Madagascar, capture of

Madagascar, capture of. This was undertaken in May 1942 by troops from British East Africa, South Africa, and the UK (see Map 65).

This island 1,610 km. (1,000 mi.) long off the East African coast was a French colony and 34,000 Malagasy soldiers took part in the fighting which preceded the fall of France. Initially its governor rallied to de Gaulle and the Free French. But after the British had bombarded the French fleet at Mers-el-Kébir in July 1940 he resigned and was replaced by a representative of the Vichy government.

In March 1942MAGIC intelligence revealed that Germany was pressing the Japanese to occupy the island. To forestall this the British Chiefs of Staff decided to capture the naval base of Diégo Suarez situated at the island's northern end. The landing force, in the UK's first major amphibious operation of the war, was commanded by Maj-General Robert Sturges, and comprised two army brigade groups and No. 5 Commando. They were supported by a strong naval force under Rear-Admiral Neville Syfret. Supported by Fleet Air Arm aircraft the landings, on the opposite side of the peninsula to Diégo Suarez, took place before dawn on 5 May 1942. Total surprise was achieved, but resistance soon stiffened. However, a night attack on 6/7 May, which coincided with a diversionary raid on Antsirane on the opposite side of the bay, succeeded. In the morning the French defenders in both places capitulated though the governor refused to do so and retreated to the south of the island with his remaining forces.

The original plan had been limited to capturing Diégo Suarez and allowing the rest of the island to remain in Vichy hands. But South Africa's prime minister, General Smuts, now insisted that other ports be captured as well. Further landings were therefore made at Majunga and Morondava on 10 September, and were followed by others. On 5 November an armistice was arranged and control of the island passed to the Free French. General Paul Legentilhomme was appointed high commissioner and in May 1943 he handed over the island to a civilian governor-general.