Composition at:
The Battle of Cape Matapan 27th-29th March 1941.
Note: Specifications are incomplete in some cases.
Battleships
- HMS Warspite - 30,600 tons, 24 knots, eight 15-inch and eight
6-inch guns. Flagship of the C-in-C Mediterranean Fleet, Admiral Sir A.B.
Cunningham. Captain D.B.Fisher.
- HMS Barham - 30,600 tons, 24 knots, eight 15-inch, twelve 6-inch,
eight 4-inch AA guns. Two 21-inch Torpedo Tubes. Flagship of Rear-Admiral 1st
Battle Squadron, Rear-Admiral H.B.Rawlings. Captain G.C.Cooke.
- HMS Valiant - 31,250 tons, 24 knots, eight 15-inch and twenty
4.5-inch guns. Captain C.E.Morgan.
Aircraft Carriers
- HMS Formidable - 23,000 tons, 30.5 knots, sixteen 4.5-inch guns.
Flagship Rear-Admiral(Air), Rear-Admiral D.W.Boyd. Captain A.W. La T. Bisset.
Cruisers
- HMS Orion - 7,215 tons, 32.5 knots, eight 6-inch guns. Flagship of
Vice-Admiral Light Forces (VALF), Vice-Admiral H.D.Pridham-Whippell. Captain
G.R.B.Back.
- HMS Ajax - 6,985 tons, 32.5 knots, eight 6-inch guns. Captain
E.D.B.McCarthy.

- HMAS Perth - 7,165 tons, 32.5 knots, eight 6-inch guns. Captain Sir
P.W.Bowyer-Smyth
.
- HMS Gloucester - 9,100 tons, 32.3 knots, twelve 6-inch, eight 4-in
AA, 20mm AA, guns. Six 21-inch Torpedo Tubes. Captain H.A.Rowley.
Destroyers
14th Destroyer Flotilla
- HMS Jervis - 1,760 tons, 36 knots, six 4.7-inch, one 4-inch HA
guns. Ten 21-inch TT. Captain P.J.Mack.
- HMS Janus - 1,690 tons, 36 knots, six 4.7-inch, one 4-inch HA guns.
Ten 21-inch TT. Lieutenant L.R.P. Lawford.
- HMS Mohawk - 1,960 tons, 36.5 knots, eight 4.7-inch guns. Four
21-inch TT. Commander J.W.M. Eaton.
- HMS Nubian - 1,960 tons, 36.5 knots, eight 4.7-inch guns. Four
21-inch TT. Commander R.W. Ravenhill.
10th Destroyer Flotilla
- HMAS Stuart - 1,530 tons, 36.5 knots, five 4.7-inch guns. Six
21-inch TT. Captain H.M.L. Waller, RAN.
- HMS Greyhound - 1,350 tons, 35.5 knots, four 4.7-inch guns. Eight
21-inch TT. Commander W.R.Marshall-A'Deane.
- HMS Griffin - 1,350 tons, 35.5 knots, four 4.7-inch guns. Eight
21-inch TT. Lieutenant-Commander J.Lee-Barber.
2nd Destroyer Flotilla
- HMS Ilex - 1,370 tons, 36 knots, four 4.7-inch guns. Captain
H.St.L.Nicholson.
- HMS Hasty - 1,340 tons, 35.5 knots, four 4.7-inch guns. Eight
21-inch TT. Lieutenant-Commander L.R.K. Tyrwhitt.
- HMS Hereward - 1,340 tons, 35.5 knots, four 4.7-inch guns. Eight
21-inch TT. Lieutenant T.F.P.U. Page.
- HMS Havock - 1,340 tons, 35.5 knots, four 4.7-inch guns. Eight
21-inch TT. Lieutenant G.R.G. Watkins.
- HMS Hotspur - 1,340 tons, 35.5 knots, four 4.7-inch guns. Eight
21-inch TT. Lieutenant-Commander C.P.F. Brown.
HMAS Vendetta had to return to Alexandria, Egypt with engine
trouble during the engagement off Gavdo Island.
Top
of this page.