Atlas of Battles

naval engagement, notable, interwar and Second World War

Second Battle of Sirte

Second Battle of Sirte was a naval engagement fought on 22 March 1942 at Gulf of Sidra. It was part of the Mediterranean and Middle East Theater of World War II, which ran from 1940 to 1945. The recorded result: See Analysis.

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IWM caption : ROYAL NAVY CONVOY FROM ALEXANDRIA TO MALTA MEETS AND ENGAGES ITALIAN WARSHIPS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. HMS CLEOPATRA throws out smoke to shield the convoy as HMS EURYALUS elevates her forwa
IWM caption : ROYAL NAVY CONVOY FROM ALEXANDRIA TO MALTA MEETS AND ENGAGES ITALIAN WARSHIPS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. HMS CLEOPATRA throws out smoke to shield the convoy as HMS EURYALUS elevates her forwa. Zimmerman, E A (Lt), Royal Navy official photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought22 March 1942
WhereGulf of Sidra34.000N, 17.500E
OutcomeSee Analysis
BelligerentsBritish EmpireagainstFascist Italy (1922-1943)
Part ofMediterranean and Middle East Theater of World War II1940 to 1945

Where it sits in the Mediterranean and Middle East Theater of World War II

Battle of the Espero Convoy, 1940Battle of Cape Spada, 1940Battle of Cape Passero, 1940Battle of Sidi Barrani, 1940Siege of Giarabub, 1940Battle of Kufra, 1941Operation Sonnenblume, 1941Battle of Cape Matapan, 1941Siege of Tobruk, 1941Battle of the Tarigo Convoy, 1941Battle of the Duisburg Convoy, 1941Battle of Cape Bon, 1941First Battle of Sirte, 1941Raid on Alexandria, 1941Second Battle of Sirte, 1942Battle of Gazala, 1942Battle of Bir Hakeim, 1942Axis capture of Tobruk, 1942Battle of Mersa Matruh, 1942Battle of Alam el Halfa, 1942Battle of Skerki Bank, 1942Battle of the Gulf of Gabes, 1943Battle of the Cigno Convoy, 1943Battle of Enfidaville, 1943Battle of the Campobasso Convoy, 1943Battle of Rhodes, 1943Battle of Leros, 1943Battle of Kos, 1943Action of 1 November 1944, 1944Battle of Ist, 1944Raid on Santorini, 1944Battle of Port Cros, 1944Battle of La Ciotat, 1944Battle of the Ligurian Sea, 194519401945Second Battle of Sirte, 1942
34 placed engagements of the Mediterranean and Middle East Theater of World War II in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date22 March 1942
PlaceGulf of Sidra
34.000N, 17.500E
KindNaval engagement, interwar and Second World War
Strength4 light cruisers; 1 anti-aircraft cruiser; 18 destroyers; 1 submarine1 battleship; 2 heavy cruisers; 1 light cruiser; 10 destroyers; 1 submarine
Casualties and losses39 killed; 3 light cruisers damaged; 2 destroyers disabled; 3 destroyers damagedNo casualties; 1 battleship slightly damaged
Commanders
  • Philip Vian
Second Battle of SirteSecond Battle of SirteFirst Battle of SirteFirst Battle of Sirte100 km34.000N, 17.500E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1942

Second Battle of Sirte is one of 2,997 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q243709, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Second Battle of Sirte, revision 1370736603, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.