23 Jun, 1940
The Italian submarine Torricelli was forced to the surface and sunk off Perim in gun-battle by the British destroyers HMS Kandahar, HMS Kingston, HMS Khartoum and the British sloop HMS Shoreham.

Khartoum and Shoreham were hit by shells from the Torricelli. Khartoum was destroyed by fire a few hours after the battle.

19 Dec, 1941
While on their way to intercept an Italian convoy bound for Tripoli the British Force K (light cruisers HMS Neptune, HMS Aurora, HMS Penelope and the destroyers HMS Kandaha, HMS Lance, HMS Lively and HMS Havock) ran into an newly laid Italian minefield. HMS Neptune and HMS Kandaha sank while HMS Aurora was badly and HMS Penelope was lightly damaged. HMS Aurora was patched up at Malta before returning home for repairs at Liverpool from April to June 1942. HMS Penelope was repaired at Malta but was bombed on 26 March 1942 while still under repair. She left Malta on 8 April 1942 for full repairs at the New York Navy Yard in the USA. These repairs were completed in September 1942.