Sumatra 1944–45: The British Pacific Fleet's oil campaign in the Dutch East Indies

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Angus Konstam Edouard A. Groult

Sumatra 1944–45

The British Pacific Fleet's oil campaign in the Dutch East Indies

Angus Konstam, Edouard A. Groult

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English

Osprey Publishing
04 March 2025

History; Second World War; Naval forces & warfare; Air forces & warfare; Battles & campaigns

Series: Air Campaign

The first history of how the aircraft of the British Pacific Fleet shattered Japanese oilfields in Sumatra, starving Japan of oil and proving how Anglo-American navies could fight together.

With the war in Europe in its final stages, by 1944 the Royal Navy was able to put together a major force to join the campaign against Japan. The British Pacific Fleet was arguably the most powerful fleet the Royal Navy has ever sent into action.

In this book, renowned naval historian Angus Konstam explores how the first target of British naval power in the Pacific would be the strategically vital oil fields in Japanese-occupied Sumatra, part of the Dutch East Indies. Between April 1944 and January 1945, the task force struck oil fields and production centres, Japanese airfields, naval facilities and troop concentrations. Initially working alongside US Navy carriers, and learning their ruthlessly effective fast carrier doctrine, the British would end the Sumatra campaign with a powerful fleet of ten carriers of their own.

Packed with dramatic artwork, maps, 3D diagrams and archive photos, this is the first history of the Sumatra raids, a prime example of how naval air power could achieve key strategic ends. They also proved that the Allied navies could fight successfully alongside one another - paving the way for the BPF’s participation in the capture of Okinawa.

By: Angus Konstam
Illustrated by: Edouard A. Groult
Imprint: Osprey Publishing
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Volume: 49
Dimensions: Height: 246mm, Width: 184mm, Spine: 8mm
Weight: 306g
ISBN: 9781472862419
ISBN 10: 1472862414
Series: Air Campaign
Pages: 96
Publication Date: 04 March 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Angus Konstam is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and has written widely on naval history, with well over a hundred books in print. He is a former Royal Navy officer, maritime archaeologist and museum curator, who has worked in the Royal Armouries, Tower of London, and Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. Now a full-time author and historian, he lives in Orkney.

Reviews for Sumatra 1944–45: The British Pacific Fleet's oil campaign in the Dutch East Indies

In this well illustrated account, the author examines the importance of the oilfields to the Japanese war effort and describes the capabilities of both sides. The objectives of the campaign are then outlined before he described the various British attacks and the Japanese responses in considerable detail. * Flypast Magazine *