Nyora kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - "Regia Marina" neRoyal Navy vakabatanidzwa mukurwisana kwamakore maviri nehafu nokuda kwokutonga kweMediterranean. Chinangwa chikuru che "Regia Marina" chaiva chokutsigira mauto eAxis kuNorth Africa uku achivhiringidza nzira yokuendesa zvinhu kuAlexandria uye kudimbura zvinhu kuMalta. Basa guru reRoyal Navy raiva rokuramba richigovera masimba ehondo nevanhu veMalta, uye rechipiri kurambidza kutumira kwezvikepe kuNorth Africa. Chiito chokutanga chikuru chakaitika musi wa 11 November 1940 apo ngarava yokuBritain yakatanga mafungu maviri e"Swordfish" torpedo-bhomba mukushamiswa kwechikwata cheItaly chakasungirirwa pachiteshi chengarava cheTaranto. Kurwisa kwacho hakuna kucherechedzwa, uye ngarava nhatu dzehondo dzakanyudzwa. Kumwe kukundwa kukuru kwakaitirwa "Regia Marina" paCape Matapan
, apo Royal Navy neRoyal Australian Navy vakagumburisa ndokuparadza ngarava nhatu dzinorema (, uye; dzose dzomukirasi imwe chete) uye mbiri dzeS mukubata usiku, nokurasikirwa kwevanopfuura vafambisi vengarava ve2,300. VaAllies vaiva neUltra intercepts, iyo yakafumura kufamba kwevaItaly, uye radar, iyo yakavabvumira kuwana ngarava nokuwana zvombo zvavo zviri kure uye usiku. Unyanzvi hwakanaka hwekuongorora mhepo yeRoyal Navy's Fleet Air Arm uye kubatana kwavo kwakasimba nemapoka epamusoro aiva zvimwe zvikonzero zvikuru zvekuparara kweItaly.