 On the days before and after, the submarines were to patrol areas that the Italian fleet was likely to be found.Operation Harpoon, the Operation Julius convoy eastbound from Gibraltar began on 4 June, with the departure from Scotland of five merchant ships as convoy WS19z.It had been being given out that the ships were bound for Malta via the Cape but the deception was exposed when "Troilus" was ordered to assume a short voyage; the naval liaison officer, five signals staff and Navy gunners on board each merchant ship also left little to the imagination.