The convoy of 20 March 1942

The plan was to have a convoy sail from Alexandria on 20 March 1942, bound for Malta. The ships in the convoy included the Breconshire, Clan Campbell, Pampas, and the Norwegian Talabot. Their escort consisted of the AA cruiser Carlisle with six destroyers. When Admiral Vian sailed later in the day, he had the cruisers Cleopatra, Dido, and Euryalus. They were screened by four destroyers. Six Hunt class escort destroyers had sailed earlier as an ASW screen. They eventually joined the transports between Crete and Cyrenaica. They had land-based fighter cover for this portion of the voyage. They expected to meet the cruiser Penelope and the destroyer Legion from Malta the next morning. If all went well, the cruisers and fleet destroyers from Alexandria would head there on the 22nd. This is based on the account in Vol.III of the Official History.