Basic Overview
End date: 20 December 1944
Scope: Minor
Nature: Sea, Sea/air battle
Status: Implemented
Theater
- South-East Asia
Nations Involved
- UK
- Japan
Leadership
- Vian, Philip
Formation
- British East Indies Fleet
Operation Details
'Robson' was a British carrierborne air attack planned by Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser’s East Indies Fleet but undertaken by a force under the command of Rear Admiral Sir Philip Vian against the oil installations at Pangkalan Berang on the north-west coast of Sumatra in the Japanese-occupied Netherlands East Indies (17/20 December 1944).
,The attack was in fact delivered by 27 Grumman Avenger bombers of the fleet carrier Illustrious on the oil, harbour and railway installations of nearby Belawan Deli as a result of adverse weather conditions over the primary target.
,The British ships involved in this operation were the fleet carriers Indomitable and Illustrious, light cruiser Newcastle, light anti-aircraft cruisers Argonaut and Black Prince, and destroyers Kempenfelt, Wakeful, Wessex, Whirlwind and Wrangler.
,An unsuccessful carrierborne air attack was also made on Japanese installations at nearby Medan.
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