-3-


5.  Enemy Opposition:

    Hydrophones or other detection devices gave warning
    of the approach of the British aircraft for fire was
    opened at the outer edge of the Bay before the planes
    were over the AA guns.  The firing dwindled slightly
    from the outer Bay to the inner harbor where it then
    became intense and close.

    The AA problem was a difficult one for the Italians to
    solve for the attacking aircraft came in from approxi-
    mately twelve different bearings, most of them consid-
    erably separated from each other.  The Italians did
    not use searchlights.

    The Italians used colored tracers - red, white, blue
    and green.

    Of the two planes that returned, one had a two-pounder
    hole in one wing and the other had a small nick in the
    end of one wing.

    Of the two missing planes, one was picked up on the RDF
    screen.  It approached within 25 miles of the ship and
    then went off to the coast of Greece to obtain a land-
    fall, then headed again for the ship and came within 
    30 miles, then headed back for the Greek coast and was
    lost on the screen.  The other plane apparently was shot
    down or had a forced landing and the crew are prisoners
    in Italy.

6.  Carrier Night Operations:

    There was a string of neon lights amidships on the fore-
    castle and a line of lights port and starboard to aid
    in taking off.

    Red obstruction lights marked the superstructure.

    Flame floats with delay action were dropped astern for
    aid to returning flyers.

    Neon batons were used by the officer controlling the
    landings.

    Green and red arrow directing batons were used for
    directing and spotting the planes around the deck.

    Each plane had a light on its undercarriage by the
    arrester and turned on its running lights just before
    landing. 

    Each side of the stern was lighted by a green and red
    shaded light.

    The carrier blinked the letters P and S from the port
    and starboard sides of the ship as an aid to returning
    pilots.

                                              7.  Lessons