An item referred to a J.I.C. comment that according to the Germans the Gibraltar-Malta convoy numbered 21 large freighters escorted by 3 battleships, 4 aircraft carriers and numerous cruisers and destroyers. They claimed that except for the HMS Eagle (1) 2 cruisers, 1 destroyer and 10 merchant ships were sunk and 2 aircraft carriers and 1 battleship heavily damaged. The last report was that the HMS Eagle and 5 merchant ships were sunk and 1 aircraft carrier, 2 cruisers and 1 destroyer damaged.
Note
1. Operation Pedestal between 3-15 August was a British initiative to supply the import British naval base Malta. Originally designed as the Almirante Cochrane of the Chilean Almirante Latorre-class of super dreadnoughts. Her building was ordered on 29 July 1912, laid down by Armstrong Whitworth &Company Limited, Newcastle-on-Tyne, England with yard number on 20 February 1913, building suspended caused by the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, redesigning started already for the purchase resulting in a preliminary design dated 8 February 1918 but which was considerable changed, purchased by the Royal British Navy on 28 February 1918, launched on 8 June 1918, converted into an aircraft carrier, transported to High Walker yard to be fitted out on 18 June 1918, conversion suspended when Chile wanted to buy her back after recon version in a battleship on 21 October 1919, this was however regarded the costs refused, commissioned on 20 February 1924, refitted at Portsmouth, England between August 1931-28 November 1932, refitted at Devonport, England in 1936-1937 and sunk by the German submarine U-73 70 nautical miles way from Cape Salinas, Majorca on 11 August 1942. Pennant number 94.
Source
Map Room Papers (Roosevelt Administration), 1942 - 1945. U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary No. 247 dated 14 August 1942.
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