It was Somerville’s screening force, the light cruiser Caledon with destroyers Fortune, Vampire and Vendetta. The bigger ships following were Vice Admiral Willis with his battleships on close cover for Indomitable. The sea around them was already erupting with water splashes from the guns of the heavy cruiser Tone.
“Our escort is on the job, said Harada. Bring us about and steer 180. We’ll open the range. Monitor the situation and if Tone needs assistance, we’ll go to our deck gun.”
Tone would not need assistance. Her ten 8-inch guns were more than a match for Caledon, and the three destroyers broke off to the west, running towards distant Ceylon. The battleships could never get close enough, for Tone was a very fast ship.
“Sir,” said Shiota. “From the signal traffic I’m hearing, I think we got that carrier—Illustrious,”
Fukada smiled, rubbing his hands together. “Two down and one to go,” he said.
“Do we have a fix on that last British carrier?” asked Harada.
“No sir,” said Otani. “When we broke south away from those destroyers we lost the contact. Predictive plot still has them on the board, but that is not reliable information if they’ve turned. My best guess is that they’re at 350, probably 40 nautical miles out from our position—over a hundred miles from our carriers. Their second DD screen just slipped over the horizon and went yellow. The only firm red contact I have now is that cruiser at 250.”
“Probably Cornwall or Dorsetshire,” said Fukada.
“Bring us about,” said the Captain. “We’ll chase that ship off if it has any ideas about trying to support that carrier. Feed Hara your best guess as to the carrier’s position based on that predictive plot. It’ll take them time to arm and spot for a strike, so factor that in.”
By 10:15 the brief, but violent engagement had ended, and the surviving planes had been recovered. Somerville was by no means out of the hot water, and now he called a conference of Wells, and the ship’s Captain Troubridge.
“Our own speed is falling off,” he said. That splinter damage to the boilers yesterday was bound to make itself known. Pressure is off and we’re down to 22 knots. At this rate, I don’t think we’ll get around Ceylon. Our only chance might be to turn north now, and make for Trinco. From there we go on to Madras, and hopefully under cover of the planes the RAF moved there. It was a footrace, gentlemen, and they won it. Illustrious paid the price.”
“If we turn now we might slip away,” said Troubridge.
“Mister Wells?”
“Agreed sir. If we could get up to speed I’d say press on, but under the circumstances, better to head north. We might open the range enough to cause them difficulties, but I would expect at least one more air strike today, and possibly two.”
“Then make it so, Captain, and signal Vice Admiral Willis, and all close supporting units to break off north. Any ship farther out is to carry on and attempt to reach Addu. We’ve been given a good hard beating here, and one I’ll not soon forget. Let’s just hope we can save this last carrier.”
“Don’t forget Hermes, sir,” said Wells. “She’s still at Trinco.”
“And with twelve planes,” said Somerville. “Well, we’ve got less than two dozen here. Are the fighters on deck?”
“Eight Martlets and a pair of Seafires ready.”
“Good, leave them there. If we launch, they’ll just come up on the enemy radar and let them know exactly where we are. So we skulk off north, and hope for the best. We’ll scramble the fighters if the enemy tries to hit us again. As for the battleships, we can’t wait for them, as much as I might want their added firepower for defense. Let’s see if we can work up more steam and run like the wind. In the meantime, keep your fingers crossed, and hold tight to those rabbit’s feet.”
Hara now considered his own options. He had sunk a second carrier, but the other was reported some thirty or forty miles further on, yet that contact was now over 90 minutes old. His forward scout group with Tone and Takami was following a British heavy cruiser to the west, and that was now their only solid contact. The day was young, and he could get planes up to look for the enemy again, which is what he decided to do. Until he knew more, he would continue due west towards Koggala. He had not yet used his dive bombers, knowing the enemy had armored flight decks like Taiho. Now he began to consider using those planes to strike the British bases. He could always spot torpedo planes on one of the other carriers in the event he found the British fleet again.
Using information provided by Takami, he sent another scouting group northwest, looking to find his enemy running down near the coast of Ceylon. By 11:10 he had found a heavy cruiser, still running southwest as before, but there was no sign of the carrier. Or any other ships. Where might they be, lost in this low marine layer? Might they have turned north?
By noon, with no further word, he was beginning to think his quarry had turned to run for Trincomalee. We must have hurt them very badly yesterday. Today they did not even dare to draw their sword. Suzuya fell as she ran down the enemy, but after that, we have not seen a single enemy plane.
An hour ago, they should have been within easy strike range, but now that begins to change. I will ignore the ships fleeing west. My mission was to attack Colombo. Ozawa still has three heavy cruisers, and four destroyers. I will order them to look for the enemy to the north. For now, it is time to get the dive bombers on deck and prepare to hit the enemy port. In another hour we will be close enough, and the planes can fly right over the island
At 1:30 the planes were up and on their way. Somerville on Indomitable was just able to see them on their long range radar, but he was unwilling to launch fighters unless he knew the enemy had found him out. The last of his fighters were on deck, engines running, ready for takeoff, but he held them tight, waiting.
“Sir,” came a message from the radar crews. “We’ve lost contact with those enemy planes. They must have moved to the northwest. There’s nothing on the scope heading our way now.”
Somerville nodded.
“Get yourself to the radio room,” he said. “Have them send out a coded warning to Colombo. The Japanese are coming.”
Somerville looked at Wells, a look on his face like a man who had just received a severe dressing down. “Mister Wells,” he said. “We got very lucky just now, and must never forget it. You and I might have shared the dubious distinction of having been the only two officers in the Royal Navy to ride a sinking ship down twice in the same battle. They’re going to hit Colombo next. Thank God for low clouds when you need them.”
“Will we make for Trinco, sir?”
“Too close,” said Somerville. We’d better run all the way up to Madras. Number 67 Squadron has Hurricanes at Alipore, and 146 Squadron has more at Dum Dum. I’ll see about getting them moved to Madras.”
“We be in a bit of a box, sir,” said Wells.
“Yes, I know that, but the Japanese can’t stay here forever. Their fleet will have to withdraw to Singapore, and then we’ll slip out to sea.”
“Will they come for Ceylon sir?”
“Very likely, but I’m afraid we won’t be able to do a thing about that. It will come down to the fight on the ground there now. At our first opportunity, I’m taking the fleet to Addu; perhaps all the way west to Madagascar. We’ll need considerable reinforcements if we have any hope of showing our faces in the Bay of Bengal again soon. God only knows where we’ll find them. I’ve a lot to answer for here, and had I sat with you earlier, and listened to your good advice, things might be a good deal better. As it stands, this whole sad affair can be laid at my feet, and I’ll spend a good long time writing my report.”