Operation Meridian

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During World War II, Operation Meridian was a series of British air attacks conducted on 24 and 29 January, 1945 (Meridian One and Meridian Two on Japanese-held oil refineries at Palembang, on Sumatra. The critical aviation fuel output of these plants were reduced by seventy-five percent.

The attacks were made by aircraft from the British Task Force 63, en route to Sydney, Australia, where it translated into the British Pacific Fleet and aubsequently participated in the support of the Allied invasion of Okinawa (Operation Iceberg). Refuelling at sea was needed and this was supplied by Force 69 of the British Eastern Fleet - three escorted tankers.

TF63 left Trincomalee on 13 January, 1945, for Sumatra. On the 20th, they rendezvoused with TF69 and refuelled with great difficulty because of gusting winds and a troublesome swell. The oilers complained of much gear being damaged. The first attack Operation Meridian One, an air strike on the oil refinery at Pladjoe, north of Palembang, Sumatra was delayed by poor weather from the 21st January until the 24th and the fleet waited off Enggano Island.

The attack was finally launched at 6am on the 24th. Forty-three Avenger bombers, 12 Firefly fighter-bombers with rockets and fifty Hellcat, Corsair and Seafire fighters were launched and successfully attacked the refinery. There were more losses than on previous raids and thirty-two aircraft were lost due to enemy action and crash landings.

The fleet refuelled again on the 26th and 27th January. In practice, this was unsatisfactory as, with a mixture of poor weather and inexperience, damage was done to the tankers as ships failed to keep station and hoses parted.

On the 29th, the second raid, Operation Meridian Two, an air strike against the oil refinery at Soengei Gerong, Sumatra, took place. Despite poor visibility the flying off was delayed by less than a half-hour and the air strike was made against the oil refinery. Thirty Japanese planes were shot down in dog-fights and another thirty-eight were destroyed on the ground, for the loss of 16 British aircraft. A light Japanese attack was attempted on the fleet but it was were defeated by the fighter cover and anti-aircraft fire.

TF 63 refueled from TF 69 for the final time on the 30th January and sailed for Fremantle, Western Australia. TF 63 returned to Trincomalee.

[edit] Allied order of battle

The ships involved in Operation Meridian were:

Force 63: (Rear Admiral Philip Vian):

aircraft carriers HMS Indomitable, Illustrious, Indefatigable and Victorious

battleship HMS King George V

anti-aircraft cruisers: HMS Argonaut, Black Prince and Euryalus,

destroyers: Destroyer Flotilla 25 (HMS Grenville, Undine, Ursa and Undaunted)
Destroyer Flotilla 27 (HMS Kempenfelt, Wakeful, Whirlwind, Wager, Whelp and Wessex (from 45/01/19))

Force 69

light cruiser HMS Ceylon

destroyer HMS Urchin

oilers Wave King, Echodale, Empire Salvage