William Agnew's route to Force K combined gunnery experience with commands connected to trade protection. He had commanded the sloop Deptford, the seaplane carrier Pegasus, and the armed merchant cruiser Corfu before taking command from Aurora. That background gave him experience of trade and transit as well as fighting ships. At Malta his formation paired Aurora and Penelope with the destroyers Lance and Lively. His later commands included a cruiser squadron, the gunnery school Excellent, and Vanguard.
Chapter · 4:27:38-4:31:10
William Agnew builds a hunter force at Malta
Captain William Agnew combined two cruisers and two destroyers into a fast Malta-based force for hunting Axis supply traffic.