British cruisers and destroyers emerged from the Adriatic side of the Strait of Otranto to attack an escorted Italian merchant convoy from an unexpected direction. A comparable surprise came at the later Battle of Cape Bon, where Royal Navy destroyers approached Italian light cruisers from the shoreward side. Italian forces later answered by striking British ships inside Alexandria harbour. The Anglo-Italian contest repeatedly rewarded attacks that violated the defender's assumptions about where danger could originate.
Notable Point · 30:11-31:25
Unexpected directions in Mediterranean raiding
The Otranto raid, Cape Bon, and the Italian attack on Alexandria show both navies exploiting directions and methods their opponents were least prepared to face.