WORLD HISTORY AND FACTS

Mediterranean campaign was the provision of naval gunfire support Among the many contributions that British and Allied maritime power played in supporting Allied ground operations during World War II’s Mediterranean campaign was the provision of naval gunfire support.  On literally thousands of occasions throughout the war British and Allied warships ranging from battleships to monitors and gunboats to minor auxiliary craft, carried out bombardments or answered calls for fire in support of their army brethren.  Firing many tens of thousands of large-calibre shells, this proved to be a significant force multiplier for the Allied ground forces as time and again this naval cannonade reduced Axis fortifications, weakened their defences, repulsed counter-attacks and debilitated the enemy’s willingness and ability to resist.  This, in turn, saved thousands of Allied casualties and proved to be a decisive factor on numerous occasions. While British warships occasionally travelled deep into en