ABSTRACT
By February, the Western Desert Force had reached El Agheila, an advance of over 500 miles. However, radar reports should have allowed the carrier to fly off fighters already ranged on deck in good time to gain height and deal with the second formation; even a couple of Fulmars would have forced the enemy to scatter. The submarines Rover and Triumph were ordered to patrol off Suda Bay and Milos respectively, the Greek destroyer flotilla was at short notice and British destroyers were ordered either to accompany the C-in-C. Cunningham was particularly anxious to hit back at the Italian bombers that attacked convoys in the Aegean and also the Suez Canal; he also proposed to use it as a motor torpedo boat base. Baillie-Grohman's organization worked smoothly in the main, despite frequent changes of plan, and the discipline of the troops and seamen was for the most part excellent.
