Force K left Malta at 28 knots with Aurora leading Penelope and the destroyers. Moonlight silhouetted the convoy while the British ships remained on the darker side, and radar revealed the distant escort as well as the merchant ships. Agnew reduced speed to 20 knots to steady the gunnery and ordered accuracy to take priority over volume of fire. Once the attack signal had been sent, British radio jamming obstructed the Italian response. The distant escort was about nine miles away, while the British ships closed from roughly 5,000 to 3,000 yards and combined radar guidance with visual information.
Chapter · 5:11:49-5:15:37
Force K's radar ambush of the Duisburg convoy
Moonlight, radar, slower firing speed, and radio jamming prepared Force K's short-range attack.