Sumatra 1944–45

This book provides the first comprehensive history of how the British Pacific Fleet (BPF) decimated Japanese oil fields in Sumatra, crippling Japan’s oil supply and demonstrating the effectiveness of Anglo-American naval cooperation. By 1944, as the war in Europe neared its end, the Royal Navy was able to deploy a formidable fleet to join the fight against Japan. The BPF was arguably the most powerful fleet the Royal Navy had ever sent into combat.

Naval historian Angus Konstam delves into how the British Pacific Fleet's first major mission was to target the strategically crucial oil fields in Japanese-occupied Sumatra, part of the Dutch East Indies. Between April 1944 and January 1945, the BPF carried out air strikes on oil production facilities, airfields, naval installations, and troop concentrations. Initially working alongside the US Navy, the British learned from the Americans’ fast carrier tactics, and by the end of the Sumatra campaign, the BPF had assembled a formidable fleet of ten aircraft carriers.

Filled with dramatic artwork, maps, 3D diagrams, and archival photos, this book is the definitive account of the Sumatra raids, showcasing how naval air power achieved vital strategic objectives. The successful cooperation between the British and American navies also set the stage for the BPF’s involvement in the later capture of Okinawa.