Operation Collie was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

naval operation in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, from 5–11 July 1945. Its objectives were, firstly, naval bombardment and aerial strikes on

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

ese positions in the

Nicobar Islands The Nicobar Islands are an archipelago, archipelagic island chain in the eastern Indian Ocean. They are located in Southeast Asia, northwest of Aceh on Sumatra, and separated from Thailand to the east by the Andaman Sea. Located southeast of t ...

,David Wragg, ''The Escort Carrier in the Second World War: Combustible, Vulnerable, Expendable!'', pages 157–169, 2005. particularly on

Nancowry Island Nancowry ( Nancowry language: ''Mūöt'', Hindi: नन्कोव्री ''Nankovrī'') is an island in the central part of the Nicobar Islands chain, located in the northeast Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. Histo ...

;Jürgen Rohwer, ''Chronology of the War at Sea, 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two'', page 423, 2005. secondly, providing cover for minesweeping operations in advance of a possible invasion; and thirdly, making carrier raids on Japanese airfields in northern

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 list of islands by area, sixth-largest island in the world at 482,286.55 km2 (182,812 mi. ...

. These measures were a prelude for an invasion,

Operation Zipper During World War II, Operation Zipper was a British plan to capture either Port Swettenham or Port Dickson, Malaya, as staging areas for the recapture of Singapore in Operation Mailfist. However, due to the end of the war in the Pacific, it ...

, which was never carried out due to the

Surrender of Japan The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was Hirohito surrender broadcast, announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally Japanese Instrument of Surrender, signed on 2 September 1945, End of World War II in Asia, ending ...

.Malcolm H. Murfett, ''Naval Warfare 1919–45: An Operational History of the Volatile War at Sea'', page 446, 2008.

Operational detail

Operation Collie was carried out under the direction of Rear Admiral Wilfrid Patterson, by Ruler-class aircraft carriers and , light cruiser , destroyers , , and , and escort carriers and , and the 6th Minesweeping Flotilla. The carriers transported

Grumman F6F 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 ...

s of the 884 Naval Air Squadron, which flew 82 sorties. Accounts of casualties vary, but one report indicates that two pilots were killed, one during take-off, one in action; and six aircraft were lost, three to enemy action; while another indicated that seven aircraft were lost from the ''Ameer'', with all pilots rescued.HMS Ameer -1945
Overall, the mission was a success, with one report noting that "three flotillas of minesweepers cleared 167 mines off the northwest coast of Malaya and from the waters around the Nicobars."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Collie, Operation World War II operations and battles of the Southeast Asia Theatre Naval aviation operations and battles World War II aerial operations and battles of the Pacific theatre Naval battles and operations of World War II involving the United Kingdom Aerial operations and battles of World War II involving the United Kingdom