A Zero dived on "Pirie", strafing the foredeck and the crew of the 12-pounder while the corvette's starboard Oerlikon shot back. The bomber dropped two bombs: "Pirie" turned to port to avoid one, but moved directly under the other. The bomb penetrated the armoured bridge canopy, deflected off the helmsman's station, killed the gunnery officer, then struck the foredeck plating and detonating, where it killed six of the seven men on the main gun. Had it not struck the bridge first, the bomb would likely had penetrated the magazine before detonating and destroying the entire ship.