The Italian action produces a sharp battle-damage lesson when Russell is lost after a single torpedo hit reaches the magazine. The ship carries 21.4 inches of armor and what the stream describes as good torpedo protection, which makes the loss surprising. Protection on paper does not eliminate the chance that one underwater hit will find a catastrophic path. The loss also explains why an apparently decisive victory leads to concern about British casualties and a fleet-wide rethink.
Notable Point · 2:40:14-2:40:30
A torpedo hit defeats magazine protection
The loss of Russell shows that thick armor and strong torpedo defenses cannot eliminate the risk of a catastrophic magazine hit.