SIX DREADFUL MONTHS The Royal Navy’s wartime low point from 1941 to 1942

During World War II the Royal Navy, together with its Commonwealth allies, fought one of the most arduous campaigns in its history. Over 50,000 sailors and hundreds of ships of all shapes and sizes were lost, before victory could be declared after six years of battle. Among the materiel casualties were nearly 40 major warships: battleships and battlecruisers, aircraft carriers, and heavy and light cruisers. Altogether, these ships formed a large part of the navy’s total fighting strength.

One fact that is not commonly appreciated is that these losses were not evenly distributed throughout the conflict. From the middle of November 1941 the Royal Navy suffered a series of setbacks that saw it reach the nadir of its fortunes in World War II. In the six months and a day between 14 November 1941 and 15 May 1942, no fewer than 17 major warships were lost to enemy action. This article reviews those six dreadful months.