Operation Substance

Operation Substance
Part of the Battle of the Mediterranean of the Second World War
Cloud of smoke over the Mediterranean Sea from a damaged destroyer, possibly HMS Fearless. In the foreground is the battleship HMS Nelson.
Date 13–28 July 1941 Location Mediterranean Sea Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom  Australia	Italy
Commanders and leaders
James Somerville
Strength
1 aircraft carrier 1 battleship 1 battlecruiser 4 light cruisers 18 destroyers 13 merchant ships	3 torpedo boats 1 submarine 4 MAS boats 9 torpedo bombers 4 medium bombers
Casualties and losses
1 destroyer sunk 1 light cruiser damaged 1 destroyer damaged 2 merchant ships damaged 6 aircraft 35 killed	12 aircraft

Operation Substance was a British naval operation in July 1941 during the Second World War to escort Convoy GM 1, the first of the series from Gibraltar to Malta.^[1] The convoy, escorted by Force H, was attacked by Italian submarines, aircraft and MAS boats (Motoscafo armato silurante, motor torpedo boats).