Italian Giulio Cesare warhip in the battle of Punta Stilo. The photo was taken from the battleship Conte di Cavour.
The fight at Punta Stilo (in the British sources the Battle of Calabria), ended in a draw, was the first major clash between the Italian and British fleets.
“Giulio Cesare” warhip was the flagship of the Italian junction of warships. After a seven-minute duel with three English battleships, Giulio Cesare battleship received a 381-mm shell hit in the middle, 115 sailors were killed or injured, a fire broke out on board, the ship’s speed fell sharply. The threat of losing the flagship forced the Italians to quit the battle.
Location: Mediterranean Sea
Date: July 9, 1940