Operation Ironclad
Ships of the landing fleet in the port of Diego Suarez, May 1942
| date | May 5 to November 8, 1942 |
|---|---|
| place | Madagascar |
| Casus Belli | Successes of the Japanese in Southeast Asia Threat to the Allied supply routes between Europe, Asia and Africa |
| output | British occupation of Madagascar |
| consequences | Handover to Free France |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
|
|
|
| Commander | |
| Troop strength | |
| 10,000-15,000 | 8,000 |
| losses | |
|
107 killed, 280 wounded (a total of 620 injured or killed - also caused by illness) |
150 killed, 500 wounded |
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Operation Ironclad ( Engl. For ironclad ) was the occupation that of Vichy France -controlled island Madagascar during World War II by the British. It began on May 5, 1942 and ended with the surrender of the last fighting French units on November 8, 1942.
background
Madagascar has been part of the French colonial empire since 1885 . After the German occupation of France, the island administration remained loyal to the Vichy regime .
The city of Diego Suarez (today Antsiranana), located in the north of the island, had an excellent natural harbor due to its large bay . This, the city itself and the narrow entrance opening to the east ( Oronjia Pass ) were protected by coastal artillery . The naval base is enclosed on the peninsula between two of the four small bays.
Axis powers
After the conquest of Southeast Asia east of Burma by the end of 1942, the Japanese high command was able to move unhindered in the Indian Ocean. On December 17, 1941, the German Vice Admiral Kurt Fricke met the Japanese Vice Admiral Nomura Naokuni and discussed naval operations with him. At a further meeting on March 27, 1942, Fricke emphasized the importance of the Indian Ocean for the Axis powers and expressed the wish that the Japanese attack the northern routes in the Indian Ocean. Fricke advocated that the Axis powers should put a stronger focus on Ceylon, the Seychelles and Madagascar. There should be more focus on these routes than on Australia. On April 8, the Japanese informed Fricke that they were planning to park four to five submarines and two auxiliary cruisers for operations between Aden and the Cape of Good Hope . Operations between Madagascar and Ceylon were not specifically addressed.
Allies
The Allies had heard of Japan's plans on November 27, 1941, and the British General Staff discussed the possibility of the Vichy government giving Japan Madagascar for military occupation or bases in Madagascar. Naval experts planned the occupation of the island as a preventive measure. On December 16, General de Gaulle wrote a letter to Churchill. In it he called for the use of Free French troops against Madagascar. Churchill recognized the risk that a Japanese-occupied Madagascar posed for shipping in the Indian Ocean, especially for the routes to India and Ceylon, and established the port of Diego Suarez as a key strategic position. Churchill made it clear to the planners that he did not believe that Britain had the resources for such an operation and that he did not want joint action with the British and the Free French (the failure of the Free French before Dakar was decisive for this view).
From March 12th, Churchill was convinced of the need for the operation. Furthermore, he made the decision to proceed without the Free French troops. As preparatory measures (the preparatory measures were called Operation Bonus), Churchill identified the following points:
- Force H , the squadron that was in the western Mediterranean, was to move south and be replaced by an American task force.
- The 4,000 men who, according to Lord Mountbatten , were necessary for the operation were to be retained as a core force for the task. The specific operational plans should be organized around these.
- The operation was scheduled to begin around April 30, 1942.
- The commands requested by Mountbatten should, if successful, be replaced by reservists as soon as possible.
Allied preparations
On March 14th, Force 121 was set up under the command of Major-General RG Sturges RM. Rear Admiral EN Syfret was given command of Force H , the naval forces .
Force 121 left the UK on March 23rd and joined Admiral Syfret's ships in Freetown . They moved in two convoys to the assembly point near Durban , South Africa. The 13th Brigade of the 5th Division joined them here. General Sturges' group consisted of three infantry brigades, while Admiral Syfret's group consisted of the battleship Ramillies , the aircraft carriers Illustrious and Indomitable , the cruisers Devonshire and Hermione , eleven destroyers, six mine clearers, six corvettes and support vessels. The aim was to land in Diego Suarez. The chiefs of staff believed steadfastly that the operation would be a success and ideally one could land without a fight. This was the first British amphibious operation since the British disaster at the Battle of the Dardanelles .
During the meeting in Durban, Field-Marshal Smuts noted that the cast of Diego Suarez would offer no guarantee against the attacks by the Japanese. The ports of Majunga and Tamatave would also have to be occupied.
This was discussed by the chiefs of staff, but due to the lack of soldiers, it was decided to land only in Diego Suarez. Churchill expressed the opinion that only a strong fleet and adequate air support from Ceylon could secure Madagascar permanently. He sent General Wavell (India Command) a letter stating that once the original objectives were met, all responsibility for securing Madagascar would be passed to Wavell. He added that if the commando units were withdrawn, the garrison's duties would be carried out by two African brigades and one brigade from the Belgian Congo or the west coast of Africa.
In March and April the South African Air Force (SAAF) carried out reconnaissance flights over Diego Suarez and reached No. 32, 36 and 37 Coastal Flights were withdrawn and relocated to Lindi on the Tanzanian coast. There were also eleven Beauforts and six Marylands to provide air support during the operation.
In March 1942, Japanese aircraft carriers carried out the attack in the Indian Ocean . This resulted in the British Eastern Fleet leaving the northeast Indian Ocean and retreating to Kilindini (the deep-sea port of Mombasa ) in Kenya .
This retreat opened up a new area of attack for the British: The focus of the Japanese Navy from Madagascar was now in focus. They threatened the 8th Army and the Eastern Fleet .
Japanese submarines had the greatest range at the time, some more than 10,000 kilometers. If Japan had been able to set up submarine bases on Madagascar, the Allied communication channels would have been affected. This would have affected a region that would have affected the Pacific and Australia , the Middle East and the South Atlantic.
Performing the operation
The Allied commanders decided to launch an amphibious assault on Madagascar. The task was called Operation Ironclad and was carried out by Force 121. Force 121 consisted of allied naval, land and air forces. She was commanded by Major-General Robert Sturges of the Royal Marines .
The British Army's land forces consisted of: The 29th Independent Infantry Brigade Group , No 5 (Army) Commando and two brigades of the 5th Infantry Division , the latter being on their way to India with the rest of their division. The Allied Navy contingent consisted of more than 50 ships, withdrawn from the Force H , the Home Fleet, and the Eastern Fleet . These were commanded by Rear Admiral Edward Neville Syfret . The fleet also included the HMS Illustrious , her sister ship HMS Indomitable and the aging battleship HMS Ramillies .
Landings
After many reconnaissance flights by the South African Air Force (SAAF), the first attack wave consisted of the 29th Infantry Brigade and the No 5 Commando. The attack took place in landing craft on May 5, 1942. The second wave of attacks included the two brigades of the 5th Infantry Division and Royal Marines. All landings were carried out with landing vehicles. Their destinations were: Courrier Bay and Ambararata Bay, west of the great port of Diego Suarez (later known as Antsiranana), on the northern tip of Madagascar. A diversionary attack was carried out in the east. Air force support was provided by Fairey Albacores , Grumman Martlets, and Fairey Swordfish . These attacked ships of the Vichy troops. A smaller number of SAAF airmen supported them.
The defending Vichy forces, led by Governor General Armand Léon Annet , consisted of about 8,000 soldiers, of whom about 6,000 were Malagasy. Most of the remaining soldiers were Senegalese . Between 1500 and 3000 were concentrated around Diego Suarez. However, naval and air defense forces were relatively weak and / or outdated: eight coastal batteries , two auxiliary cruisers , two sloops , five submarines, 17 Morane-Saulnier MS.406 fighter planes and ten Potez 63 bombers.
After heavy fighting, the armed forces in Diego Suarez capitulated on May 7th. Significant Vichy forces withdrew to the south.
The Japanese submarines I-10 , I-16 and I 20 arrived three weeks later on May 29th. A reconnaissance plane from I-10 sighted the HMS Ramillies, which was moored in Diego Suarez Harbor, but the plane was also spotted and the Ramillies changed its berth. I-20 and I-16 sent two micro-submarines , one of which entered the harbor and was able to shoot two torpedoes while being chased by two corvettes . One torpedo badly damaged the Ramillies , while the second sank the oil tanker British Loyalty (which was later made afloat). The Ramillies were later repaired in Durban and Plymouth .
The crew of one of the submarines ran aground. Lieutenant Saburo Akieda and the mate Masami Takemoto moved inland and tried to eat in a village. They were killed in a gun battle with Royal Marines three days later. The second micro-submarine sank in the open sea and the body of one of its sailors was washed ashore a day later.
The operation on land
The hostilities continued to take place with little violence. However, this continued for several months. In the summer of 1942, the two brigades of the 5th Infantry Division were ordered to India . On June 22nd, the King's African Rifles arrived from East Africa .
On September 10, the 29th Brigade and the 22nd East African Brigade landed amphibiously in Majunga , in the northwest. They wanted to carry out operations before the rainy season. The Allies faced natural adversities and obstacles from the Vichy forces. The Allies eventually captured the capital Tananarive without much resistance and then the city of Ambalavao ( in the Haute Matsiatra region ). The last major action took place in Andriamanalina on October 18th. Annet surrendered near Ihosy in the south of the island on November 8th.
The Allies lost about 500 men on landing in Diego Suarez. Later 30 were killed and 90 died in operations after September 10th.
Effects
Paul Legentilhomme , General of the Forces of Free France (France Libre) , became the new High Commissioner for Madagascar; French control over the island could no longer be maintained permanently after the end of the war. In 1947 the Madagascar uprising broke out on the island , which was suppressed by the colonial power. The independence movement could not be suppressed any further, so that the island gained independence in 1960 .
Overview of the armed forces involved
Allied forces
| marine | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battleships | HMS Ramillies | ||||
| Aircraft carrier | HMS Illustrious | HMS Indomitable | |||
| cruiser | HMS Hermione | HMS Devonshire | |||
| destroyer | HMS Active | HMS Anthony | HMS Duncan | HMS Inconstant | HMS Javelin |
| HMS Laforey | HMS Lightning | HMS lookout | HMS Nizam | HMS Norman | |
| HMS Pakenham | HMS Paladin | HMS Panther | |||
| Corvettes | HMS Freesia | HMS Auricula | HMS Nigella | HMS Fritillary | HMS Genista |
| HMS cyclamen | HMS Thyme | HMS Jasmine | |||
| Mine layers | HMS Cromer | HMS Poole | HMS Romney | HMS Cromarty | |
| Amphibious assault ships | RMMV Winchester Castle | HMS Royal Ulsterman | HMS Keren | HMS Karanja | HMS Sobieski |
| Special ships | HMS Derwentdale (LCA) | HMS Bachaquero (LST) | |||
| Troop transport | SS Oronsay | SS Duchess of Atholl | SS Franconia | ||
| Supply ships | SS Empire Kingsley | M / S Thalatta | SS Mahout | SS City of Hong Kong | SS Mairnbank |
| SS Martand II | |||||
| Ground troops | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 29th Infantry Brigade (independent) |
Amphibious landing near Diego Suarez on May 5, 1942: | 2nd South Lancashire Regiment | 2nd East Lancashire Regiment |
| 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers | 2nd Royal Welch Fusiliers | ||
| 455th Light Battery (Royal Artillery) | MG company | ||
| Commands | Amphibious landing near Diego Suarez on May 5, 1942: | No. 5 Commando | |
| British 17th Infantry Brigade Group (of 5th Division): |
Landed near Diego Suarez as the second wave of attacks on May 5, 1942: |
2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers | 2nd Northamptonshire Regiment |
| 6th Seaforth Highlanders | 9th Field Regiment (Royal Artillery) | ||
| British 13th Infantry Brigade (of 5th Division): |
Landed near Diego Suarez as the second wave of attacks on May 5, 1942: |
2nd Cameronians | 2nd Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers |
| 2nd Wiltshire Regiment | |||
| East African Brigade Group | Arrived on June 22nd, replacing the 13th and 17th Brigades | ||
| South African 7th Motorized Brigade | |||
| Rhodesian 27th Infantry Brigade | |||
| Air Force | ||
|---|---|---|
| On board the HMS Illustrious | 881 Squadron | 12 Grumman Martlett III's |
| 882 Squadron | 8 Grumman Martlett 's, 1 Fairey Fulmar | |
| 810 Squadron | 10 Fairey Swordfish | |
| 829 Squadron | 10 Fairey Swordfish | |
| On board the HMS Indomitable | 800 Squadron | 8 Fairey Fulmar |
| 806 Squadron | 4 Fairey Fulmar | |
| 880 Squadron | 6 Hawker Sea Hurricane | |
| 827 Squadron | 12 Fairey Albacore | |
| 831 Squadron | 12 Fairey Albacore | |
Vichy France
| marine | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auxiliary cruiser | Bougainville | ||||
| Gunboats | D'Entrecasteaux | D'Iberville | |||
| Submarines | Bévéziers | Le Héros | Monge | Le Glorieux | |
Land Forces
The listing below shows the Malagasy and Vichy French forces right after Operation Ironclad began.
West Coast
- 2 platoons by reservists and volunteers in Nossi-Bé
- 2 companies of the Régiment Mixte Malgache (RMM - Mixed Madagascar Regiment) in Ambanja
- 1 battalion of the 1er RMM in Majunga
East coast
- 1 battalion of the 1er RMM in Tamatave
- 1 artillery position (65 mm) in Tamatave
- 1 company of the 1er RMM in Brickaville
Island center
- 3 battalions of the 1st RMM in Tananarive
- 1 motorized reconnaissance reserve in Tananarive
- Emyrne Battery in Tananarive
- 1 artillery position (65 mm) in Tananarive
- 1 engineering company (maintenance) in Tananarive
- 1 company of the 1er RMM in Mevatanana
- 1 company of the BTM in Fianarantsoa
- In the south of the island
Other
- 1 company of the BTM in Fort Dauphin
- 1 company of the BTM in Tuléar
Japanese naval forces
- the four submarines I-10 (with a reconnaissance aircraft), I-16 , I-18 (damaged by rough seas which caused it to arrive later), I-20
- the two micro-submarines M-16b and M-20b
swell
- Winston Churchill : The Hinge of Fate . Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston 1950.
- Armand Annet: Aux Heures Troubles de l'Afrique Francaise, 1939–1943 . Conquistador, Paris 1952.
literature
- George Aris: The Fifth British Division, 1939 to 1945 , London: Fifth Division Benevolent Fund, 1959.
- William Vernon Brelsford (Ed.): The Story of the Northern Rhodesia Regiment , Lusaka, N. Rhodesia: Government Printer, 1954.
- James Ambrose Brown: Eagles Strike: The Campaigns of the South African Air Force . Purnell, Cape Town 1974.
- Christopher Buckley: Five Ventures: Iraq-Syria-Persia-Madagascar-Dodecanese . HMSO, London 1954.
- EDR Harrison: British Subversion in French East Africa, 1941–42: SOE's Todd Mission . In: English Historical Review , April 1999, pp. 339-369.
- Eric Nativel: La "guérilla" des troupes vichystes à Madagascar in 1942. In: Revue Historique des Armées. No. 210 = 1, 1998, pp. 49-60.
- Martin Thomas: Imperial Backwater or Strategic Outpost? The British Takeover of Vichy Madagascar, 1942 , Historical Journal , 39 (1996), pp. 1049-1074.
- Leonard Charles Frederick Turner, HR Gordon-Cumming, JE Betzler (eds.): War in the Southern Oceans: 1939-1945 . Oxford University Press, Cape Town 1961.
- Michael Wilson: A Submariners' War: The Indian Ocean, 1939-45 . Tempus, Stroud UK 2000.
- David Wragg: Sink the French: At War with an Ally, 1940 . Pen and Sword Books, Barnsley UK 2007.
Web links
- Bill Stone: Operation Ironclad: Invasion of Madagascar. 1998
- Operación Ironclad (Spanish)
- Outline of Japanese involvement
- South Africa and the War against Japan 1941-1945
Individual evidence
- ^ André Wessels: South Africa and the War against Japan, 1941-1945 . In: Military History Journal (South African Military History Society), 10 (3), June 1996
- ↑ Turner (1961) p. 133.
- ↑ Turner (1961) p. 116
- ↑ Turner (1961) p. 117
- ↑ Turner (1961) p. 131
- ↑ Churchill (1950) p. 223
- ↑ Churchill (1950) p. 229
- ↑ a b Churchill (1950) p. 225
- ↑ a b c Turner (1961) p. 132
- ↑ Churchill (1950) p. 230
- ↑ Churchill (1950) p. 231
- ↑ Turner (1961) p. 133
- ↑ Madagascar Surrenders. Time Magazine
- ↑ a b c d Operation Ironclad: Invasion of Madagascar. Retrieved November 2, 2010
- ^ Madagascar Orders of Battle , accessed on November 2, 2010, French: Reproduced from La “guérilla” des troupes vichystes à Madagascar en 1942