▁of ▁ 1 8 / 1 9 ▁December , ▁H ast y ▁esc orted ▁the ▁batt les hips ▁ ▁and ▁. ▁ ▁The ▁ship ▁participated ▁in ▁Operation ▁Ex cess ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁during ▁which ▁she ▁esc orted ▁a ▁con voy ▁and ▁then ▁esc orted ▁the ▁batt les hip ▁ ▁from ▁Sou da ▁Bay , ▁Cre te , ▁to ▁Alexand ria . ▁In ▁late ▁February , ▁the ▁ship ▁ev acu ated ▁British ▁command os ▁from ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁K ast elor izo , ▁off ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁Turkey , ▁in ▁the ▁Italian ▁D ode can ese . ▁The ▁command os ▁had ▁defeated ▁the ▁small ▁g arrison ▁in ▁Operation ▁Ab st ention , ▁but ▁the ▁It ali ans ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁land ▁troops ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁over ▁the ▁next ▁several ▁days ▁and ▁over wh elm ▁the ▁British ▁forces . ▁During ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Cape ▁Mat apan ▁on ▁ 2 8 / 2 9 ▁March , ▁H ast y ▁esc orted ▁the ▁four ▁light ▁cru is ers ▁of ▁Force ▁B , ▁but ▁was ▁not ▁seriously ▁engaged ▁during ▁the ▁battle . ▁On ▁ 1 5 ▁April ▁the ▁ship ▁and ▁the ▁light ▁cru iser ▁ ▁bomb arded ▁Italian ▁positions ▁between ▁B ard ia ▁and ▁Fort ▁Cap uz zo . ▁In ▁mid - A pril ▁she ▁esc orted ▁the ▁fast ▁transport ▁ ▁and ▁three ▁batt les hips ▁from ▁Alexand ria ▁to ▁Mal ta , ▁before ▁going ▁on ▁to ▁esc ort ▁the ▁batt les hips ▁as ▁they ▁bomb arded ▁Tri pol i ▁on ▁ 2