Attack on Convoy AN 14

The Attack on Convoy AN 14 was a naval engagement during the Second World War between a British naval force defending a convoy of merchant ships, sailing from Port Said and Alexandria to Piraeus in Greece and two Italian torpedo boats which intercepted them north of the island of Crete on 31 January 1941. The Italian vessels, Lupo and Libra launched two torpedoes each. The torpedoes fired by Libra missed their target but one from Lupo hit the 8,120 GRT British tanker Desmoulea which had to be towed to Suda Bay in Crete and beached; the ship was disabled for the rest of the war. One other merchant ship turned back; the other eight vessels reached Piraeus.

Attack on Convoy AN 14
Part of The Battle of the Mediterranean of the Second World War and the Greco-Italian War

Italian torpedo boat Lupo
Date31 January 1941
Location
The Kasos Strait between Crete and Kasos in the Aegean Sea
35°33′32″N 25°34′14″E
Result Italian victory
Belligerents
 Italy
Commanders and leaders
Francesco Mimbelli Herbert Packer
Units involved
Lupo
Libra
Strength
  • 2 torpedo boats
Casualties and losses
None 1 seaman killed
1 tanker disabled
Site of the attack on Desmoulea
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