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China, East Indies, Australia & New Zealand Stations September 1939 to March 1942

	Areas of Operations (click to enlarge). Only some locations in text are shown

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Enclosure to Commander in Chief, East Indies Station letter No. 472/E.I. 1409/Ops

Dated 11^th February 1945.

EASTERN FLEET WAR DIARY

22 NOVEMBER to 30 DECEMBER 1944

PART I

At 0800 on 22^nd November the flag of Admiral Sir Arthur J. Power, KCB, CVO, as Commander in Chief East Indies Fleet was hoisted in H.M.S. CARADOC.

2.  The period inaugurated by the change of command and ending with the year was marked by a further strike against Japanese in Northern Sumatra, a comparative absence of U boat activity, and intensive preparation for future operations.

3.  December saw no shipping losses due to U boat action, although there was evidence of one Japanese U boat operating in the Bay of Bengal and possibly another off the southeast coast of Ceylon.  There were also indications of German U boats on passage in the southern Indian Ocean.

18 DAY A/S SEARCH

4.  A search which was begun on the night of 3^rd/4^th December in the Bay of Bengal when an RAF Liberator on A/U patrol sighted a U boat on the surface in position 12 degrees, 37 minutes north, 88 degrees, 40 minutes East, and attacked with depth charges, was continued by Force 66 operating with the RAF for a period of 18, but without success.  (Force 66 consisted of H.M.S. BEGUM and 6 frigates of the 60^th Escort Group.

5.  On 8^th December, H.M.A. Ships NAPIER (D 7) and NEPAL arrived at Chittagong and thereafter supported the Army in their advance down the Mayu Peninsula.

6.  There was further A/U activity between 13^th and 15^th December when a force commanded by the Captain, East Indies Escorts, in H.M.S. LANDGUARD with 7 minesweepers of the 22^nd Minesweeper Flotilla and 4 sloops operated in conjunction with RAF aircraft in the vicinity of 10 degrees, 00 minutes North, 84 degrees, 00 minutes East.  The search was without result.

SUMATRA STRIKE

7.  The strike against Japanese bases in Northern Sumatra (Operation ROBSON) was carried out on 20^th December, when carrier aircraft attacked airfields in the Sabang area, targets at Belawan Deli, and small craft at Uleehoe. 

8.  H.M.S. NEWCASTLE of the East Indies Fleet took part in the operation with the following ships destined for the British Pacific Fleet under the Command of Flag Officer Aircraft Carriers, British Pacific Fleet:  INDOMITABLE (Rear Admiral Aircraft Carriers, British Pacific Fleet), ILLUSTRIOUS, BLACK PRINCE, ARGONAUT, and 7 destroyers of the 27^th Destroyer Flotilla.  The force left Trincomalee on the 17^th December and returned 22^nd December.  The attack was not very successful.

9.  On the 28^th December, H.M. Submarine THULE reported that she had attacked and probably sunk a Japanese U boat in position 21 miles N.N.W. off the northern entrance to Penang.

FORCE 61 TO AKYAB

10.  It had now become clear that it would be possible to assault Akyab much earlier than had been planned and on 30^th December, a bombarding force, consisting of H.M.S. NEWCASTLE (Flag Officer, Force 61, Rear Admiral A.D. Read, CB), KENYA, NIGERIA, RAPID, RAIDER, PATHFINDER, with PHOEBE as a Fighter Direction Ship , was sailed from Trincomalee for Chittagong.

11.  As reported by the Vice Admiral Commanding the Third Battle Squadron, the working up of Force 61 was “proceeded intensively during the earlier part of the period.”  The force was sailed at short notice before the date originally intended and QUEEN ELIZABETH, AMEER, JUMNA, and FLAMINGO were not essential to the success of the operation.  Training of these units therefore continued after the remainder of the ships had left.

PACIFIC FLEET WORKS UP

12.  Working up Force 61 was only part of the training programme during this period.  Main units of the British Pacific Fleet assembled at Trincomalee early in December and carrier out a full programme of practices in harbour and at sea.

13.  Transfer of petrol to aircraft carriers at sea was among the exercises which had their place in the programme.

14.  Meanwhile at Mandapam, the newly formed 22^nd Minesweeping Flotilla was also working up in readiness to join the British Pacific Fleet.  At the same time all available auxiliary minesweepers were assembling at Chittagong for operations on the Burma Coast.

Enclosure:

Appendix I - Shipping

 

Enclosure to Commander in Chief, East Indies Station letter No. 472/E.I. 1409/Ops

Dated 11^TH February 1945.

Eastern Fleet War Diary – Appendix I – Shipping

 

CONVOYS

All shipping continued to run free of trade convoy throughout the East Indies Station, there being no appreciable U boat threat.

ROUTEING

In view of the possibility of U boats operating off the South and West Coast of Australia, shipping to and from Australia continued to be route south of 34 degrees South when crossing the chop line 100 degrees East.

TROOP AND SPECIAL CONVOYS

ABF.6B             Two troopships escorted by H.M.S. BANN and LOCHY sailed Aden on 22^nd and arrived Bombay 27^th December.

BAF.7               Six troopships escorted by H.M.S. BANN, PLYM, TRENT, and LOCHY sailed from Bombay 12^th and arrived Aden 17^th December.

BAF.8               One troopship escorted by H.M.S. BANN and LOCHY sailed Bombay 30^th December and arrived Aden on 4^th January

AP.75A            (n.b. in list as BP7.5A, pen corrected to AP7.5) One troopship escorted by HALLADALE sailed Aden 13^th and arrived Hormuz 17^th December.

BP.121             One troopship escorted by H.M.I.S. ROHILKAND and KHYBER sailed Karachi on 3^rd and arrived Hormuz 5^th December.

BP.122             One troopships escorted by H.M.I.S. ROHILKAND and KHYBER sailed Karachi on 20^th and arrived Hormuz 22^nd December.

PB.88               One troopship escorted by H.M.I.S. ROHILKAND and KHYBER sailed Hormuz and arrived Karachi 31^st December

CM.59A            One troopship by H.M.S. LINARIA and later by H.M.S. GORLESTON sailed Kilindini 29^th November and arrived Aden 5^th December.

CM.59B            Two troopships escorted by H.M.S. BANFF, JASMINE, and LINARIA sailed Kilindini on 24^th December and arrived Aden 1^st January.

MC.14               Three troopships escorted by H.M.S. FALMOUTH, GENISTA, and HONESTY sailed Aden on 14^th and arrived Kilindini on 22^nd December.  Two troopships escorted by H.M.S. FALMOUTH, FREESIA, and GENISTA sailed Kilindini on 24^th December and arrived Durban on 30^th December.  This convoy was accompanied by H.M.S. VALIANT from Aden to Durban.

CX.36                One troopship escorted by H.M.I.S. RAJPUTANA and OUDH sailed Colombo on 13^th and arrived Addu Atoll on 17^th December.

XC.35                One troopship escorted by H.M.I.S. RAJPUTANA and OUDH sailed Addu Atoll on 19^th and arrived Colombo on 21^st December.

CH.58               Two troopships escorted by H.M.I.S. KATHIAWAR sailed Chittagong on 3^rd and arrived Sandhead on 4^th December.

CH.58A             Two troopships escorted by H.M.I.S. BIHAR sailed Chittagong on 4^th and arrived Sandhead on 5^th December.

CH.59               Two troopships escorted by H.M.S. ROCKROSE and H.M.I.S. PUNJAB sailed Chittagong on 7^th and arrived Sandhead on 9^th December.

CH.60               Two troopships escorted by H.M.S. AWE and H.M.I.S. CARNATIC sailed Chittagong on 8^th and arrived Sandhead on 9^th December.

CH.60A             Two troopships escorted by H.M.S. AWE and H.M.I.S. ORISSA sailed Chittagong on 11^th and arrived Sandhead on 12^th December.

CH.61               Two troopships escorted by H.M.I.S. KATHIAWAR and BIHAR sailed Chittagong on 12^th and arrived Sandhead on 13^th December.

CH.62               Two troopships escorted by H.M.S. ROCKROSE sailed Chittagong on 15^th and arrived Sandhead 16^th December.

CH.62A             One troopships and one special ship escorted by H.M.I.S. PUNJAB sailed Chittagong on 15^th and arrived Sandhead on 16^th December.

HC.86               Four troopships escorted by H.M.I.S. KATHIAWAR and BIHAR sailed Sandheads on 1^st and arrived Chittagong on 2^nd December.

HC.87               Two troopships escorted by H.M.S. ROCKROSE and H.M.I.S. PUNJAB sailed Sandheads on 5^th and arrived Chittagong on 6^th December.

HC.88               Two troopships escorted by H.M.S. AWE and H.M.I.S. CARNATIC sailed Sandheads on 7^th and arrived Chittagong on 8^th December.

HC.88A             One special ship escorted by H.M.I.S. ORISSA sailed Sandheads on 9^th and arrived Chittagong on 11^th December.

HC.89               Two troopships escorted by H.M.I.S. KATHIAWAR and BIHAR sailed Sandheads on 10^th and arrived Chittagong on 11^th December.

HC.90               Three troopships escorted by H.M.S. ROCKROSE and H.M.I.S. PUNJAB sailed Sandheads on 13^th and arrived Chittagong 14^th December.

JA.1                  One troopship escorted by H.M.S. TAY sailed Colombo 11^th and arrived Aden on 17^th December.

JC.70                Three troopships escorted by H.M.S. JED and SHOREHAM sailed Colombo on 3^rd and arrive Chittagong on 10^th December.

JC.70A              One troopship and one special ship escorted by H.M.I.S. HINDUSTAN sailed Colombo on 11^th and arrived Chittagong on 19^th December.

JC.70B              One troopship escorted by H.M.I.S. BALUCHISTAN sailed Colombo on 21^st and arrived Madras on 24^th December.

CJ.44A              One troopship and one special trip escorted by H.M.S. NIGELLA, CESSNOCK, and IPSWICH sailed Vizagapatam 29^th November and arrived Colombo 4^th December.

US – SU           U.S.S. GENERAL BUTNER escorted by H.M.S. WHELP and WAGER sailed Bombay 1^st December.  Destroyers parted company on crossing 5 degrees south and U.S.S. GENERAL BUTNER proceeded independently to Melbourne.

U.S.S. GENERAL POPE sailed Melbourne on 28^th November and was met by H.M.S. URSA and UNDAUNTED in 5 degrees South on 8^th December being escorted to Bombay where she arrived on 11^th December.

U.S.S. GENERAL POPE escorted by H.M.S. URSA and UNDAUNTED sailed Bombay 16^th December and was met by H.M.S. LONDON on 19^th December.  Destroyers parted company on 20^th, H.M.S. LONDON continued as escort till 24^th.  U.S.S. GENERAL POPE arrived Melbourne on 29^th December.

U.S.S. ADMIRAL BENSON sailed from Melbourne on 17^th December and was met by H.M.S. ROEBUCK and RELENTLESS in 5 degrees South on 27^th being escorted to Bombay where she arrived on 30^th December.

NAAF RIVER

Heavy lift ship BELRAY escorted by H.M.S. HIND and SHOREHAM sailed Chittagong on 13^th and arrived in the Naaf River on 14^th sailed again on 16^th and arrived at Sandhead on 17^th December.

ESCORT VESSELS

At the end of the month, the following number of escort vessels were undergoing refit or major repairs or were on passage to or from refit:

Aden Escort Force                     2

Kilindini Escort Force                 4

E.I.E.F.                                    13

                                               ___

                                               19

VERBENA to be loaned to Kilindini Escort on completion of her refit.

SAVORGNAN DE BRAZZA has sailed for United Kingdom for refit.

 

Area of operations, click to enlarge