During Operation Vigorous in June, "Hero" formed part of the escort for the covering force of the Mediterranean Fleet for the Malta-bound convoy. At time the ship still had not been fitted for radar. After Panzer Army Africa occupied Mersa Matruh in late June, the Admiralty ordered the submarine tenders and the Greek transferred to Haifa, but "Medway" was torpedoed and sunk en route despite the strong escort. "Hero" and the destroyer rescued 1105 survivors between them. On 17 August, the ship rescued some 1,100 survivors of the torpedoed troopship . In conjunction with four other destroyers and a Wellesley light bomber of the Royal Air Force, "Hero" sank north-east of Port Said on 30 October. The ship was ordered back to the United Kingdom, via the Cape of Good Hope, to be converted to an escort destroyer late in the year.