"Rodney" departed Gibraltar later that day to join her sister in escorting a convoy to Malta in Operation Halberd. During the operation the ship accidentally shot down a Fleet Air Arm Fairey Fulmar fighter and "Nelson" was torpedoed. She was initially able to keep up with the convoy, but had to turn back on 28 September, followed shortly afterwards by "Rodney" and "Prince of Wales". With Nelson forced to return home for repairs, Vice-Admiral James Somerville transferred his flag to "Rodney" on 30 September. The ship's tenure with Force H was brief, with her only mission escorting two carriers flying off fighters for Malta on 16–19 October. On the 30th she was ordered to return home to replace the departing "Prince of Wales" in the Home Fleet in case the battleship attempted to break out into the North Atlantic.