Douglas Porch, Defeat and Division

The Northern Mariner / Le marin du nord Bengal.Following their successes in the early months of 1942, the Japanese also expected to be able to operate with impunity in the Indian Ocean and stifle trade, particularly the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf to Australia, which would restrict operations being conducted from Australia by Allied forces.To counter the Japanese actions, the Royal Navy rushed forces to the eastern Indian Ocean.Vice Admiral Sommerville arrived in Ceylon on 24 March 1942 and set up his headquarters there.His also wisely established his main operational base at Addu Atoll (in the Maldives), thus creating a "fleet in being" but one that could protect the sea lines of communication in the Indian Ocean, particularly the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf.The Royal Air Force also began to move available aircraft from the Middle East to India and Ceylon, while any available Dutch or Australian aircraft were also sent to Ceylon.Thus, the stage was set for the Japanese naval operations against Ceylon, and other locations, in the Indian Ocean in April 1942.The second portion of the campaign is described in Volume 2 of this series and I look forward to reading it in due course.Michal Piegzik has produced a very good analysis of the Japanese thrust westwards into the Indian Ocean.This campaign is often over-shadowed by the campaign in the Pacific, but the essential flow of logistics support to India, to support the British campaign in Burma, helped prevent a potential Indian uprising.Additionally, maintenance of the sea lines of communication to Australia meant that Allied forces could use the continent as

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