Complex sentence: On 17 September, the Mediterranean Fleet began to harass Italian communications, Benghazi harbour was mined and a destroyer and two merchant ships were sunk by torpedo and a destroyer hit a mine at Benghazi and sank.
Split into simpler sentences: On 17 September, the Mediterranean Fleet began to harass Italian communications and Benghazi harbour was mined. A destroyer and two merchant ships were sunk by torpedo, and a destroyer hit a mine at Benghazi and sank.