タラント空襲
The battle occurred when an Allied squadron entered the Adriatic Sea looking for Italian naval targets. Although they did not know it at the time the squadron's real purpose was to help draw enemy attention from a major action against the main Italian fleet base at Taranto (Battle of Taranto). The Allied squadron was commanded by Vice Admiral Henry Pridham-Whippel in the light cruiser , and included the light cruisers and and the destroyers and .