Soon after the beginning of Operation Torch, the Allied commanders began to make arrangements to intensify the offensive against the Axis supply route from Italy to Tunis and Bizerta in Tunisia.

On 30 November, once Allied fighter cover could give sufficient protection, Force Q was based at Bône, a port on the north-east Algerian coast, not far from the Tunisian border.

[2] The ships were carrying reinforcements to Africa, which included 1,766 troops, 698 long tons (709 t) of cargo (mainly ammunition), four tanks, 32 other vehicles and twelve artillery pieces.

The escort was commanded by Captain Aldo Cocchia in the destroyer Nicoloso da Recco (flagship) with Camicia Nera and Folgore, together with the torpedo boats Clio and Procione.

At 00:17 Cocchia ordered a turn to west south-west; the convoy should have doglegged 3 nmi (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) to the south, which was close as was prudent to unmarked minefields.

When the British attack began, Procione tangled its paravane and failed to sight Sirius until it had closed to 2,000 yd (0.99 nmi) on the starboard side and opened fire at 00:53.

[9] In 2009, Vincent O'Hara wrote that the battle was a serious Italian defeat, in which a large escort force had failed to prevent the four supply ships from being sunk.

The minor damage inflicted by the Italian ships on their opponents stood in stark contrast, despite the convoy escorts managing to launch so many torpedoes at such close range.

[10] At 16:00 the 14th Destroyer Flotilla, from Force K, comprising HMS Jervis, Javelin, Nubian and Kelvin sailed from Malta, untroubled by Axis aircraft, to attack Convoy C, the merchant ships Veloce and Chisone en route for Tripoli, escorted by the torpedo boats Ardente, Aretusa and Lupo.

Near the Kerkenah Banks, Fairey Albacores of the Fleet Air Arm torpedoed Veloce, which was carrying benzene and caught fire, burning brightly.

Jervis lit up Lupo with a searchlight and opened fire at 2,000 yd (0.99 nmi; 1.1 mi; 1.8 km) surprising the Italian torpedo boat and destroying the bridge.

[11] Convoy "B", a simultaneous Axis shipping move, composed of the Italian freighters Arlesiana, Achille Lauro and Campania and the German Menes and Lisboa, was sailing that night from Naples to Tunis.

After the convoy was overflown by Allied reconnaissance aircraft in the afternoon of 30 November, the escort was reinforced with the destroyers Maestrale, Ascari and Grecale, joined later by the torpedo boat Uragano.