 Ramba uchiverenga ndima iyi - Musi waMay 20, Germany yakatanga kurwisaweKrete nemauto anoburuka nendege. Hondo yeBritain yeMediterranean Fleet yakashandiswa kupikisa chero kusimbiswa kwegungwa kwemauto eGermany, nemapoka matatu e cruisers nevanoparadza Mauto B, C uye D akaiswa kuchamhembe kweKrete kuti avhiringidze makondirakiti ekupinda, nepo simba rehondo nevanoparadza Force A1 rakapa chifukidzo kana Navy yeItaly yakaedza kupindira. Calcutta yakatumirwa ichibva kuAlexandria kunobatana neForce C, ichisangana nayo musi wa 21 May. Force C yakarwiswa neGermany neItaly ndege musi wa 21 May, uye muparadzi wacho akanyudzwa. Musi wa 22 Chivabvu Force C yakabata ngoro yeCaïques yaitakura mauto eGerman kuenda kuHeraklion, ichiperekedzwa ne. Apo konvoyi yakamanikidzwa kudzokera, kurwisa kukuru kwemuchadenga kweGermany kwakakonzera mutungamiriri weForce C, Rear-Admiral King, kuputsa kurwisa. Kurwiswa nendege kwakakuvadza ngarava dzokurwa uye pamberi peC Force C yakabatanazve neCover Force A1. Kurwiswazve kwakaitwa boka racho kwakakuvadza ngarava dzehondo dzeWarspite neValiant ndokunyudza ngarava dzehondo dzeGloucester neDestroyer. Force A1 yakarairwa kuti idzokere kuAlexandria mangwanani e23 Chivabvu kuti itorezve zvombo zvinorwisa ndege. 