Dark hills surrounded roughly two-thirds of the harbour, while the moon appeared through seven-tenths cloud. Ships were difficult to distinguish against that background from aircraft flying near the water. As the flares descended, they silhouetted the battleships more clearly, and firing also revealed targets. Trieste, Bolzano and Trento stopped firing after recognising how effectively the surrounding gloom concealed them. The Swordfish crews then concentrated on targets nearer the shoreline, where glistening water contrasted with dark land and made destroyers and the seaplane base easier to locate.
Notable Point · 54:32-57:23
Darkened cruisers disappear against Taranto's hills
Falling flares and gunfire helped pilots locate ships, while cruisers that stopped firing could disappear into the dark harbour.