Shot down during the “Night of Taranto”
Salvage’s operation by the Italians of one of two HMS Illustrious Fairey Swordfish lost during the “Night of Taranto”, the successful attack of the Royal Navy’s torpedo aircraft against the Italian Fleet on the night 11-12 November 1940. The first Swordfish lost was an aircraft of the first wave of the attack, precisely those of Lieutenant Commander K. Williamson, 815 Squadron Squadrons Commanding Officer, shot down by anti-aircraft guns of the battleship Conte di Cavour which had just torpedoed. Williamson and the other member of the crew, NJ Scarlett, was rescued by workers of the Italian Navy’s Arsenal and taken POW. Likely the aircraft of the photo is the Williamson’s Swordfish. The other Swordfish lost was the aircraft piloted by Lieutenant G. W. L. A. Bayly, observer Slaughter, one of the nine planes of the second wave led by Lieutenant Commander J. W. Hale 819 Squadron, was shot down by antiaircraft fire from the cruiser Gorizia while following the attack on battleship Littorio. Both Bayley and Slaughter was killed and only the body of Bayley was recovered. Victor Sierra
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/british-forces/49402/shot-down-during-the-%22night-of-taranto%22