| Operation Balsam | |
|---|---|
| Part of World War II | |
| Type | Naval operation |
| Planned by | British |
| Commanded by | Geoffrey Oliver |
| Objective | Naval bombardment and aerial strikes on Japanese airfields in Sumatra, Japanese vessels in the Strait of Malacca, and aerial reconnaissance |
| Date | 10 June 1945 (1945-06-10) |
| Outcome | Runways were put out of action, buildings, installations, hangars, locomotives, rolling stock and grounded aircraft strafed |
| Casualties | O. F. Wheatley |
Operation Balsam was aBritish naval operation inWorld War II, from 10–20 June 1945,[1] under the command of CommodoreGeoffrey Oliver. The third in a string of similar missions, the objectives were thenaval bombardment andaerial strikes onJapanese airfields inSumatra, Japanese vessels in theStrait of Malacca,[1] andaerial reconnaissance.[2]
Naval forces involved sailed fromTrincomalee on 14 June 1945.[3] Ships involved included the escort carriersHMS Stalker,HMS Khedive,HMS Ameer;[1] cruisersHMS Suffolk andHMS Royalist;[1] and five destroyers,HMS Rotherham,HMS Relentless,HMS Redoubt,HMS Roebuck, andHMS Racehorse.[2] The carriers transportedGrumman F6F Hellcats of804 Squadron and808 Squadron, andSupermarine Seafires of809 Squadron.[4]
Flights were restricted to photo-reconnaissance over southern Malaya for the first few days of the active operation, on 18 and 19 June.[2][4] One account describes how the fighter pilots "were growing restless on a diet of undilutedCAPS, but Commodore Oliver reassured them they would have an opportunity to 'leave their cards'".[4] On 20 June, the fighters engaged in their first offensive sorties against the airfields atLhokseumawe,Medan andBinjai. The results were reported as follows:
Runways were put out of action, buildings, installations, hangars, locomotives, rolling stock and grounded aircraftstrafed. There was no enemy air opposition but one Hellcat was lost to flak over Medan - a particular tragedy for 808 Sq., since the pilot was their CO, Lt. Cdr. O. F. Wheatley,RNVR. His Hellcat was last seen in flames, with its tail shot away. It was his first flight after taking over command of the squadron.[4]