The Secretary of the Admiralty.
‘Be pleased to lay before their Lordships the following narrative of operations carried out by the Mediterranean fleet during the period 28th October to 2nd November, 1940. These operations were briefly reported in my signal timed 2201 of 1 November 1940.
On receipt of the information of the Italian ultimatum to Greece on 28th October, forces at sea were recalled to Alexandria to fuel as reported in my message 0729 of 28 October, and the Rear- Admiral Alexandria, was ordered to prepare to establish a fuel base at Souda Bay.
The officer commanding, Mediterranean was requested to institute the maximum scale of air reconnaissance in the Ionian sea north of latitude 37N and including examination of, Corfu, Argostoli and the western Greek ports. An air reconnaissance of Crete was instituted by the officer commanding, 201 group, Royal Air Force.
A convoy consisting of RFA’s Olna and Brambleleaf and HM ships Fiona and Chakla escorted by Coventry, Calcutta, Protector and the 19th Destroyer Division Wryneck and Fareham left Alexandria for Souda Bay at 1400, 29th October. A reconnaissance party consisting of members of all three services had previously been flown to Souda Bay by flying boat. (HMS Warspite: Source 1I)