Operation Meridian

An oil refinery at Palembang on fire after being attacked by the Royal Nav

The World War 2 attacks

The attacks were made by aircraft from the British Task Force 63, an route to Sydney, Australia, where it translated into the British Pacific Fleet and subsequently participated in the support of the Allied invasion of Okinawa Prefecture Okinawa (Battle of Okinawa Operation Iceberg). Refueling at sea was needed and this was supplied by Task Force 69 of the British Eastern Fleet, three escorted tankers.

Task Force 63 left Trinco alee in Ceylon on 13 January 1945, for Sumatra. On 20 January, Task Force 63 rendezvoused with Task Force 69 and refueled with great difficulty because of gusting winds and a troublesome swell. The oilers complained of much pumping gear being damaged.Template:Citation needed date=April 2015

The first attack Operation Meridian One, an air strike on the oil refinery at Plaatje, north of Palembang, Sumatra was delayed by poor weather from 21 January and the fleet waited off Engine Island. The attack was finally launched at 6am on 24 January with a lack of wind making take-off more risky.

Forty-three Grumman TBF Avenger Grumman Avenger torpedo bombers, twelve Fairy Firefly fighter-bombers with rockets and fifty Grumman F6F Hellcat Grumman Hellcat, Vought F4U Corsair Vought Corsair and Super marine Sefira fighters were launched, approaching with the sun behind them and diving from 9000 feet to 3000 feet to release their bombs. Despite the presence of barrage balloons the refinery was successfully attacked. Losses were heavier than on previous raids; 32 aircraft were lost due to enemy action and crash landings.Template:Citation needed date=April 2015 Avenger squadrons that participated included 820, 849, 854 and 857 Naval Air Squadrons.

The fleet refueled again on 26–27 January. In practice, this was unsatisfactory as, with a mixture of poor weather and inexperience, the tankers suffered damage as ships failed to keep station and hoses parted.Template:Citation needed date=April 2015

On 29 January, the second raid, Operation Meridian Two, an air strike against the oil refinery at Soengei Gerong, Sumatra, was undertaken. Despite poor visibility, the flying-off was delayed by less than half an hour and the air strike was made against the oil refinery. Allied aviators claimed 30 Japanese planes shot down in dog-fights and another 38 destroyed on the ground, for the loss of 16 British aircraft. A small Japanese counterattack was attempted, but was defeated by fighter cover and anti-aircraft fire.Template:Citation needed date=April 2015

Task Force 63 refueled from Task Force 69 for the final time on 30 January and sailed for Fremantle, Western Australia. Task Force 69 returned to Trinco alee.

Allied order of battle

The ships involved in Operation Meridian were:

Force 63: (Rear Admiral Philip Vian):

• Aircraft carriers
  • HMS Indomitable, Illustrious, Indefatigable and Victorious
• Battleship
  • HMS King George V
• Anti-aircraft cruisers:
  • HMS Argonaut, Black Prince and Euryalus,
• Destroyer Flotilla 25
  • HMS Grenville, Undine, Ursa and Undaunted
• Destroyer Flotilla 27
  • HMS Kempenfelt, Wakeful, Whirlwind, Wager, Whelp and Wessex (from 19 January 1945)

Force 69

• Light cruiser
  • HMS Ceylon
• Destroyer
  • HMS Urchin
• Oilers
  • Wave King, Echodale, Empire Salvage

See also

• Operation Boomerang

External links

• Royal Navy in the Indian and Pacific Oceans
• Leading Air Mechanic Maurice Whiteing and his photographic record of HMS Indomitable in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, 1944-45, including the Palembang Raid
• Operation Meridian I - Codenames : Operations of WW2
• Operation Meridian II - Codenames : Operations of WW2