Operation Meridian
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During
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Operation Meridian was part of a series of British air attacks directed at Japanese-held oil refineries on
Sumatra Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...
. Meridian had two phases: ''Meridian One'' on 24 January 1945 and ''Meridian Two'' on 29 January. As a result, the critical aviation fuel output of the plants at
Palembang Palembang () is the capital city of the Indonesian province of South Sumatra. The city proper covers on both banks of the Musi River on the eastern lowland of southern Sumatra. It had a population of 1,668,848 at the 2020 Census. Palembang ...
was reduced by seventy-five percent.


The attacks

The attacks were made by aircraft from the British Task Force 63, en route to
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, Australia, where it translated into the British Pacific Fleet and subsequently participated in the support of the Allied invasion of
Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...
(
Operation Iceberg Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
). Refuelling at sea was needed and this was supplied by Task Force 69 of the British Eastern Fleet, three escorted tankers. Task Force 63 left Trincomalee in Ceylon on 13 January 1945, for
Sumatra Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...
. On 20 January, Task Force 63 rendezvoused with Task Force 69 and refuelled with great difficulty because of gusting winds and a troublesome swell. The oilers complained of much pumping gear being damaged. The first attack Operation ''Meridian One'', an air strike on the oil refinery at Pladjoe, north of
Palembang Palembang () is the capital city of the Indonesian province of South Sumatra. The city proper covers on both banks of the Musi River on the eastern lowland of southern Sumatra. It had a population of 1,668,848 at the 2020 Census. Palembang ...
, Sumatra was delayed by poor weather from 21 January and the fleet waited off Enggano Island. The attack was finally launched at 6am on 24 January with a lack of wind making take-off more risky. Forty-three
Grumman Avenger The Grumman TBF Avenger (designated TBM for aircraft manufactured by General Motors) is an American World War II-era torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air and naval av ...
torpedo bombers, twelve Fairey Firefly fighter-bombers with rockets and fifty
Grumman Hellcat The Grumman F6F Hellcat is an American Carrier-based aircraft, carrier-based fighter aircraft of World War II. Designed to replace the earlier Grumman F4F Wildcat, F4F Wildcat and to counter the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero, it was the United St ...
, Vought Corsair and
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fighters were launched, approaching with the sun behind them and diving from 9000 feet to 3000 feet to release their bombs. Despite the presence of barrage balloons the refinery was successfully attacked. Losses were heavier than on previous raids; 32 aircraft were lost due to enemy action and crash landings. Avenger squadrons that participated included 820, 849, 854 and 857 Naval Air Squadrons. The fleet refuelled again on 26–27 January. In practice, this was unsatisfactory as, with a mixture of poor weather and inexperience, the tankers suffered damage as ships failed to keep station and hoses parted. On 29 January, the second raid, Operation ''Meridian Two'', an air strike against the oil refinery at Soengei Gerong,
Sumatra Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...
, was undertaken. Despite poor visibility, the flying-off was delayed by less than half an hour and the air strike was made against the oil refinery. Allied aviators claimed 30 Japanese planes shot down in dog-fights and another 38 destroyed on the ground, for the loss of 16 British aircraft. A small Japanese counterattack was attempted, but was defeated by fighter cover and anti-aircraft fire. Task Force 63 refueled from Task Force 69 for the final time on 30 January and sailed for
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. Task Force 69 returned to Trincomalee.


Allied order of battle

The ships involved in Operation ''Meridian'' were: Force 63: (Rear Admiral
Philip Vian Admiral of the Fleet Sir Philip Louis Vian, & Two Bars (15 July 1894 – 27 May 1968) was a Royal Navy officer who served in both World Wars. Vian specialised in naval gunnery from the end of World War I, and subsequently received sever ...
): *Aircraft carriers **, ''Illustrious'', ''Indefatigable'' and ''Victorious'' *Battleship ** *Anti-aircraft cruisers: **, ''Black Prince'' and ''Euryalus'', *Destroyer Flotilla 25 ** HMS ''Grenville'', ''Undine'', ''Ursa'' and ''Undaunted'' *Destroyer Flotilla 27 ** HMS ''Kempenfelt'', ''Wakeful'', ''Whirlwind'', ''Wager'', ''Whelp'' and ''Wessex'' (from 19 January 1945) Force 69 *Light cruiser ** HMS ''Ceylon'' *Destroyer ** HMS ''Urchin'' *Oilers ** ''Wave King'', ''Echodale'', ''Empire Salvage''


See also

*
Operation Boomerang Operation Boomerang was a partially successful air raid by the United States Army Air Forces' (USAAF) XX Bomber Command against oil refining facilities in Japanese-occupied Dutch East Indies during World War II. The attack took place on the nigh ...


References


External links


Royal Navy in the Indian and Pacific Oceans
* ttps://codenames.info/operation/meridian-i/ Operation Meridian I - Codenames : Operations of WW2br>Operation Meridian II - Codenames : Operations of WW2
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meridian, Operation Palembang Indian Ocean operations of World War II World War II aerial operations and battles of the Pacific theatre Aerial operations and battles of World War II involving the United Kingdom Naval battles and operations of World War II involving the United Kingdom