} Somerville wrote on the day after the loss of the aircraft, "I feel now that in spite of the risk of meeting superior Italian surface forces, it would have been better if I had proceeded 40 miles further east ..."{{sfn|Cull|Galea|2001|p=39}}

===Court of Inquiry===
The inquiry blamed the unfamiliarity of the Hurricane pilots with the Hurricane Mk II, with a constant-speed propeller. Poor weather and the use of a navigator in the Skua who was a volunteer reserve officer, on his first operational sortie, which Somerville called "a positive scandal" contributed to the loss of the Hurricanes.{{sfn|Woodman|2003|p=93}} Later it was tacitly acknowledged that there had been inadequate weather forecasting and a lack of liaison between Navy and RAF as to the true range of the Hurricane. The pilots were instructed to fly at {{cvt|2000|ft}} where the air is "heavier" than at the height prescribed in the handling notes available to the Air Operations Officer aboard Argus. A Hurricane Mk II (tropical) in still air, at {{cvt|130|kn}} could fly {{cvt|521|mi}} at {{cvt|10000|ft}}. Caution in the handling of the fleet played a much greater part in the tragedy than aircrew error and the loss of the pilots was made worse because of their experience gained in England. A Skua navigator and some of the Hurricane pilots made mistakes but these were lesser errors than others in the disaster.{{sfn|Cameron|1975|pp=60–61}} The Prime Minister, [[Winston Churchill]], wrote that "Never again were the margins cut so fine, and though many similar operations took place in the future never did such a catastrophe recur".{{sfn|Cull|Galea|2001|p=39}}

The loss of experienced fighter pilots was particularly painful and before later Club Runs, attempts were made to give pilots some practice in long-range flight over the sea.{{sfnm|1a1=Shores|1a2=Cull|1a3=Malizia|1y=1999|1p=88|2a1=Cameron|2y=1975|2p=61}}

The Hurricane pilot on Argus, Sergeant C. S. Bamberger, returned to Gibraltar with the carrier, whence he was taken to Malta by the destroyer ''Hotspur'', disembarking on 28 November.{{sfn|Cull|Galea|2001|p=39}} Bamberger wrote,

{{blockquote|FIight Lieutenant MacLachlan, whom I got to know well in Malta, would not have taken off from the Argus if he had anticipated a flight lasting three hours. On any long-distance flight, particularly if it were over the sea, it would be against the very nature of any fighter pilot not to economise on petrol. To my mind the Navy did not take them close enough.{{sfn|Cull|Galea|2001|p=39}}}}

===Subsequent operations===
Sergeant Pickering wrote of the survivors, "When the reinforcement arrived, partially, the pilots brought in ideas that had evolved in the Battle of Britain. Apart from air tactics, these included the selection of air leaders other than by seniority in rank". Shortly after midnight on the morning of 22 November an Italian bomber emerged from thick cloud and dropped bombs, which caused little damage and no casualties, while escaping from a Hurricane manoeuvring to intercept. As the bomber flew low over Malta, a machine-gunner opened fire, machine-gun belts fell out of the aircraft and were recovered by troops nearby.{{sfn|Cull|Galea|2001|p=40}}

==Orders of battle==

===Force H (escort)===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+Force H{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|2005|p=34}}
|-
! scope="col" width="80px"  |Ship
! scope="col" width="100px" |Flag
! scope="col" width="80px" |Type
! Notes
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Ark Royal|91|2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Aircraft carrier
|align="left"|Attack by [[Fairey Swordfish|Swordfish]] bombers on Alghero airfield, [[Sardinia]] (cancelled){{sfn|Woodman|2003|p=59}}
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Valiant|1914|2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Battleship
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Resolution|09|2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Battleship
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Arethusa|26|2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Cruiser
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Delhi|D47|2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Cruiser
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Enterprise|D52|2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Cruiser
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Faulknor|H62|2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Destroyer
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Forester|H74|2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Destroyer
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Foresight|H68|2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Destroyer
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Foxhound|H69|2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Destroyer
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Fearless|H67|2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Destroyer
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Escapade||2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Destroyer
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Active|H14|2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Destroyer
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Wrestler||2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Destroyer
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Newcastle|C76|2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Cruiser
|align="left"|Independent to Malta, 200 RAF ground crew and spare parts (17–19 November){{sfn|Woodman|2003|pp=93–94}}
|-
|}

===White===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+HMS ''Argus'' and close escorts, data from Rohwer and Hümmelchen (2005) unless indicated{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|2005|p=34}}
|-
! scope="col" width="80px"  |Ship
! scope="col" width="120px" |Flag
! scope="col" width="140px" |Type
! Notes
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Argus|I49|2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Aircraft carrier
|align="left"|12 Hurricane fighter reinforcements for Malta, 2 Skua guides{{sfn|Woodman|2003|p=92}}
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Encounter|H10|2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Destroyer
|align="left"|Close escort
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Gallant|H59|2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Destroyer
|align="left"|Close escort
|-
|align="left"| {{HMS|Greyhound|H05|2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Destroyer
|align="left"|Close escort
|-
|align="left"|{{HMS|Hotspur|H01|2}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}}
|align="left"|Destroyer
|align="left"|Close escort
|-
|}

==={{lang|it|Regia Marina}}===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+Italian surface ships{{sfn|Smith|2011|p=266}}
|-
! scope="col" width="80px"  |Ship
! scope="col" width="120px" |Flag
! scope="col" width="180px" |Type
! Notes
|-
|align="left"|{{Ship|Italian battleship|Vittorio Veneto||2}}
|align="left"|{{flag|Kingdom of Italy|23px}}
|align="left"|{{sclass|Littorio|battleship}}
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{Ship|Italian battleship|Giulio Cesare||2}}
|align="left"|{{flag|Kingdom of Italy|23px}}
|align="left"|{{sclass|Conte di Cavour|battleship}}
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{ship|Italian cruiser|Bolzano||2}}
|align="left"|{{flag|Kingdom of Italy|23px}}
|align="left"|Heavy cruiser
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{ship|Italian cruiser|Trento||2}}
|align="left"|{{flag|Kingdom of Italy|23px}}
|align="left"|{{sclass|Trento|cruiser}}
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{ship|Italian cruiser|Trieste||2}}
|align="left"|{{flag|Kingdom of Italy|23px}}
|align="left"|''Trento''-class cruiser
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"| —
|align="left"|{{flag|Kingdom of Italy|23px}}
|align="left"|Destroyer
|align="left"|14 Destroyer escorts<!--can't find their names yet-->{{sfn|Bragadin|1957|p=49}}
|-
|}

===Italian submarine pickets===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+Italian submarines{{sfn|Rohwer|Hümmelchen|2005|p=34}}
|-
! scope="col" width="80px"  |Ship
! scope="col" width="120px" |Flag
! scope="col" width="140px" |Type
! Notes
|-
|align="left"|[[Italian submarine Scirè (1938)|''Scirè'']]
|align="left"|{{flag|Kingdom of Italy|23px}}
|align="left"|{{sclass|Adua|submarine}}
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|[[Italian submarine Argo (1936)|''Argo'']]
|align="left"|{{flag|Kingdom of Italy|23px}}
|align="left"|{{sclass|Argo|submarine}}
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{ship|Italian submarine|Neghelli||2}}
|align="left"|{{flag|Kingdom of Italy|23px}}
|align="left"|''Adua''-class submarine
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{ship|Italian submarine|Turchese||2}}
|align="left"|{{flag|Kingdom of Italy|23px}}
|align="left"|{{sclass|Perla|submarine}}
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|[[Italian submarine Medusa (1931)|''Medusa'']]
|align="left"|{{flag|Kingdom of Italy|23px}}
|align="left"|{{sclass|Argonauta|submarine}}
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{ship|Italian submarine|Axum||2}}
|align="left"|{{flag|Kingdom of Italy|23px}}
|align="left"|''Adua''-class submarine
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{ship|Italian submarine|Diaspro||2}}
|align="left"|{{flag|Kingdom of Italy|23px}}
|align="left"|''Perla''-class submarine
|align="left"|
|-
|align="left"|{{ship|Italian submarine|Luciano Manara||2}}
|align="left"|{{flag|Kingdom of Italy|23px}}
|align="left"|{{sclass|Bandiera|submarine}}
|align="left"|
|-
|}

==See also==
* [[Operation Collar (convoy)|Operation Collar]]
* [[Battle of Cape Spartivento]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==Footnotes==
{{reflist|20em}}

==References==
* {{cite book |last=Bragadin |first=M. |authorlink=Marcantonio Bragadin (admiral) |editor-last=Fioravanzo |editor-first=G. |translator-last=Hoffman |translator-first=G. |title=The Italian Navy in World War II |year=1957 |orig-year=1948 |publisher=United States Naval Institute |location=Annapolis, Maryland |edition=Eng. trans. |oclc=602717421}}
* {{cite book |last=Cameron |first=Ian |title=Red Duster, White Ensign: The Story of Malta and the Convoys |year=1975 |orig-year=1959 |publisher=Futura |location=London |edition=pbk. repr. |isbn=0-8600-71731}}
* {{cite book |last1=Cull |first1=Brian |last2=Galea |first2=Frederick |title=Hurricanes over Malta June 1940 – April 1942 |year=2001 |publisher=Grub Street |location=London |edition=rev. |isbn=1-902304-91-8}}
* {{cite book |first=Luis |last=de la Sierra |title=La guerra naval en el Mediterráneo 1940–1943 |trans-title=The Naval War in the Mediterranean 1940–1943 |lang=es |publisher=Juventud |location=Barcelona |year=1976 |isbn=84-261-0264-6}}
* {{cite book |last1=Greene |first1=Jack |last2=Massignani |first2=Alessandro |year=2002 |orig-year=1998 |title=The Naval War in the Mediterranean, 1940–1943 |publisher=Chatham |location=Rochester |isbn=978-1-86176-057-9}}
* {{cite book |last=O'Hara |first=Vincent P. |year=2009 |title=Struggle for the Middle Sea: The Great Navies at War in the Mediterranean Theater, 1940–1945 |publisher=Conway |location=London |isbn=978-1-84486-102-6}}
* {{cite book |first1=Jürgen |last1=Rohwer |first2=Gerhard |last2=Hümmelchen |title=Chronology of the War at Sea, 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two |year=2005 |orig-year=1972 |publisher=Chatham Publishing |location=London |edition=3rd rev. |isbn=1-86176-257-7}}
* {{cite book |last1=Shores |first1=Christopher |last2=Cull |first2=Brian |last3=Malizia |first3=Nicola |title=Malta: The Hurricane Years 1940–41 |publisher=Grub Street |location=London |year=1999 |isbn=0-948817-06-2}}
* {{cite book |last=Smith |first=Peter C. |title=Critical Conflict: The Royal Navy's Mediterranean Campaign in 1940 |year=2011 |publisher=Pen & Sword Aviation |location=Barnsley |isbn=978-1-84884-513-8}} First published as ''Action Imminent: Three Studies of the Naval War in the Mediterranean Theatre during 1940'' (1980) William Kimber, London. {{ISBN|978-0-7183-0277-1}}
* {{cite book |last=Sturtivant |first=Ray |year=1982 |title=Fleet Air Arm at War |publisher=Ian Allan |location=London |isbn=978-0-7110-1084-0}}
* {{cite book |last=Sturtivant |first=R. |year=1990 |title=British Naval Aviation: The Fleet Air Arm, 1917–1990 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, MD |isbn=0-87021-026-2}}
* {{cite book |last=Woodman |first=Richard |title=Malta Convoys 1940–1943 |publisher=John Murray |location=London |year=2003 |orig-year=2000 |edition=pbk. repr. |isbn=978-0-7195-6408-6}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Dannreuther |first=Raymond |title=Somerville's Force H: The Royal Navy's Gibraltar-based Fleet, June 1940 to March 1942 |year=2005 |publisher=Aurum Press |location=London |isbn=1-84513-020-0}}
* {{cite book |series=History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series |title=The War at Sea 1939–1945: The Defensive |volume=I |last=Roskill |first=S. W. |author-link=Stephen Roskill |editor-last=Butler |editor-first=J. R. M. |editor-link=James Ramsay Montagu Butler |year=1957 |orig-year=1954 |publisher=HMSO |location=London |edition=4th impr. |url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-RN-I/index.html |access-date=20 September 2021 |oclc=881709135}}

{{World War II}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:White, Operation}}
[[Category:Aerial operations and battles of World War II involving the United Kingdom|White]]
[[Category:Italian naval victories in the battle of the Mediterranean|White]]
[[Category:Malta Convoys|White]]
[[Category:Naval aviation operations and battles]]
[[Category:November 1940 events in Europe]]