On 9 September Italy began to invade Egypt. Its forces' success was limited, but on 24 September "Andes", the two "Empresses", "Franconia", "Otranto" and "Strathaird" left Suez in the lightly-escorted Convoy SW 1 carrying civilian evacuees. This reached Durban on 8 October, whence "Andes" continued unescorted via Cape Town, reaching Liverpool in late October, where she remained in port for three weeks.