Battle of Diego Suarez

5–7 May 1942, Diego Suarez, northern Madagascar

British victory; Diego Suarez taken

With the Japanese carriers loose in the Indian Ocean, Britain feared they would use the great harbour of Diego Suarez in Vichy-held Madagascar, astride the convoy route round the Cape to Egypt and India. In Operation Ironclad, Rear Admiral Neville Syfret's force put troops ashore on the west coast early on 5 May 1942 to march across to the port. Swordfish from Illustrious and Indomitable attacked the ships in the harbour, sinking the armed merchant cruiser Bougainville and the submarine Bévéziers. The French held the land defences for two days, until on the night of 6 May the destroyer Anthony raced into the harbour under fire and landed 50 Royal Marines from Ramillies in the town behind them. The defenders surrendered on 7 May; Le Héros and the sloop D'Entrecasteaux had been sunk or beached the day before, and Monge was sunk on 8 May. At the end of the month a Japanese midget submarine got into the harbour and torpedoed Ramillies and a tanker. The rest of Madagascar held out until November.