On 15 December, "Breconshire" sailed from Alexandria escorted by three cruisers and eight destroyers under Rear-Admiral Philip Vian in . On 16 December, the four destroyers of 4th Flotilla (Commander G. Stokes in ) left Malta, covered by Force K (Captain W. G. "Bill" Agnew in ), two cruisers and two destroyers. Thirty Italian warships were escorting four cargo ships. The two British groups were also at sea and steaming toward each other; the opposing forces were likely to cross each other's tracks east of Malta on 18 December.