On 18 August 1942 Captain H. W. U. McCall brought "Dido" to Massawa for major repairs to a bomb-damaged stern. As "Dido" was at that time one-quarter of British surface power in the Eastern Mediterranean it was critical that she be repaired as quickly as possible. The only working drydock in Massawa was not large enough to lift "Dido" entirely so she was partially floated up to clear the stern, leaving the bow low in the water. Six days later "Dido" was undocked to return to battle alongside her three sister ships, "Euryalus", "Cleopatra" and . "Dido" then spent the rest of the year supporting the British campaign in North Africa before being transferred to the Western Mediterranean Fleet in December 1942. "Dido" then performed the duty of anti-aircraft guard at Bone and Algiers until March 1943.