history · 13 February 1942 · 82 years ago
Italian torpedo boat Circe attacked British submarine HMS Tempest on the surface in the Gulf of Taranto in southern Italy at 0300 hours. Tempest surfaced at 0900 hours after sustaining damage to the battery (which released poisonous chlorine gas) and was abandoned. 39 were killed in the attack; 24 survived and were taken prisoner. Circe attempted to tow Tempest back to port, but the submarine sank en route.