In 1941, the 8th DF escorted Force H as it covered multiple convoys and aircraft carriers flying off aircraft to Malta. While returning from one of the latter missions, "Forester", "Foresight", "Faulknor", "Fearless" and "Foxhound" sank on 18 June. A month later, "Fearless" was crippled by Italian bombs on 23 July while escorting a convoy to Malta and had to be scuttled by her sister "Foresight" while "Firedrake" was badly damaged by near misses and had to return to Gibraltar for repairs. The ships of the 8th DF mostly returned home between August and October for repairs and refits. "Encounter" was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet in April and spent several months under repair as she was badly damaged by bombs at Malta. The ship was then transferred to the Eastern Fleet in November and arrived at Singapore the following month. "Eclipse", "Echo", and "Electra" were assigned to the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla of the Home Fleet at the beginning of 1941 where they escorted the larger ships of the fleet while they were searching for German commerce raiders and on other missions. "Escapade" began escorting convoys to Russia in August and continued to do so for most of the following year. "Electra" did the same for several months until she was detailed to escort the battleship and the battlecruiser to Singapore in October, together with "Express".