Nyorai kuenderera mberi kweiyi ndima - 3rd Division yakaperekedza imwe konvo kuenda kuNorth Africa musi wa12<unk>13 Kurume 1941. Mavhiki maviri gare gare, musi wa 27 Kurume, divi - panguva ino raitungamirirwa naRear Admiral Luigi Sansonetti - rakabatanidzwa nemamwe mauto kuti vaende kunoparadza chitsuwa cheKrete. Pana 06:55 musi wa28, IMAM Ro.43 floatplane yakatangwa na "Vittorio Veneto" yakawana chikwata cheBritish cruiser, uye na07:55, "Trento" ne3rd Division vakanga vava mukati mekuona. Maminitsi gumi nemanomwe gare gare, ngarava dzeItaly dzakavhura moto kubva pamwero we, kutanga chikamu chokutanga cheHondo yeCape Matapan
; mumaminitsi makumi mana akatevera, "Trento" yakapfura zvombo zvinosvika 204 zvinoputika zvombo, kunyange zvazvo zvinetso nevanotarira kure uye nzvimbo yakanyanyisa yechiito chakamudzivisa kuwana zvibodzwa zvakakosha.