Battle of Madagascar
Diego-Suarez is a large bay with a fine harbour near the northern tip of Madagascar. It has an opening to the east through a narrow channel called Oronjia Pass. The naval base lies on a peninsula between two of four small bays enclosed within Diego-Suarez Bay. In the 1880s, France claimed this territory as a coaling station for steamships travelling to French possessions farther east. Queen Ranavalona III signed a treaty on the 17th of December 1885 giving France a protectorate over the bay and surrounding islands. By 1941, the town, bay, and channel were well protected by naval shore batteries.
Following the Japanese conquest of Southeast Asia east of Burma by the end of February 1942, submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy moved freely throughout the north and eastern expanses of the Indian Ocean. In March, Japanese aircraft carriers raided merchant ships in the Bay of Bengal and attacked bases in Colombo and Trincomalee in Ceylon. This raid drove the British Eastern Fleet out of the area and forced them to relocate to Kilindini Harbour in Mombasa, Kenya. 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 immediately.
Japanese Kaidai-type submarines had the longest range of any Axis submarines at the time, exceeding 30,000 nautical miles in some cases. If the Imperial Japanese Navy's submarines could use bases on Madagascar, Allied lines of communication would be affected across a region stretching from the Pacific and Australia to the Middle East and as far as the South Atlantic. On the 17th of December 1941, Vice Admiral Fricke met with Vice Admiral Naokuni Nomura in Berlin to discuss operational areas between German and Japanese navies. By the 8th of April, the Japanese announced they intended to commit four or five submarines for operations in the western Indian Ocean.
The Allies heard rumours of Japanese plans for the Indian Ocean and on the 27th of November 1941, the British Chiefs of Staff discussed the possibility that the Vichy government might cede the whole of Madagascar to Japan. General Charles de Gaulle sent a letter to Winston Churchill on the 16th of December urging a Free French operation against Madagascar. Churchill recognized the risk but did not feel Britain had resources to mount such an operation alone. He also wanted to avoid a joint operation launched by British and Free French forces following experience in the Battle of Dakar.
By the 12th of March 1942, Churchill was convinced of the importance of the operation and planning began in earnest. It was agreed that the Free French would be explicitly excluded from the operation. Force 121 was constituted under Major-General Robert Sturges of the Royal Marines on the 14th of March. Rear-Admiral Edward Syfret commanded naval Force H and supporting sea force. Force 121 left the Clyde in Scotland on the 23rd of March and joined with ships at Freetown in Sierra Leone before proceeding to Durban on the South African east coast.
At Durban, they were joined by the 13th Brigade Group of the 5th Division consisting of three infantry brigades. Syfret's squadron included aircraft carriers Illustrious and Indomitable, battleship Ramillies, cruisers, destroyers, minesweepers, corvettes and auxiliaries. This formidable force faced 8,000 troops mostly conscripted Malagasy at Diego-Suarez. Field-Marshal Jan Smuts pointed out during assembly that mere seizure of Diego-Suarez would not guarantee against continuing Japanese aggression.
Allied commanders launched Operation Ironclad executed by Force 121 including Allied naval, land and air forces commanded by Major-General Robert Sturges. The first wave of British 29th Infantry Brigade and No. 5 Commando landed in Landing Craft Assault on the 5th of May. Follow-up waves came from two brigades of the 5th Infantry Division and Royal Marines carried ashore by landing craft to Courrier Bay and Ambararata Bay just west of Diego-Suarez. A diversionary attack was staged to the east while air cover was provided mainly by Fairey Albacore and Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers.
The defending Vichy forces led by Governor General Armand Léon Annet included about 8,000 troops with approximately 6,000 being Malagasy tirailleurs. Between 1,500 and 3,000 Vichy troops were concentrated around Diego-Suarez. Naval and air defences were relatively light or obsolete with eight coastal batteries, two armed merchant cruisers, two sloops, five submarines, 17 M.S. 406 fighters and ten Potez 63 bombers. Beach landings met virtually no resistance initially as these troops seized Vichy coastal batteries and barracks.
On the morning of the 6th of May, a frontal assault on the defences failed with loss of three Valentines and two Tetrarchs. Three Vichy Potez 63s attempted to attack beach landing points but were intercepted by British Martlets. By end of day fierce resistance resulted in destruction of 10 out of 12 tanks the British had brought to Madagascar. The British had been unaware of strength of French defences known as the 'Joffre line' and were greatly surprised at level of resistance they came across.
The Japanese submarines I-10, I-16, and I-18 arrived three weeks later on the 29th of May. I-10's reconnaissance plane spotted 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 fire two torpedoes while under depth charge attack from two corvettes. One torpedo seriously damaged Ramillies while second sank oil tanker British Loyalty which was later refloated.
Ramillies was later repaired in Durban and Plymouth. Crew of one midget submarine Lieutenant Saburo Akieda and Petty Officer Masami Takemoto beached their craft M-20b at Nosy Antalikely and moved inland towards pick-up point near Cape Amber. They were betrayed when they bought food at village of Anijabe and both were killed in firefight with Royal Marines three days later. One marine was killed in action as well. Second midget submarine was lost at sea and body of crewman found washed ashore a day later.
These attacks demonstrated that despite initial Allied success, Japanese naval forces remained active in the region. The damage to Ramillies required extensive repairs and tied up resources that could have been used elsewhere. The loss of British Loyalty represented another blow to Allied shipping capabilities in the Indian Ocean theater.
Hostilities continued at low level for several months after the 19th of May when two brigades of 5th Infantry Division transferred to India. On the 8th of June, 22nd East Africa Brigade Group arrived on Madagascar followed by 7th South African Motorized Brigade on the 24th of June. On the 2nd of July invasion force sent to Vichy-held island of Mayotte to take control of valuable radio station and use it as base for British operations. Chief of Police and few others attempted escape by car but stopped by roadblocks set up.
Operation Stream Line Jane consisted of three sub-operations code-named Stream, Line and Jane. Stream and Jane were amphibious landings at Majunga on the 10th of September and Tamatave on the 18th of September while Line was advance from Majunga to French capital Tananarive which fell on the 23rd of September. Progress was slow for Allied forces encountering scores of obstacles erected on main roads by Vichy soldiers. Vichy forces attempted to destroy second bridge on Majunga-Tananarive road causing central span to sag merely 6 feet into river below allowing Allied vehicles still to pass over.
Eight days later British force set out to capture Tamatave where heavy surf interfered with operation. As landing craft approached shore they were fired upon by French shore batteries prompting Birmingham to open guns on shores batteries within three minutes French raised white flag and surrendered. From there South Lancashires and Royal Welch Fusiliers set out south to link up with forces there.
Last major action took place on the 18th of October at Andramanalina a U-shaped valley with meandering Mangarahara River where ambush planned for British forces by Vichy troops. King's African Rifles split into two columns marching around 'U' of valley meeting Vichy troops in rear then ambushing them. Vichy troops suffered many losses resulting in 800 surrendering. A Morane fighter operational until the 21st of October even strafing South African troops but by the 21st of October only serviceable aircraft Vichy forces had was Salmson Phrygane transport aircraft.
On the 25th of October King's African Rifles entered Fianarantsoa finding Annet gone this time near Ihosy 40 miles south. Africans swiftly moved after him receiving envoy from Annet asking terms of surrender. He had had enough and could not flee further. An armistice signed in Ambalavao on the 6th of November with Annet surrendering two days later. Allies suffered about 500 casualties in landing at Diego-Suarez and 30 more killed plus 90 wounded in operations following the 10th of September 1942.
Historian John Grehan observed that French held out longer against Allies in Madagascar in 1942 than they had against Germans in France in 1940. This resistance demonstrated the determination of colonial forces to defend their territory despite being outnumbered and poorly equipped.
With Madagascar in Allied hands, military and naval installations established across island crucial for rest of war. Deep water ports vital for control of passageway to India and Persian corridor now beyond grasp of Axis powers. Free French General Paul Legentilhomme appointed High Commissioner for Madagascar in December 1942 only to replace British administration. Like many colonies Madagascar sought independence from French Empire following war.
In 1947 island experienced Malagasy Uprising costly revolution crushed in 1948. Not until the 26th of June 1960 about twelve years later did Malagasy Republic successfully proclaim independence from France. Campaign service in Madagascar did not qualify for British and Commonwealth Africa Star instead covered by 1939-1945 Star.
Up Next
Continue Browsing
Common questions
What was the Battle of Madagascar and when did it take place?
The Battle of Madagascar, also known as Operation Ironclad, took place from May to November 1942. Allied forces launched the invasion on the 5th of May 1942 and concluded hostilities with an armistice signed in Ambalavao on the 6th of November 1942.
Who commanded the British forces during the Battle of Madagascar?
Major-General Robert Sturges of the Royal Marines commanded Force 121 which executed the operation. Rear-Admiral Edward Syfret commanded naval Force H while Governor General Armand Léon Annet led the defending Vichy French forces at Diego-Suarez.
Why did Japan want control of Madagascar during World War II?
Japan sought forward bases in Madagascar to threaten Allied lines of communication across a region stretching from the Pacific and Australia to the Middle East and South Atlantic. The Imperial Japanese Navy planned to use submarines based there to disrupt shipping routes after their conquest of Southeast Asia by February 1942.
How many troops were involved in the initial landing at Diego-Suarez?
Allied forces landed approximately 8,000 troops including three infantry brigades of the 5th Division and No. 5 Commando units. Defending Vichy forces included about 8,000 troops with roughly 6,000 being Malagasy tirailleurs concentrated around the bay.
What happened to the battleship Ramillies during the Battle of Madagascar?
Japanese midget submarine I-20 fired two torpedoes that seriously damaged the battleship Ramillies on the 30th of May 1942. The ship required extensive repairs in Durban and Plymouth while the crew of the midget submarine Lieutenant Saburo Akieda and Petty Officer Masami Takemoto were killed in a firefight three days later.