FIRST DETAILS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 117, 21 May 1942, Page 2

FIRST DETAILS

MADAGASCAR ASSAULT CLOSE CO-OPERATION OF BRITISH FORCES. London, May 15. The published otlicial details of the British operations in Madagascar provide further evidence of the close co-operation of the land, sea and air forces, and also disclose that an aircraft-carrier and its planes played a decisive part during tne assault on the naval base of Diego Suarez. When the assault began at dawn on May 5, British aircraft attacked the aerodrome at Antsirane, in Diego Suarez Bay. The attack was so successful that the defenders Jost their air power at the start. At the same time a British landing party arrived off Courier Bay. While a passage was being swept for them through a minefield, a. corvette struck a mine and sank with, it is believed, few casualties. Then, tn spite of bad weather, the British forces were quickly ashore. Special service troops and a company of the East Lancashires captured the coastal battery commanding the bay. The main body was then able to push eastwards so rapidly that the town of Diego Sureaz was captured by 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Meanwhile, another landing party was meeting with strong opposition across the isthmus two miles south of Antsirane. Next morning, when the first assault was made, the British troops w / e held up by deadly cross-lire from field guns and machine-guns. Reinforcements were hurried up, and the attack was resumed at dusk. Royal Marines made a surprise landing from a British destroyer.in the enemy rear, and the British then penetrated the defences. Antsirane surrendered that night, and next day the victory was completed by the submission of the coast defence batteries on the peninsula commanding the entrance to the harbour of Diego Suarez.