In April 1941 Germany and Italy invaded Yugoslavia and Greece. After 10 days of fierce fighting the British Empire started to plan the evacuation of 60,000 British, Australian and New Zealand troops from Greece. "Khedive Ismail" was one of several troop ships that joined Convoy AG 14, which left Alexandria on 24 April and reached Greek waters two days later. She and a larger troop ship from AG 14, Koninklijke Rotterdamsche Lloyd's , were sent to evacuate troops from Nauplia in the Argolic Gulf in the eastern Peloponnese. "Luftwaffe" aircraft attacked the convoy "en route" to Nauplia, damaging "Slamat" and wounding several people aboard "Khedive Ismail".