rane an ▁for ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁year , ▁but ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁December , ▁Oak ley ▁struck ▁a ▁sub mer ged ▁w reck ▁at ▁the ▁entrance ▁to ▁Tar anto ▁har bor , ▁seriously ▁dam aging ▁the ▁ship ' s ▁h ull ▁and ▁prop ellers . ▁ ▁Oak ley ▁was ▁under ▁repair ▁at ▁Tar anto ▁until ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁then ▁sa iled ▁to ▁Mal ta ▁where ▁she ▁under w ent ▁a ▁ref it , ▁rejo ining ▁the ▁ 5 9 th ▁Dest roy er ▁Division ▁at ▁Mal ta ▁in ▁June . ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁Oak ley ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁Operation ▁Drag oon , ▁the ▁Al lied ▁In vas ion ▁of ▁Southern ▁France , ▁continu ing ▁to ▁esc ort ▁con vo ys ▁supporting ▁the ▁invasion ▁until ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁when ▁she ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁ 5 9 th ▁Division . ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁Oak ley ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁Operation ▁Mann a , ▁the ▁return ▁of ▁British ▁and ▁the ▁forces ▁of ▁the ▁Greek ▁government - in - ex ile ▁following ▁the ▁German ▁withdraw al ▁from ▁Greece , ▁supporting ▁mines we eping ▁operations ▁and ▁the ▁re - occupation ▁of ▁Ath ens . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁the ▁naval ▁threat ▁in ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁having ▁greatly ▁reduced , ▁Oak ley ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom , ▁joining ▁the ▁ 2 1 st ▁Dest roy er ▁Fl ot illa ▁based ▁at