Extract from a magazine article series called "Yesterday's Navy" by Bill Johnson

In November 1942 ARETHUSA was part of the escort of the Stoneage convoy to Malta. Four merchant ships were escorted by the 15th Cruiser Squadron and seven destroyers. The convoy (MW13) sailed from Port Said to Alexandria on 15th and the next day at dusk the EURYALUS and eight destroyers joined the escort. At 1330 the 15th Cruiser Squadron (CLEOPATRA, DIDO, ORION and ARETHUSA) sailed with the 12th and 14th Destroyer Flotillas from Alexandria and by daylight the next morning they overtook the convoy and joined the escort. Air attacks by six JU88s took place at 1110. There was no damage to the convoy and one aircraft was seen to crash. At 1620 twenty six JU52s with two fighters passed, ahead of the convoy, and forty minutes later, at sunset, the Cruiser Squadron and fleet destroyers detached to the north to cover the convoy.

There was a force 5 wind from the WNW and the moon was frequently hidden by low cloud and occasional rain. At 1805 they were attacked by three torpedo bombers and the second aircraft torpedoed the ARETHUSA. The torpedo hit on the port side abreast B turret with a track angle of red 170 as the ship was turning to starboard. The explosion from the 400-470 pound warhead blew a hole 53 ft long by 35 ft high in the side, and also the explosion went up through four decks. Oil fuel was sprayed over the outside of the ship and also inside up through the bridge structure and severe fires started immediately. She was flooded from bulkheads 20 to 61 and lost communications throughout the ship. She quickly trimmed by the head and took a list of 15 degrees to port.

By daylight the next morning the fires had been brought under control after a major effort. ARETHUSA headed eastwards towards Alexandria at 12 knots escorted by the destroyer PETARD. ARETHUSA was steering using her mechanical wheel. with the quartermaster using a boat's compass and communications from the after magnetic compass platform was by a chain of men. There were several air attacks during the day which were driven off. However. the damaged section of the hull was buckling and speed was reduced and the next day the PETARD took her in tow stern first. ARETHUSA helped with her main engines, but after four hours one started to overheat and the shaft had to be locked. By midnight she was off Alexandria and during the transfer of the tow she became unmanageable and drifted onto the Outer Buoy. She was in danger of drifting onto a lee shore and had to use her engines and rudder, which were half out of the water and helped by four tugs she kept to seaward. Finally at 1630 the RESPOND took her in tow, with BRIGAN controlling her head and she entered harbour.

She had lost one officer and 155 men and had one officer (the Captain - who was badly burnt) and 42 men injured. She had had to travel 450 miles to Alexandria, the last 52 which had taken 11 hours and been made under tow in heavy weather. It had been a long and gallant struggle. She was the last serious casualty to the 15th Cruiser Squadron in their long struggle in the Eastern Mediterranean and when all four ships of the Stoneage convoy reached Malta the island' siege was relieved.