Nubian moved between an incoming air strike and the carrier she was screening. The aircraft attacked the obstructing destroyer, and bomb damage blew off her stern, killed seven sailors, and wounded twelve. With her rudder gone, she reached Alexandria under escort by steering through alternating propeller power. A tow then took her across the Indian Ocean to Bombay for more extensive work. The eighteen-month repair shows both the cost of carrier screening and the effort required to return a badly damaged escort to service.
Notable Point · 19:10-20:40
Taking damage while screening a carrier off Crete
Nubian's severe stern damage off Crete shows the cost of placing a destroyer between an air strike and a carrier.