▁or ▁cas ual ties ▁to ▁themselves . ▁ ▁A ▁few ▁days ▁later ▁N ub ian ▁Pet ard ▁and ▁Pal adin ▁from ▁intelligence ▁signals ▁waited ▁for ▁an ▁Italian ▁con voy ▁to ▁cross ▁their ▁path . ▁The ▁Italian ▁ 3 , 5 6 6 ▁ton ▁merchant ▁Camp ob asso ▁had ▁left ▁P ant eller ia ▁island ▁loaded ▁with ▁bomb s , ▁land - min es , ▁motor ▁transport ▁and ▁other ▁vital ▁supplies ▁to ▁the ▁be le ag uer ed ▁A xis ▁force ▁in ▁Tun is ia ; ▁it ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁four ▁con vo ys ▁sent ▁from ▁Italy ▁to ▁Tun is ia . ▁The ▁merchant ▁was ▁then ▁esc orted ▁by ▁the ▁Italian ▁tor ped o ▁boat ▁Per se o ▁soon ▁after ▁departure . ▁ ▁Action ▁On ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁ 3 / 4 ▁May ▁rad ar ▁on ▁the ▁British ▁destroy ers ▁picked ▁up ▁contacts ▁heading ▁towards ▁the ▁Tun is ian ▁coast . ▁The ▁Italian ▁tor ped o ▁boat ▁Per se o , ▁using ▁a ▁Met ox ▁rad ar ▁det ector , ▁picked ▁up ▁the ▁em issions ▁from ▁the ▁British ▁destroy ers ▁and ▁war ned ▁Italian ▁high ▁command ▁that ▁the ▁con voy ▁had ▁been ▁found . ▁ ▁All ▁three ▁British ▁destroy ers ▁at ▁once ▁attacked ▁target ing ▁the ▁Italian ▁merchant man ▁Camp ob asso . ▁H its ▁were ▁scored ▁by ▁ 4 - inch ▁gun ▁and ▁" pom - pom " ▁fire . ▁Camp ob asso ▁was ▁hit ▁numerous ▁times , ▁set ▁al ight ▁and ▁within ▁half ▁an ▁hour ▁trem end ous ▁and ▁continuous