Flare droppers and a battleship hit at Taranto

Taranto's flare-dropping Swordfish illuminated the harbour from altitude before attacking fuel storage with bombs. Each flare aircraft carried sixteen parachute flares and four bombs, and the first flare ignited as the attacking aircraft reached the harbour entrance. Williamson's torpedo aircraft descended through the defences and released against Conte di Cavour so low that the crew felt the splash when the weapon entered the water. The torpedo hit, but the Swordfish crashed while trying to leave the harbour. Observer Scarlett escaped into the sea and swam to a floating dock under fire, while Williamson struggled out of the cockpit. The crew could not establish whether defensive fire or an accident caused the loss. David Wragg favours the aircraft having been shot down, while Clarke suggests that its movement after torpedo release could have dipped a wing into the water.