Action of 1 November 1944

Action of 1 November 1944
Part of the Adriatic Campaign of World War II
Rijeka Kraljevica Senj Zadar Šibenik Pula Pag Rab Lošinj Premuda Trstenik Krk Ist Battle site Location map of Action of 1 November 1994
Date 1 November 1944 Location Kvarner Gulf, Adriatic Sea Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Germany
Commanders and leaders
Morgan Giles	Friedrich Thorwest †
Strength
Destroyer Avon Vale Destroyer Wheatland	Destroyer TA20 2 corvettes
Casualties and losses
None	220 killed 7 wounded 90 captured TA20 sunk 2 corvettes sunk

The action of 1 November 1944, also known as the Ambush off Pag Island,^[1] was a naval engagement in the Kvarner Gulf of the Adriatic Sea, between the islands of Pag and Lussino (present-day Lošinj) on 1 November 1944. It was fought between a British Royal Navy destroyer flotilla and a Kriegsmarine force of two corvettes and a destroyer. The German flotilla was deployed to escort a convoy retreating from Šibenik to Fiume (present-day Rijeka). The British managed to destroy all three German ships in return for no loss.

The action caused the death of more than 200 German crewmen. The attacking force rescued 90, and an additional 20 sailors were rescued two days later by German vessels sent to search for survivors. The convoy of 19 landing craft, which was expected to be escorted by the three vessels sunk by the Royal Navy, was not intercepted and it reached its destination by 2 November.