 Following Italy 's entry into the war on 10 June 1940 , Waller was involved in the search for minefields off the North African coast . A keen shooter , he personally blew up floating mines using a rifle and armour @-@ piercing bullets . On 21 June , Stuart shelled the Italian @-@ held town of Bardia . The next month , his 10th Destroyer Flotilla participated in the Battle of Calabria . Waller 's ships carried out bombardments on Fort Capuzzo on 17 August and an Italian seaplane base in the Gulf of Bomba one week later . In September , he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order ( DSO ) for " courage , enterprise , and devotion to duty on recent engagements " — in particular , his pinpointing of enemy minefields . The same month , he transferred to HMAS Vampire while Stuart went in for refit . As the Allied armies began to counterattack Italian forces in December 1940 , the Commander @-@ in @-@ Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet , Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham , gave Waller command of the newly formed Inshore Squadron , comprising destroyers , minesweepers , and auxiliaries . In his role as Cunningham 's Senior Officer Afloat , Waller took charge of naval support for the attack on Bardia , which fell to the Allies on 5 January 1941 . Shortly afterwards , he handed over command of the Inshore Squadron and transferred back aboard Stuart . 
