from naval-historynet
2nd October - Royal Navy Mediterranean Fleet destroyers “Havock” and “Hasty” sank Italian submarine “BERILLO” off Sollum the border town between Libya and Egypt.
12th/14th October - Attacks on Malta Convoy** - From Alexandria a convoy safely reached Malta covered by the Royal Navy Mediterranean Fleet with four battleships and carriers “Illustrious” and “Eagle”. As the Fleet returned on the 12th October attacks were made by Italian light forces southeast of Sicily. Royal Navy cruiser “Ajax” sank Italian torpedo boats “AIRONE” and “ARIEL” and badly damaged destroyer “ARTIGLIERE” which was finished off by Royal Navy heavy cruiser “York”. Later heading back east, the carriers launched air strikes against Leros island in the Dodecanese.
On the 14th October as the Med Fleet headed for Alexandria, cruiser “Liverpool” was badly damaged by a torpedo hit from Italian aircraft but managed to reach Alexandria and put into dock for repairs.
15th October - On patrol off Calabria, south west Italy in the Ionian Sea, submarine “RAINBOW” was lost in a gun action with the Italian submarine “Enrico Toti”. At about this time “TRIAD” was probably mined off the Gulf of Taranto.
18th October - Air and sea patrols accounted for two Italian submarines to the east of Gibraltar. On the 18th Italian submarine “DURBO” went down to attacks by Royal Navy destroyers “Firedrake” and “Wrestler” working with RAF London flying boats of No 202 Squadron.
20th October - Two days after “Durbo’s” sinking, Gibraltar-based Royal Navy destroyers “Gallant”, “Griffin” and “Hotspur” accounted for Italian submarine the “LAFOLE”.
Balkans - On the 28th, the Italians invaded Greece from points in Albania, but were soon driven back. Fighting continued on Albanian soil until April 1941.
Monthly Loss Summary
2 ships of 3,000 tons