<prompt> Qedela lo musho olandelayo: Ngo-Okthoba 1941, uVian wanikezwa umyalo we-15th Cruiser Squadron flag in, ehlezi e-Alexandria. Imisebenzi esemqoka yasolwandle kulesi sigaba somkhankaso waseMedithera kwakuwukuqinisekisa ukusinda kweMalta njengendawo yaseBrithani kanye nesisekelo sezempi ngokuvikela imikhumbi yokuhlinzeka ngenkathi kuvimbela imikhumbi yase-Italy ukuhlinzeka amabutho abo enyakatho ye-Afrika. Imisebenzi yesibili yayihlanganisa ukuhlinzekwa nokusekelwa kwezikhali zempi yama-Allied enyakatho ye-Afrika nakwezinye izindawo, njengokuqhunyiswa ngempumelelo kweDerna ngoDisemba. Umkhumbi wokuqala kaVian wawungoDisemba 1941 futhi waholela  <response>: Impi Yokuqala YaseSirte. Eqinisweni, lokhu kwakuwuchungechunge lwezingxabano phakathi kwemikhumbi yempi yaseBrithani neyase-Italy eyayihambisana nemikhumbi eyayidinga kakhulu izinto zokudla. Ngokuvamile, le mpi ayizange ibe nesiphetho, kodwa zombili izinhlangothi zakwazi ukuletha izimpahla. Kwaba nemikhankaso eminingana yokulekelela ibutho nokuvimbela izinqola zamaNtaliyane. Komunye umsebenzi onjalo, ekuqaleni kukaMashi 1942, umkhumbi kaVian, i-HMS Naiad, washayiswa ngesiphepho futhi wacwiliswa yi. UVian wadlulisela ifulegi lakhe ku-and kamuva ku-. 