to be joined by and from Souda Bay. Force F was to cover Convoy MC 4 with , , , and carrying four hundred soldiers and airmen to Malta. Force H was to protect Convoy MC 4 from Gibraltar to the Skerki Banks with , , , , , , , and ferrying six Fairey Swordfish for Malta. Axis Five hundred anti-shipping aircraft of Fliegerkorps X were being transferred from Norway to Sicily to protect Axis convoys to North Africa and prevent passage of British convoys to Malta. Battle 6 January 1941 Convoy MC 4 left Gibraltar, feinting toward the Atlantic, before turning toward Malta after dark, to mislead Axis agents near Gibraltar. 7 January Force H sailed from Gibraltar to cover convoy MC 4. Force A, Force D and convoy MW 5 with Force C sailed from Alexandria and Force B sailed from the Aegean toward Malta. Force A was located by Italian air reconnaissance that afternoon. 8 January Force B landed its passengers in Malta and proceeded west to meet convoy MC 4. Vickers Wellington bombers raided Naples damaging Giulio Cesare with three near misses and causing the only operational Italian battleship Vittorio Veneto to retreat from the approaching convoys. 9 January Force A was joined by Force D and south-east of Malta, Force B joined convoy MC 4; Convoy MC 4 and Force H were discovered by Italian aircraft and attacked by ten SM.79s from Sardinia. Two SM.79s were shot down by Fairey Fulmars from Ark Royal and a later attack by 15 Fiat CR.42 Falcos carrying bombs also failed. Force H left convoy MC 4 that afternoon after Ark Royal launched six Swordfish for the defence of Malta; Force A joined convoy MC 4 at dusk. 10 January Italian ships from La Spezia failed to find Force H. The and torpedo boats Circe and (under the command of Commander Giuseppe Fontana) launched torpedoes against convoy MC 4 but missed. Bonaventure and Hereward sank Vega south of Pantellaria at 08:30 and Circe escaped undamaged. Bonaventure was slightly damaged and two men killed; 75 per cent of her ammunition was expended in the engagement. Two of Vega crew survived. Right after the engagement, which pushed the British convoy too far south of their route, Gallant struck a naval mine at 08:35. The bow was destroyed and 65 men were killed. Mohawk took Gallant in tow toward Malta while