Submarine reconnaissance for carrier strike force in the Indian Ocean
Submarine reconnaissance for carrier strike force in the Indian Ocean :
Vice admiral Nagumo returned from Pearl to japan for supplies after the
air assault there to prepare for the next operation : a dash in the
indian Ocean with air attack planned against Trincomalee, Columbo and Ceylon.
Combined fleet headquarters wanted submarines to reconoiter enemy waters
around Ceylon and the west coast of India.
Submarine Squadron 2 (I1 through I7) commanded by Rear adm. Hisashi Ichioka,
was assigned the mission.
None of these boats had a clean cut mission other than to reconnoiter for
air strike operations. I7 sank the 9,415 ton British Gelnshiel.
I4, I5, I6 patrolled along the west coast of india, near the Maldives,
I 5 near cape Cormorin and the southern tip of India, I 6 off Bombay.
7 cargo ships sunk.
air results :
HMS Hermes light aircraft carrier sunk
HMS Cornwall and HMS Dorsetshire heavy cruisers sunk. There was
subsequently no effective british naval shield covering the western
and northwestern approaches to Australia.
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"Honorable Builder of Sinking Ships"
Last edited by keltos01; 09-30-08 at 03:38 AM.
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