The North - Madagascar - page 552

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THE BATTLE OF DIEGO SUAREZ
John Grehan
In the days before mass air transportation, Madagascar's geographical location gave
the island immense strategical importance. In World War II, British convoys to the
Middle East and India sailed round the north of Madagascar, passing the great French
naval base of Antsirane (now Antsiranana) at Diego Suarez. Antsirane, its harbour fa-
cilities completed in 1935, was France's most modern colonial port with a dry dock
thatcouldaccommodate28,000-tonbattleshipsandanarsenalcapableofrepairingthe
largest of guns.
It was evident to both the Allied and Axis Powers that whoever held Diego Suarez
controlled the western Indian Ocean. As the French authorities in Madagascar were
firm supporters of the German-influenced Vichy Government, Britain believed that it
hadtooccupytheislandbeforeitwashandedovertoherenemies.So,inthespringof
1942,BritainmountedOperationIronclad,itsfirsteverlarge-scalecombinedland,sea
and air operation, to capture Diego Suarez as the initial step in occupying the whole
island.
A force of some 13,000 troops with tanks and artillery, supported by 46 warships
and transport vessels and 101 aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm, assembled to the north of
Cap d'Ambre before dawn on 5 May 1942. The narrow entrance to Diego Suarez Bay
was known to be powerfully defended by large-calibre artillery so the British decided
to land in Courrier's Bay and march across country to take Antsirane from the land-
ward side.
ThefirsttroopstolandwereCommandos,whocapturedthesmallbatterythatover-
looked Courrier's Bay. The French and Senegalese defenders were still asleep and the
position was taken with little loss of life. However, a small French force ensconced in
an observation post on the summit of Windsor Castle could not be dislodged. For two
days the French clung to their eyrie, despite repeated bombardments from the Royal
Navy and attacks by the Fleet Air Arm and the Commandos.