| Conflict: | Operation Grog |
| Partof: | the Battle of the Mediterranean of World War II |
| Date: | February 9, 1941 |
| Place: | Genoa, Italy |
| Result: | British victory |
| Combatant1: |  United Kingdom |
| Commander1: | James Somerville |
| Commander2: | Ferdinando Casardi |
| Strength1: | Royal Navy Force H |
| Strength2: | Anti-aircraft and coastal artillery |
| Casualties1: | 1 Swordfish aircraft |
| Casualties2: | 5 cargo ships sunk 18 damaged (British sources) 1 training ship sunk 2 ships damaged (Italian sources) 14 lighters sunk[1] 144 killed and 242 wounded Severe damage to port[2] |
Operation Grog was the name assigned to the British naval and air bombardment of Genoa and La Spezia on 9 February 1941, by the Royal Navy's Force H, consisting of the battleship, aircraft carrier, battlecruiser, and light cruiser screened by ten fleet destroyers including,,,, and .[3] [4]
The operation was originally scheduled to start on 31 January 1941, but the ships did not leave Gibraltar until 6 February.
Four destroyers carried out an anti-submarine sweep while the heavy ships carried out a feint to deceive Italian and German observers into thinking they were supporting a convoy.[5]
Genoa harbour was bombarded on 9 February 1941, with the force sinking four cargo ships and damaging 18.[5] A majority of Italian sources only reported heavy damage to the merchant ships Salpi and Garibaldi and the sinking of the old civilian training ship Garaventa.[6] [7] Author Ermingo Bagnasco also reports the loss of 14 lighters and the motorsailer Antonietta Madre.[1] According to the official files of the Italian Navy (Marina Militare), the Antonietta Madre was sunk during the Allied aerial bombing of Genoa on 23 October 1942.[8]
A salvo from HMS Malaya landed between 50yd200yd short of the Italian battleship, undergoing repairs in dry dock north of Molo Giano (Giano Pier); no damage was reported on Duilio.[2] A targeting error by a gunnery officer on board HMS Malaya some 13nmi offshore caused an armour-piercing round to hit Genoa Cathedral; the shell failed to explode and remains on display there.[9] There were 144 civilian dead and 272 wounded at Genoa as result of the shelling.[2]
Ark Royals aircraft attacked Livorno and mined La Spezia.[5]
An attempt by the Italian fleet to intercept the British force failed, and all ships returned to Gibraltar on 11 February 1941.[5]