The Japanese Navy Cripples the British Fleet
On April 6th,
the Kido Butai proceeded east from Ceylon through the Indian Ocean, hunting for
Allied shipping and Naval vessels. When they encountered a lightly protected
fleet of freighters and tankers, they attacked.
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Before the morning was over, 16
freighters lay at the bottom of the Indian Ocean, each one carrying tons of valuable
supplies for the Allied troops in Australia and beyond. Additionally, the light carrier Ryujo, along
with a division of 6 Light Cruisers, launched attacks on two port cities in
eastern India.
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Additionally, its dive bomb squadrons were responsible for
sinking another 3 British support ships.
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By April 8th,
the Kido Butai and its supporting forces had thoroughly harassed the Allied
fleet, but they were far from finished. After refueling in the Bay of Bengal,
the Kido Butai returned to Ceylon to attack again. Carrier Akagi led the way,
launching a singular air strike against the second Ceylon port city of
Trincomalee.
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Later that morning, scouts from the Akagi spotted British Carrier
HMS Hermes and Australian Destroyer HMAS Vampire. The air fleet made quick work
of the Allied ships, sinking both and killing over 300 Allied sailors.
Additionally, the Royal Air Force suffered substantial losses with the complete
destruction of 1 Fairey Fulmar and 8 Hawker Hurricane fighter planes..
After a highly successful series of attacks, Japanese Naval Commander Chiuchi Nagumo decided the Kido Butai’s mission was over and the force would be of more use in the islands northwest of Australia, so the Carrier Strike Force turned east and headed for the Dutch East Indies.
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