Operation C (vi)

'C' (vi) was the designation of an Italian convoy operation from Naples in Italy to Tripoli in Italy’s North African colony of Libya (early December 1942).

The convoy comprised the transport vessels Chisone and Veloce as well as the 3,006-ton tanker Devoli escorted by the torpedo boats Ardente, Aretusa, Lupo and Sagittario. On 2 December the 5,451-ton Veloce was sunk by an air-launched torpedo near the Kerkennah islands, and during the ensuing rescue of the survivors the torpedo boat Lupo was sunk in a short surface engagement by Captain W. G. Agnew’s Malta-based Force 'K' (destroyers Jervis, Javelin, Janus and Kelvin). The 6,168-ton transport Chisone and torpedo boat Aretusa reached Tripoli as Ardente rescued the survivors of Lupo and Veloce.