page_title: Malta convoys
section_title: Operation Excess
hierarchical_section_title: Malta convoys / 1941 / January / Operation Excess
caption_attribution_description: English: Savoia Marchetti SM 79 during an attack on a convoy bound for Malta during the Second World War.
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: Operation Excess delivered one ship from Gibraltar to Malta and three to Piraeus. The operation was coordinated with Operation MC 4, consisting of convoy MW ​5 ¹⁄₂ with Breconshire and Clan Macaulay from Alexandria to Malta, ME 6, a return journey of ME ​5 ¹⁄₂ with Lanarkshire and Waiwera and ME 6, with Volo, Rodi, Pontfield, Devis, Hoegh Hood, Trocas and RFA Plumleaf. The convoys arrived safely with 10,000 short tons (9,072 t) of supplies. The cruiser HMS Southampton was sunk, the cruiser HMS Gloucester and aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious were badly damaged and a destroyer was damaged beyond repair. Excess was the first occasion that the Luftwaffe participated in an anti-convoy operation; the Italian torpedo boat Vega was sunk during the operations.
caption: An Italian Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 during an attack
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