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With the Port in operation the A Lighters were involved in round the clock working trying to build up the supplies for Auchinleck to advance further.
Rommel retreated to a defensive line running from a place called El Agheila at the border between Cyrenaica and Tripolitania. Rommel was beaten but fate was on his side.
In October,1941 the Germans sent 20 submarines into the Med. After this the Navy experienced some serious setbacks. The Ark Royal and the battleship Barham were sunk. The cruiser Neptune was sunk and the cruisers Aurora and Penelope were badly damaged. Several destroyers were either sunk or damaged. At the Eastern end of the Med Italian frogmen were able to attach limpet mines to the battleships Princess Elizabeth and Valiant which caused significant damage. In December,1941 there was Pearl Harbour and the Prince of Wales and Repulse were sunk.