At 16.37 hours on 13 Nov 1941, U-81 fired a spread of four torpedoes at HMS Malaya (01) in the Force H and heard two detonations after 6 minutes 6 seconds and 7 minutes 43 seconds. In fact one torpedo hit HMS Ark Royal (91) (Capt L.E.H. Maund, CBE, RN) amidships, which sank under tow by the tugs HMS Thames and HMS St. Day (W 55) with almost all of her aircraft about 30 miles east of Gibraltar at 08.13 hours on 14 November. One rating was lost. The crew had been evacuated 13 hours after the torpedo hit by HMS Legion (G 74) (Cdr R.F. Jessel, RN) and taken to Gibraltar.

The carrier was returning from Operation Perpetual. On 10 November, she had left Gibraltar together with HMS Argus (D 49) (Capt G.T. Philip, DSC, RN) to ferry 37 Hurricane fighters to Malta under escort by the Force H, formed by HMS Malaya (01) (Capt C. Coppinger, DSC, RN), HMS Hermione (74) (Capt G.N. Oliver, RN) and seven destroyers. Two days later they had launched the fighters and turned back to Gibraltar.