Convoy dispersal conceals the northward turn

The Italian battleships and cruisers remained at Taranto on the morning of 11 November, with no apparent increase in patrols or surveillance. Reports showed British warships and convoys dispersing from Malta after the reinforcement passage through the Sicilian Channel. That movement encouraged the belief that the British had completed their immediate objective. At about 6 p.m., Illustrious and supporting ships turned sharply north, and the movement escaped Italian notice as dusk approached.