page_title: Malta convoys
section_title: Operation Hats
hierarchical_section_title: Malta convoys / 1940 / September / Operation Hats
caption_attribution_description: Română: Prelucrare 3D pentru La Valletta Harbour.
context_page_description: The Malta convoys were Allied supply convoys of the Second World War. The convoys took place during the Siege of Malta in the Mediterranean Theatre. Malta was a base from which British sea and air forces could attack ships carrying supplies from Europe to Italian Libya. Britain fought the Western Desert Campaign against Axis armies in North Africa to keep the Suez Canal and to control Middle Eastern oil. The strategic value of Malta was so great the British risked many merchant vessels and warships to supply the island and the Axis made determined efforts to neutralise the island as an offensive base.
  The civilian population and the garrison required imports of food, medical supplies, fuel and equipment; the military forces on the island needed reinforcements, ammunition and spare parts. British convoys were escorted to Malta by ships of the Mediterranean Fleet, Force H and aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force, during the Battle of the Mediterranean. British and Allied ships were attacked by the Italian Regia Aeronautica and Regia Marina in 1940 and from 1941, by the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine.
context_section_description: The Mediterranean Fleet in Alexandria escorted fast convoy MF 2 of three transports (carrying 40,000 short tons (36,000 t) of supplies, including reinforcements and ammunition for the island's anti-aircraft defences), and met at Malta another convoy from Gibraltar. En route, Italian airbases were raided; the Regia Marina had superior forces at sea but missed the opportunity to exploit their advantage.
caption: La Valletta Harbour
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