Operation Diplomat
Encyclopedia
During World War II
, Operation Diplomat was an Allied naval training operation. It was executed in March 1944 by the British Eastern Fleet
to practice operational procedures that would be used by ships allocated to the British Pacific Fleet
.
Part of the Eastern Fleet left Trincomalee
and Colombo
on 21 March and arrived at a point some 850 miles south of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka
). They rendezvoused, on the 24th, with three tankers escorted by the Dutch cruiser HNLMS Tromp
and practised refuelling at sea for the next two days. Later, on the 27th, they met up with the US Task Group 58.5 which consisted of the carrier USS Saratoga
and her three attendant destroyers (USS Dunlap
, USS Cummings
, and USS Fanning
).
The joint fleet returned to Trincomalee, and British Fleet Air Arm
aircrew took two intensive days to learn the necessary procedures from American aircrews and learn from their experience. Sources differ on the exact dates of these events. http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Navy-c23.html Journal of the Royal New Zealand Navy, implies that training ("exercises") with Saratoga took place before the fleet returned to Trincomalee on 31 March, but http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/ships/carriers/histories/cv03-saratoga/cv03-saratoga.html The Dictionary of American Fighting Ships, says training occurred after the arrival of the French battleship Richelieu
on the 12th April. http://www.cronab.demon.co.uk/ceylon.htm Williams, in the History of the HMS Ceylon, states that the joint fleet returned to Trincomalee on 2 April, whereas http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Navy-c23.html Journal ibid, quotes 31 March.
The ships from the Eastern Fleet were HMS Renown
(flagship of Vice-Admiral second-in-command Eastern Fleet), HMS Queen Elizabeth
and HMS Valiant
, the fleet carrier HMS Illustrious
, cruisers HMS London
, HMS Cumberland
, HMNZS Gambia
and HMS Ceylon
, and ten destroyers.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Operation Diplomat was an Allied naval training operation. It was executed in March 1944 by the British Eastern Fleet
British Eastern Fleet
The British Eastern Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy which existed from 1941 to 1971...
to practice operational procedures that would be used by ships allocated to the British Pacific Fleet
British Pacific Fleet
The British Pacific Fleet was a British Commonwealth naval force which saw action against Japan during World War II. The fleet was composed of British Commonwealth naval vessels. The BPF formally came into being on 22 November 1944...
.
Part of the Eastern Fleet left Trincomalee
Trincomalee
Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,...
and Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
on 21 March and arrived at a point some 850 miles south of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
). They rendezvoused, on the 24th, with three tankers escorted by the Dutch cruiser HNLMS Tromp
HNLMS Tromp (1937)
HNLMS Tromp was the lead ship of the Tromp-class light cruisers of the Royal Netherlands Navy during and after World War II.Originally designated as a flotilla leader and a torpedo cruiser in the Deckers Fleet Plan of 1931, she was laid down at the "Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw Maatschappij" ,...
and practised refuelling at sea for the next two days. Later, on the 27th, they met up with the US Task Group 58.5 which consisted of the carrier USS Saratoga
USS Saratoga (CV-3)
USS Saratoga was the second aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the fifth ship to bear her name. She was commissioned one month earlier than her sister and class leader, , which is the third actually commissioned after and Saratoga...
and her three attendant destroyers (USS Dunlap
USS Dunlap (DD-384)
USS Dunlap was a Mahan-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named after Brigadier General Robert H. Dunlap, USMC.-History:...
, USS Cummings
USS Cummings (DD-365)
The second USS Cummings was a Mahan-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Andrew Boyd Cummings.-History:...
, and USS Fanning
USS Fanning (DD-385)
USS Fanning , a Mahan-class destroyer, was the 2nd ship of the United States Navy to be named for Nathaniel Fanning. She first saw action during World War II immediately following the attack on Pearl Harbor. She continued to serve in the Pacific Theatre throughout the war, and was decommissioned...
).
The joint fleet returned to Trincomalee, and British Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
aircrew took two intensive days to learn the necessary procedures from American aircrews and learn from their experience. Sources differ on the exact dates of these events. http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Navy-c23.html Journal of the Royal New Zealand Navy, implies that training ("exercises") with Saratoga took place before the fleet returned to Trincomalee on 31 March, but http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/ships/carriers/histories/cv03-saratoga/cv03-saratoga.html The Dictionary of American Fighting Ships, says training occurred after the arrival of the French battleship Richelieu
French battleship Richelieu (1939)
The Richelieu was a battleship of the French Navy, lead ship of her class. She served during World War II, on the Vichy Regime side, notably fending off an Allied attempt on Dakar, and later with Allied forces in the Indian Ocean in 1944 and 1945...
on the 12th April. http://www.cronab.demon.co.uk/ceylon.htm Williams, in the History of the HMS Ceylon, states that the joint fleet returned to Trincomalee on 2 April, whereas http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Navy-c23.html Journal ibid, quotes 31 March.
The ships from the Eastern Fleet were HMS Renown
HMS Renown (1916)
HMS Renown was the lead ship of her class of battlecruisers of the Royal Navy built during the First World War. She was originally laid down as an improved version of the s. Her construction was suspended on the outbreak of war on the grounds she would not be ready in a timely manner...
(flagship of Vice-Admiral second-in-command Eastern Fleet), HMS Queen Elizabeth
HMS Queen Elizabeth (1913)
HMS Queen Elizabeth was the lead ship of the Queen Elizabeth-class of dreadnought battleships, named in honour of Elizabeth I of England. She saw service in both World Wars...
and HMS Valiant
HMS Valiant (1914)
HMS Valiant was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the British Royal Navy. She was laid down at the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan on 31 January 1913 and launched on 4 November 1914...
, the fleet carrier HMS Illustrious
HMS Illustrious (R87)
HMS Illustrious , the fourth Illustrious of the British Royal Navy, was an aircraft carrier which saw service in World War II, the lead ship of the Illustrious-class of carriers which also included Victorious, Formidable, and Indomitable.-Construction:Illustrious was built by Vickers-Armstrongs at...
, cruisers HMS London
HMS London (69)
HMS London was a member of the second group of the County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy. She and her sisters; Sussex, Shropshire, and Devonshire differed from the earlier group of Counties, , by having a smaller forward superstructure, which was positioned slightly further aft, and next...
, HMS Cumberland
HMS Cumberland (57)
HMS Cumberland was a County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy that saw action during the Second World War.-Career:Cumberland served on the China Station with the 5th Cruiser Squadron from 1928 until 1938, returning to the UK in March 1935 for a refit...
, HMNZS Gambia
HMS Gambia (C48)
HMS Gambia was a Crown Colony-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was in the service of the Royal New Zealand Navy as HMNZS Gambia from 1943 to 1946...
and HMS Ceylon
HMS Ceylon (C30)
HMS Ceylon was a Ceylon class light cruiser of the British Royal Navy, named for the island of Ceylon — now Sri Lanka — which was a British possession when she was built.-Wartime career:...
, and ten destroyers.
External sources
- Career of HMS Ceylon, Jack Williams which shares text with A Warship called HMS Ceylon by Richard Boyle published by The Sunday Times.
- Operational history of New Zealand cruisers (from The Royal New Zealand Navy, Sydney David Waters, Historical Publications Branch, Wellington. (Part of: The Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–1945)
- USN history of USS Saratoga