Haydn
2012-05-04 17:48:18 UTC
A minor but interesting instance of the Axis-Soviet partnership prior to
June 1941.
On Italy's entry into the war, the Dodecanese (Aegean Sea islands under
Italian rule) were immediately, and predictably, cut off from homeland
as far as surface navigation was concerned. Very few and isolated ships
would run the blockade and only aircraft and submarines would keep a
tenuous link; the amount of supply shipped was of course limited.
The small Italian air force based on the islands was quite active June
through October, carrying out regular reconnaissance and several bombing
missions on both land and sea targets. However, by October 1940 fuel
supply had dwindled to 900 tons and combat and recon missions had to be
cancelled or considerably cut down.
On October 14th, 1940 a Soviet tanker safely sailing from the Black Sea
to the Pacific across the Aegean pumped 2,000 tons of aircraft fuel into
the Italian tanker Cerere. That load proved vital for keeping the Aegean
air force in active existence until the end of the war with Greece
(April 1941). Air attacks played an important role in repulsing the
British seaborne invasion of the island of Kastellorizo in February 1941
(Operation Abstention).
Haydn
June 1941.
On Italy's entry into the war, the Dodecanese (Aegean Sea islands under
Italian rule) were immediately, and predictably, cut off from homeland
as far as surface navigation was concerned. Very few and isolated ships
would run the blockade and only aircraft and submarines would keep a
tenuous link; the amount of supply shipped was of course limited.
The small Italian air force based on the islands was quite active June
through October, carrying out regular reconnaissance and several bombing
missions on both land and sea targets. However, by October 1940 fuel
supply had dwindled to 900 tons and combat and recon missions had to be
cancelled or considerably cut down.
On October 14th, 1940 a Soviet tanker safely sailing from the Black Sea
to the Pacific across the Aegean pumped 2,000 tons of aircraft fuel into
the Italian tanker Cerere. That load proved vital for keeping the Aegean
air force in active existence until the end of the war with Greece
(April 1941). Air attacks played an important role in repulsing the
British seaborne invasion of the island of Kastellorizo in February 1941
(Operation Abstention).
Haydn