Force H
In Operation Tiger, convoy WS 8 sailed from Gibraltar to Alexandria, combined with a supply run to Malta by six destroyers of Force H. Five merchant ships passed Gibraltar on 6 May accompanied by Force H, along with a battleship and two cruisers en route to Alexandria. The destroyers from Force H participated in the convoy operation as far as Malta then returned. Force H bombarded Benghazi and rendezvoused with the convoy south of Malta late on 9 May. Operation Splice was a Club Run from 19 to 22 May; 48 Hurricanes were flown off "Ark Royal" and on 21 May, all reaching Malta. Slow convoy MW 7B with two tankers sailed from Egypt for Malta with of fuel oil, followed by fast convoy MW 7A with six freighters escorted by five cruisers, three destroyers and two corvettes. "Abdiel" and "Breconshire" sailed with the main fleet and all the ships reached Grand Harbour on 9 May, preceded by a minesweeper, which detonated about twelve mines. In May, the transferred X from Sicily to the Balkans, relieving pressure on Malta until December.