View source for Operation Crimson

{{Short description|Naval operation of World War II}}
{{Distinguish|Project Crimson}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict    = Operation Crimson
| partof      = the [[Pacific War|Pacific Theatre]] of the [[Second World War]]
| image       = Aerial photography of HMS Victorious.jpg
| image_size  = 250px
| caption     = HMS ''Victorious''
| date        = 25 July 1944
| place       = [[Dutch East Indies]]
| coordinates = {{coord|02|00|00|S|118|00|00|E}}
| territory   =
| result      = Inconclusive
| combatant1  = {{flag|United Kingdom}}<br>{{flag|Australia}}<br />{{flag|Netherlands}}<br />{{flagdeco|France|1830}} [[Provisional Government of the French Republic|France]]
| combatant2  = {{flagcountry|Empire of Japan}}
| combatant3  =
| commander1  = {{flagicon|United Kingdom|naval}} [[James Somerville]]
| commander2  ={{flagicon|Empire of Japan|army}} [[Moritake Tanabe]]
| commander3  =
| strength1   = 2 aircraft carriers<br />3 battleships<br />1 battlecruiser<br />6 cruisers<br />10 destroyers<br />2 submarines<br />34–39 fighters
| strength2   = Shore defences<br />2 reconnaissance aircraft<br />9–10 fighters
| strength3   =
| casualties1 = Unknown human losses<br />1 cruiser damaged<br />2 destroyers damaged<br />2 fighters destroyed
| casualties2 = Unknown human losses<br />2 reconnaissance aircraft destroyed<br />2 fighters destroyed<br />2 fighters damaged
| casualties3 = '''Civilian casualties:'''<br /> 1 war correspondent on an Allied ship was killed
| notes =
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Bombing of SE Asia 1944-45}}
| casus       =
}}
{{Campaignbox South-East Asia}}

'''Operation Crimson''' was an Allied naval operation in the [[Second World War]] of the [[Eastern Fleet]], the objective being simultaneous [[naval bombardment]] and aircraft attacks on [[Japan]]ese airfields in the [[Indonesia]]n cities of [[Sabang, Indonesia|Sabang]], [[Lhoknga]] and [[Kutaraja]], from [[aircraft carriers]] in the [[Indian Ocean]] on 25 July 1944.{{sfn|Boniface|2006|p=86}}

==Prelude==
===Plan===
Unlike some earlier operations which had used small forces for harassment and diversion of the Japanese, Operation Crimson was "a full-blooded operation" designed to "make a mess of the air base and harbour installations and wreck any vessels found sheltering there".{{sfn|Murfett|2008|p=357}}

===Task Force 62===
Sailing from [[Trincomalee]], under the command of Admiral [[James Somerville]] were the aircraft carriers {{HMS|Victorious|R38|6}} with [[List of aircraft wings of the Royal Navy|47 Naval Fighter Wing]] (Lieutenant-Commander F. R. A. Turnbull) [[1834 Naval Air Squadron]], [[1836 Naval Air Squadron]] and [[1838 Naval Air Squadron]] with thirty-nine [[Vought F4U Corsair]]s and {{HMS|Illustrious|R87|2}}.{{sfn|MoD|1995|p=209}} The battleships {{HMS|Queen Elizabeth|1913|6}}, {{HMS|Valiant|1914|2}}, {{HMS|Renown|1916|2}} and {{ship|French battleship|Richelieu||2}}, the cruisers {{HMS|Ceylon|30|2}}, {{HMS|Cumberland|57|2}}, {{HMS|Gambia|48|2}}, {{HMS|Nigeria|60|2}}, {{HMS|Phoebe|43|2}}, the Dutch {{HNLMS|Tromp|1937|6}} and the destroyers {{HMS|Quality|G62|6}}, {{HMS|Quilliam|G09|2}}, {{HMS|Racehorse|H11|2}}, {{HMS|Raider|H15|2}}, {{HMS|Rapid|H32|2}}, {{HMS|Relentless|H85|2}}, {{HMS|Rocket|H92|2}}, {{HMS|Roebuck|H95|2}}, {{HMS|Rotherham|H09|2}} and {{HMAS|Quickmatch|G92|6}}, with the submarines {{HMS|Templar|P316|6}} and {{HMS|Tantalus|P318|2}}.{{sfn|MoD|1995|p=215}}{{sfn|Hobbs|2012|p=50}}

== Operation ==

===Air Attack===
The aircraft carriers launched Corsair fighters.{{sfn|Murfett|2008|p=357}} In spite of a five minute delay, it was too dark for the planes to accurately strafe the air fields, so instead they attacked large buildings in the vicinity.{{sfn|MoD|1995|pp=215–216}} Japanese anti-air defences shot down a Corsair, whose pilot was rescued.{{sfn|Hobbs|2012|p=50}}

===Naval bombardment===
The battleships, aided by aircraft from ''Illustrious'', bombarded Sabang harbour installations and the local barracks from afar. The cruisers and destroyers spotted their own targets; the former attacking a wireless station and responding shore batteries, while the latter focused on a radar station. Following the main bombardment, ''Tromp'', ''Quality'', ''Quickmatch'', and ''Quilliam'' under Captain [[Richard Onslow (Royal Navy officer)|Richard Onslow]] entered Sabang harbour, shelling Japanese positions and launching torpedoes. Return fire from [[coastal artillery]] lightly damaged the ships, except for ''Quickmatch'', causing some casualties and killing a war correspondent.{{sfn|Hobbs|2012|p=52}}

===Japanese attack===
[[File:Sumatra.png|thumb|{{center|Map of Sumatra}}]]
As the task force withdrew, two Japanese reconnaissance aircraft tried to shadow it but both were intercepted and shot down. Later in the afternoon, 9 to 10 Japanese [[Mitsubishi A6M Zero|A6M "Zero"]] fighters approached the force. They were engaged by 13 Corsairs, which destroyed two Zeros and damaged two more.{{sfn|Hobbs|2012|p=52}}

== Aftermath ==
[[File:Corsair on HMS Glory (R62) off Rabaul 1945.jpg|thumb|FAA [[Vought F4U Corsair]]s, of the type used in the attack.]]
The Allies lost two Corsairs during the operation.{{sfnm|1a1=Murfett|1y=2008|1p=357|2a1=Hobbs|2y=2012|2p=50}} In a report of the raid,

{{blockquote|The force arrived at flying off position in the early hours of Tuesday 25 July and at 4am the capital ships were detached to bombard Sambang along with Cumberland, Kenya and Nigeria. At {{nowrap|5.25 a.m.}} the two carriers launched their aircraft. The raid was a success with a great deal of damage done to the Japanese forces.{{sfn|Boniface|2006|p=86}}}}

British pilots found that the Japanese airmen were not as skilled as they had been in 1942.{{sfn|Hobbs|2012|p=52}} Operation Crimson was the final event of Admiral Somerville's military command before concerns about his health forced his transfer to diplomatic duty.{{sfn|MoD|1995|p=216}} The British task force did not launch another strike until [[Operation Banquet (Padang)|Operation Banquet]] in August.{{sfn|Hobbs|2012|p=52}}

==References==
{{reflist|20em}}

== Bibliography ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Boniface |first=Patrick |title=HMS Cumberland: A Classic British Cruiser in War and Peace |year=2006 |publisher=Periscope Publishing |location=Penzance |isbn=978-1-904381-37-2}}
* {{cite book |last=Hobbs |first=David |title=The British Pacific Fleet: The Royal Navy's Most Powerful Strike Force |publisher=Seaforth |location=Barnsley |edition=2nd |date=2012 |isbn=978-1-78346-922-2}}
* {{cite book |last=Murfett |first=Malcolm H. |title=Naval Warfare 1919–45: An Operational History of the Volatile War at Sea |year=2008 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=978-1-134-04812-0}}
* {{cite book |ref={{harvid|MoD|1995}}|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=War with Japan: The South-East Asia Operations and Central Pacific Advance |volume=IV |year=1995 |publisher=[[HMSO]] (Ministry of Defence [[Naval Historical Branch]]) |location=London |isbn=0-11-772820-9}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
* [http://pacific.valka.cz/forces/rn.htm#sabang Table of actions by Royal Navy]

{{World War II}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Crimson, Operation}}
[[Category:World War II operations and battles of the Southeast Asia Theatre]]
[[Category:Naval aviation operations and battles]]
[[Category:World War II aerial operations and battles of the Pacific theatre]]
[[Category:Naval battles of World War II involving the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Naval battles of World War II involving France]]
[[Category:Aerial operations and battles of World War II involving the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Naval battles and operations of World War II involving the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:July 1944 events]]