The strange story of the Blenheims of 82 Squadron.

[sergey]

Originally Posted by Nick Beale

Actually, there's more than that. The few pages I photographed (from Summer 1942) include detailed lists of aircraft movements through Malta, aircraft casualties (with date, type, serial numer and circumstances), honours & awards to personnel, and timetables of the escorts provided to a convoy on 14 and 15 June.

We are talking about the Naples-Tripoli convoy from June 25 to 29, 1941. I drew attention to this story because, despite the categorical order of the Command and the presence of a large number of Blenheims of the 82nd Squadron in Malta, the convoy was not attacked by them either during the sea crossing or during the temporary stop in Taranto on June 26-27.

https://conlapelleappesaaunchiodo.bl...6/esperia.html

Three or four (!) Marylands of 69 Squadron, armed with 500-pound bombs, were used as a strike force. 82's attack on this convoy did not occur until June 30, when 6 Blenheims attacked liners in Tripoli harbor, hitting the Esperia with... 25-pound bombs!

There is no explanation for these events in either the Malta Diaries or the Admiralty Diaries.