Battle of Madagascar

Coordinates: 12°16′S 49°17′E / 12.267°S 49.283°E / -12.267; 49.283
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the 1811 naval battle of Madagascar, see Battle of Tamatave. For Madagascar in World War II in general, see Madagascar in World War II.

Battle of Madagascar
Part of the Indian Ocean theatre of World War II

King's African Rifles' 25 pdr battery in action near Ambositra in Madagascar against Vichy positions during Operation Stream Line Jane, September 1942.
Date5 May – 6 November 1942 (1942-05-05 – 1942-11-06)
(6 months and 1 day)
Location
Madagascar, Indian Ocean
12°16′S 49°17′E / 12.267°S 49.283°E / -12.267; 49.283
Result Allied victory
Territorial
changes		 Free French administration established in Madagascar
Belligerents

 United Kingdom

 South Africa

Naval only:
 Australia
Netherlands

 Vichy France

Naval only:
 Japan
Commanders and leaders
United Kingdom Robert Sturges
United Kingdom Edward Syfret		 Vichy France Armand Annet
Empire of Japan Noboru Ishizaki
Strength
10,000–15,000 soldiers
6 infantry tanks
6 light tanks
2 aircraft carriers
1 seaplane carrier
2 battleships
6 light cruisers
22 destroyers
8 corvettes
1 monitor
1 minelayer
4 minesweepers
5 assault transports
over 81 aircraft[1]		 Vichy France:
8,000 soldiers[2]
6 tanks
35 aircraft[3]
4 warships[4]
Japanese Navy
2 soldiers
4 submarines
2 midget submarines
1 reconnaissance aircraft[5]
Casualties and losses

107 killed
280 wounded
108 died from disease[3]
1 battleship heavily damaged
1 oil tanker sunk
8 tanks destroyed

Total:
620		 152 killed
500 wounded
(does not include any casualties caused by disease)[3]
1,000 captured[6]
34 aircraft destroyed
1 midget submarine destroyed
1 midget submarine lost at sea
Battle of Madagascar is located in Madagascar
Battle of Madagascar
class=notpageimage|
Location of Diego-Suarez Bay

The Battle of Madagascar (5 May – 6 November 1942) was an Allied campaign to capture the Vichy French-controlled island Madagascar during World War II. The seizure of the island by the British was to deny Madagascar's ports to the Imperial Japanese Navy and to prevent the loss or impairment of the Allied shipping routes to India, Australia and Southeast Asia. It began with Operation Ironclad, the seizure of the port of Diego-Suarez (now Antsiranana) near the northern tip of the island, on 5 May 1942.[7][8]

A subsequent campaign to secure the entire island, Operation Stream Line Jane, was opened on 10 September. The Allies broke into the interior, linking up with forces on the coast and secured the island by the end of October. Fighting ceased and an armistice was granted on 6 November.[9] This was the first large-scale operation by the Allies combining sea, land and air forces. The island was placed under Free French control.[10][11]

Background

Geopolitical

St. Marie de Madagascar. The colony's administration was subsumed into that of French Madagascar in 1897.[13]

In 1941, Diego-Suarez town, the bay and the channel were well protected by naval shore batteries.[12]: 133 

Vichy

Following the

British Eastern Fleet out of the area and they were forced to relocate to a new base at Kilindini Harbour, Mombasa, Kenya.[14]

The move made the British fleet more vulnerable to attack. The possibility of Japanese naval forces using forward bases in Madagascar had to be addressed. The potential use of these facilities particularly threatened Allied merchant shipping, the supply route to the British Eighth Army and also the Eastern Fleet.[citation needed]

Japanese

South Atlantic.[citation needed
]

On 17 December 1941,

auxiliary cruisers for operations in the western Indian Ocean between Aden and the Cape of Good Hope, but they refused to disclose their plans for operations against Madagascar and Ceylon, only reiterating their commitment to operations in the area.[12]
: 117 

Allies

The Allies had heard the rumours of Japanese plans for the Indian Ocean and on 27 November 1941, the British Chiefs of Staff discussed the possibility that the

Diego-Suarez as the strategic key to Japanese influence in the Indian Ocean. However, he also made it clear to planners that he did not feel Britain had the resources to mount such an operation and, following experience in the Battle of Dakar in September 1940, did not want a joint operation launched by British and Free French forces to secure the island.[15]
: 223 

By 12 March 1942, Churchill had been convinced of the importance of such an operation and the decision was reached that the planning of the invasion of Madagascar would begin in earnest. It was agreed that the Free French would be explicitly excluded from the operation. As a preliminary battle outline, Churchill gave the following guidelines to the planners and the operation was designated Operation Bonus:[15]: 225 

  • Force H, the ships guarding the Western Mediterranean, should move south from Gibraltar and should be replaced by an American Task Force
  • The 4,000 men and ships proposed by Lord Mountbatten for the operation should be retained as the nucleus around which the plan should be built
  • The operation should commence around 30 April 1942
  • In the event of success, the
    commandos recommended by Mountbatten should be replaced by garrison troops as soon as possible[15]
    : 225 

On 14 March, Force 121 was constituted under the command of Major-General Robert Sturges of the Royal Marines with Rear-Admiral Edward Syfret being placed in command of naval Force H and the supporting sea force.[12]: 132 

Allied preparations

Map of the assault

Force 121 left the

Malagasy) at Diego-Suarez, but the chiefs of staff were adamant that the operation was to succeed, preferably without any fighting.[12]
: 132 

This was to be the first British

Dardanelles twenty-seven years before.[15]
: 230 

During the assembly in Durban, Field-Marshal

Archibald Wavell (India Command) a note stating that as soon as the initial objectives had been met, all responsibility for safeguarding Madagascar would be passed on to Wavell. He added that when the commandos were withdrawn, garrison duties would be performed by two African brigades and one brigade from the Belgian Congo or west coast of Africa.[15]
: 231 

In March and April, the South African Air Force (SAAF) had conducted reconnaissance flights over Diego-Suarez and No. 32, 36 and 37 Coastal Flights were withdrawn from maritime patrol operations and sent to Lindi on the Indian Ocean coast of Tanganyika, with an additional eleven Bristol Beauforts and six Martin Marylands to provide close air support during the planned operations.[12]: 133 

Campaign

Tamatave
in May 1942

Allied commanders decided to launch an

Eastern Fleet, commanded by Syfret. The fleet included the aircraft carrier Illustrious, her sister ship Indomitable and the ageing battleship Ramillies
to cover the landings.

Landings (Operation Ironclad)

Following many reconnaissance missions by the South African Air Force, the first wave of the British 29th Infantry Brigade and No. 5 Commando landed in assault craft on 5 May, with follow-up waves by two brigades of the 5th Infantry Division and Royal Marines. All were carried ashore by landing craft to Courrier Bay and Ambararata Bay, just west of the major port of Diego-Suarez, at the northern tip of Madagascar. A diversionary attack was staged to the east. Air cover was provided mainly by Fairey Albacore and Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers which attacked Vichy shipping and the airfield at Arrachart. They were supported by Grumman Martlets fighters from the Fleet Air Arm. A small number of SAAF planes assisted. The Swordfish sank the armed merchant cruiser Bougainville and then the submarine Bévéziers, although one Swordfish was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and its crew was taken prisoner.[16] The aircraft shot down had been dropping leaflets in French that encouraged the Vichy troops to surrender.[16]

The defending Vichy forces, led by

Potez 63 bombers.[citation needed
]

Captured French troops marching away from their HQ after the British had captured Diego-Suarez on 7 May
Negotiations for the surrender of Diego-Suarez at the British headquarters in the town

The beach landings met with virtually no resistance and these troops seized Vichy coastal batteries and barracks. The Courier Bay force, the British

strafe beaches at Courier Bay, but two more Vichy aircraft were lost on the first day.[19]

On the morning of 6 May a frontal assault on the defences failed with the loss of three Valentines and two Tetrarchs.

Admiral Darlan sent a message to Governor Annet telling him to "Firmly defend the honour of our flag", and "Fight to the limit of your possibilities ... and make the British pay dearly." The Vichy forces then asked for assistance from the Japanese, who were in no position to provide substantial support.[24]

With the Vichy French defence highly effective, the deadlock was broken when the old destroyer

Majunga on 15 May.[19] Fighting continued into 7 May but by the end of the day Operation Ironclad had effectively concluded. In just three days of fighting the British had seen 109 men killed and 283 wounded, with the French suffering 700 casualties.[26]

The Japanese submarines I-10, I-16, and I-20 arrived three weeks later on 29 May. I-10's reconnaissance plane spotted HMS Ramillies at anchor in Diego-Suarez harbour, but the plane was spotted and Ramillies changed her berth. I-20 and I-16 launched two midget submarines, one of which managed to enter the harbour and fired two torpedoes while under depth charge attack from two corvettes. One torpedo seriously damaged Ramillies, while the second sank the 6,993-ton oil tanker British Loyalty (later refloated).[27] Ramillies was later repaired in Durban and Plymouth. The crew of one of the midget submarines, Lieutenant Saburo Akieda and Petty Officer Masami Takemoto, beached their craft (M-20b) at Nosy Antalikely and moved inland towards their pick-up point near Cape Amber. They were betrayed when they bought food at the village of Anijabe and both were killed in a firefight with Royal Marines three days later. One marine was killed in the action as well. The second midget submarine was lost at sea and the body of a crewman was found washed ashore a day later.[28]

Ground campaign (Operations Stream, Line and Jane)

Tamatave
harbour.

Hostilities continued at a low level for several months. After 19 May two brigades of the 5th Infantry Division were transferred to India. On 8 June, the 22nd (East Africa) Brigade Group arrived on Madagascar.[29] The 7th South African Motorized Brigade arrived on 24 June.[30] On 2 July, an invasion force was sent to the Vichy-held island of Mayotte to take control of its valuable radio station and to use it as a base for British operations in the area. The island's defenders were caught by surprise and the key radio station and most of the sleeping defenders were captured. The Chief of Police and a few others attempted to escape by car but were stopped by roadblocks that had been assembled. The island's capture was carried out with no loss of life or major damage.[31]

The

27th (North Rhodesia) Infantry Brigade (including forces from East Africa) landed in Madagascar on 8 August.[32] The Vichy governor of Madagascar, Annet attempted to obtain reinforcements from the central Vichy government, particularly aircraft but was unable to do so. By August, Vichy air strength on the island consisted of four Morane fighters and three Potez-63s.[33] The operation code-named "Stream Line Jane" (sometimes given as "Streamline Jane") consisted of three sub-operations code-named Stream, Line and Jane. Stream and Jane were, respectively, the amphibious landings at Majunga on 10 September and Tamatave on 18 September, while Line was the advance from Majunga to the French capital, Tananarive, which fell on 23 September.[34][35]

On 10 September the 29th Brigade and 22nd Brigade Group made an amphibious landing at Majunga, another port on the west coast of the island. No. 5 Commando spearheaded the landing and faced machine gun fire but despite this they stormed the quayside, took control of the local post office, stormed the governor's residence and raised the

Tananarive, without much opposition, and then the town of Ambalavao, but the devoutly Vichy Governor Annet escaped.[38]

Eight days later a British force set out to capture Tamatave. Heavy surf interfered with the operation. As

Tetrarch and Valentine tanks of 'B' and 'C' Special Service Squadrons had been embarked for use in these operations, but they were not used as they could not ford the Ivondro River and the railway bridges were unsuitable.[41]

On 29 September, two companies of the South African

Tulear some 900 miles south of Diego Suarez.[42]
HMS Birmingham, 2 destroyers and 200 Royal Marines supported the unopposed landing.

On 6 October, a Morane fighter strafed British positions near Antinchi, and on 8 October a British bombing raid on Ihosy airfield destroyed four Vichy aircraft.[43]

The last major action took place on 18 October, at Andramanalina, a U-shaped valley with the meandering Mangarahara River where an ambush was planned for British forces by Vichy troops. The King's African Rifles split into two columns and marched around the 'U' of the valley and met Vichy troops in the rear and then ambushed them. The Vichy troops suffered heavy losses which resulted in 800 of them surrendering.[39] A single Morane fighter was operational until 21 October, and even strafed South African troops, but by 21 October the only serviceable aircraft the Vichy forces had was a Salmson Phrygane transport aircraft.[44] On 25 October the King's African Rifles entered Fianarantsoa but found Annet gone, this time near Ihosy 100 miles south. The Africans swiftly moved after him, but they received an envoy from Annet asking for terms of surrender. He had had enough and couldn't escape further. An armistice was signed in Ambalavao on 6 November, and Annet surrendered two days later.[45]

The Allies suffered about 500 casualties in the landing at Diego-Suarez, and 30 more killed and 90 wounded in the operations which followed on 10 September 1942.

Julian Jackson, in his biography of de Gaulle, observed that the French had held out longer against the Allies in Madagascar in 1942 than they had against the Germans in France in 1940.[46]

Aftermath

December 1942. Four RAF Westland Lysander aircraft fly over Madagascar, after the campaign.

With Madagascar in their hands, the Allies established military and naval installations across the island. The island was crucial for the rest of the war. Its deep water ports were vital for control of the passageway to India and the Persian corridor, and were now beyond the grasp of the Axis.[39] This was the first large-scale operation of World War II by the Allies combining sea, land, and air forces. In the makeshift Allied planning of the war's early years, the invasion of Madagascar held a prominent strategic place.[10]

Historian John Grehan has claimed that the British capture of Madagascar before it could fall into Japanese hands was so crucial in the context of the war that it led to Japan's eventual downfall and defeat.[47]

Free French General Paul Legentilhomme was appointed High Commissioner for Madagascar in December 1942[48] only to replace British administration. Like many colonies, Madagascar sought its independence from the French Empire following the war. In 1947, the island experienced the Malagasy Uprising, a costly revolution that was crushed in 1948. It was not until 26 June 1960, about twelve years later, that the Malagasy Republic successfully proclaimed its independence from France.

Campaign service in Madagascar did not qualify for the British and Commonwealth Africa Star. It was instead covered by the 1939–1945 Star.[49]

Order of battle

Allied Forces

A Grumman Martlet of the Fleet Air Arm flying over HMS Warspite during the Madagascar operations

Naval forces

Jacob van Heemskerck, a Dutch cruiser involved in the operations off Madagascar
Modern-day view of the bay
Battleships
HMS Ramillies
Aircraft Carriers
HMS Illustrious
HMS Indomitable
Cruisers
HMS Birmingham[50]
HMS Dauntless[50]
HMS Gambia[50]
HMS Hermione
HMS Devonshire
HNLMS Jacob van Heemskerck
Minelayer
HMS Manxman[50]
Monitor
HMS Erebus[50]
Seaplane Carrier
HMS Albatross[50]
Destroyers
HMS Active
HMS Anthony
HMS Arrow[50]
HMS Blackmore[50]
HMS Duncan
HMS Fortune[50]
HMS Foxhound[50]
HMS Inconstant
HMS Hotspur[50]
HMS Javelin
HMS Laforey
HMS Lightning
HMS Lookout
HMAS Napier[50]
HMAS Nepal[50]
HMAS Nizam
HMAS Norman
HMS Pakenham
HMS Paladin
HMS Panther
HNLMS Van Galen[50]
HNLMS Tjerk Hiddes[50]
Corvettes
HMS Freesia
HMS Auricula
HMS Nigella
HMS Fritillary
HMS Genista
HMS Cyclamen
HMS Thyme
HMS Jasmine
Minesweepers
HMS Cromer
HMS Poole
HMS Romney
HMS Cromarty
Assault transports
HMS Winchester Castle
HMS Royal Ulsterman
HMS Keren
HMS Karanja
MS Sobieski (Polish)
Special ships
HMS Derwentdale (LCA)
HMS Bachaquero (LST)
Troop ships
SS Oronsay
RMS Duchess of Atholl
RMS Franconia
Stores and MT ships
SS Empire Kingsley
M/S Thalatta
SS Mahout
SS City of Hong Kong
SS Mairnbank
SS Martand II[51]
Naval Ground Forces
Royal Naval Commandos
Royal Marines

Ground forces

A Valentine tank of the type used during the invasion.
Organization of British ground forces for Operation Ironclad, during the invasion of Madagascar 5 May 1942[52][53]
29th Infantry Brigade (independent) arrived via amphibious landing near Diego-Suarez on 5 May 1942
2nd South Lancashire Regiment
2nd East Lancashire Regiment
1st Royal Scots Fusiliers
2nd Royal Welch Fusiliers
455th Light Battery (Royal Artillery)
MG company
'B' Special Service Squadron with 6 Valentine
'C' Special Service Squadron with 6
Tetrarch tanks
Commandos arrived via amphibious landing near Diego-Suarez on 5 May 1942
No. 5 Commando
British 17th Infantry Brigade Group (of 5th Division) landed near Diego-Suarez as second wave on 5 May 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 third wave on 6 May 1942. Departed 19 May 1942 for India
2nd Cameronians
2nd Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
2nd Wiltshire Regiment
East African Brigade Group arrived 22 June to replace 13 and 17 Brigades
South African 7th Motorised Brigade
Rhodesian 27th Infantry Brigade
arrived 8 August 1942; departed 29 June 1944
2nd Northern Rhodesia Regiment
3rd Northern Rhodesia Regiment
4th Northern Rhodesia Regiment
55th (Tanganyika) Light Battery
57th (East African) Field Battery[51]

Fleet Air Arm

Aboard HMS Illustrious
881 Squadron – 12
Grumman Martlet
Mk.II
882 Squadron – 8
Grumman Martlet
Mk.II, 1 Fairey Fulmar
810 Squadron – 10 Fairey Swordfish
829 Squadron – 10 Fairey Swordfish
Aboard HMS Indomitable
800 Squadron – 8 Fairey Fulmar
806 Squadron – 4 Fairey Fulmar
880 Squadron – 6
Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk IA
827 Squadron – 12 Fairey Albacore
831 Squadron – 12 Fairey Albacore[51]

Vichy France

Naval forces

Japanese submarine I-10 in Penang, 1942.
Merchant Cruiser Bougainville 2
Sloop D'Entrecasteaux
Submarines
Bévéziers
Le Héros
Monge[51]

Land forces

The following order of battle represents the Malagasy and Vichy French forces on the island directly after the initial Ironclad landings.[54]

Members of the Japanese imperial navy midget submarine attack group which included those who carried out the attacks on Diego-Suarez.
West coast
Two platoons of reservists and volunteers at Nossi-Bé
Two companies of the Régiment mixte malgache (RMM – Mixed Madagascar Regiment) at Ambanja
One battalion of the 1er RMM at Majunga
East coast
One battalion of the 1er RMM at
Tamatave
One artillery section (65mm) at Tamatave
One company of the 1er RMM at Brickaville
Centre of the island
Three battalions of the 1er RMM at
Tananarive
One motorised reconnaissance detachment at Tananarive
Emyrne battery at Tananarive
One artillery section (65mm) at Tananarive
One engineer company at Tananarive
One company of the 1er RMM at Mevatanana
One company of the Bataillon de tirailleurs malgaches (BTM – Malagasy Tirailleurs Battalion) at Fianarantsoa
South of the island
Other
One company of the BTM at
Fort Dauphin
One company of the BTM at
Tuléar

Japan

Naval forces

  • Submarines I-10 (with reconnaissance aircraft), I-16, I-18 (damaged by heavy seas and arrived late), I-20
  • Midget submarines M-16b, M-20b

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ Sutherland and Canwell, pp. 98–109
  2. ^ Rigge 1980, pp. 103–104.
  3. ^ a b c Wessels 1996.
  4. ^ Stapleton, Timothy J. A Military History of Africa p. 225
  5. ^ Sutherland and Canwell, p. 108
  6. ^ Winston Churchill, Prime Minister (10 November 1942). "Madagascar (Operations) HC Deb 10 November 1942 vol 383 cc2259-60". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. Archived from the original on 22 May 2014.
  7. ^ a b c Rigge 1980, p. 103.
  8. ^ Grehan 2013, p. 18.
  9. ^ Thomas 1996.
  10. ^ a b Rigge 1980, p. 100.
  11. ^ Grehan 2013, Ch. 9.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i Turner, Gordon-Cummings & Betzler 1961.
  13. ^ "History of Madagascar". History World. Archived from the original on 23 October 2010. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  14. ^ Chris Madsen. "Imperial Defence in the Indian Ocean, 1928–60" (PDF). The Northern Mariner. Canadian Nautical Research Association. p. 144.
  15. ^ a b c d e f Churchill 1950.
  16. ^ a b Sutherland and Canwell, p. 101
  17. ^ a b Flint, pp. 68–69
  18. ^ Rigge 1980, pp. 105–106.
  19. ^
    ISBN 978-1-84884-336-3
    .
  20. ^ Sutherland and Canwell, p. 102
  21. ^ Grehan 2013, pp. 61–62.
  22. ^ Grehan 2013, p. 66.
  23. ^ a b Rigge 1980, p. 105.
  24. ^ Grehan 2013, p. 73.
  25. ISBN 978-1417987412
    .
  26. ^ Grehan 2013, p. 81.
  27. ^ Rigge 1980, pp. 107–108.
  28. ^ Rigge 1980, p. 107.
  29. ^ Joslen 2003, pp. 421–422.
  30. ^ "Stone & Stone: Armies of the Second World War". Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
  31. ^ Grehan 2013, pp. 102–103.
  32. ^ Joslen 2003, pp. 425–426.
  33. ISBN 978-1-84884-336-3
    .
  34. ^ Buckley 1977, pp. 191, 202.
  35. ^ Chant 1986, pp. 196, 266.
  36. ^ "Operation Ironclad: 5–7 May 1942". www.combinedops.com. Archived from the original on 21 March 2009.
  37. ^ Sutherland and Canwell, p. 110
  38. ^ Rigge 1980, pp. 110–111.
  39. ^ a b c Rigge 1980, p. 110.
  40. ^ "A Brief History of Comoros". StudyCountry.com. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  41. ISBN 978-1912680276
    .
  42. ^ "Operation Rose". Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  43. ISBN 978-1-84884-336-3
    .
  44. ISBN 978-1-84884-336-3
    .
  45. JSTOR 2. Archived from the original
    on 14 October 2010.
  46. ISBN 978-1846143519
    .
  47. ^ Grehan 2013, p. 3.
  48. Papers Past
    .
  49. ^ "Medals: campaigns, descriptions & eligibility", Guidance, UK: Government, archived from the original on 23 June 2017.
  50. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Mason RN, Lt Cdr (Rtd) Geoffrey B (2003). "Dutch HNethMS TJERK HIDDES (G 16), ex-HMS NONPAREIL – N-class Destroyer". Service Histories of Royal Navy Warships in World War 2. Archived from the original on 26 March 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  51. ^ a b c d "Operation Ironclad: Invasion of Madagascar". Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2010.
  52. ^ Nafziger, George. "Operation Ironclad Invasion of Madagascar 5 May 1942" (PDF). United States Army Combined Arms Research Library. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  53. ^ Nafziger, George. "British Infantry Brigades 1st thru 215th 1939-1945" (PDF). United States Army Combined Arms Research Library. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  54. ^ "Madagascar, Ordres de bataille" (in French). Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2013.

References

Further reading

External links

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