British Pacific and East Indies Fleets Phase 2

From the excellent VHS tapes as compiled by Roland R Smith
As we saw in the first phase (Part 10) programme, the British Pacific Fleet had commenced operations against Japanese forces in the Sakishima Gunto area late in March 1945, and it would be a first time experience for the Royal Navy in having to sustain almost daily air strikes throughout a period of over 30 days continuous sea duty. During this same engagement it would also be the first time that British warships experienced the horrors of Japanese kamikaze attacks. Only one carrier, the INDEFATIGABLE, received a direct hit on the flight deck, and although casualties were sustained, with this deck being heavily armoured aircraft were able to land-on within the hour, whereas the American carriers having basically only a wooden flight deck, a direct kamikaze hit always caused far greater serious damage. Two other carriers, the VICTORIOUS & ILLUSTRIOUS, were lucky insomuch the suicide planes just caught their flight decks with glancing blows and fell into the sea alongside, while the destroyer ULSTER was immobilised by a near bomb miss. But more was to come during the 2nd Sakishma phase, especially for the FORMIDABLE. Meanwhile with all the fleet carriers now being assigned to the BPF, the EIF now operated solely with the small escort carriers, of which some are seen in this programme. And while this area of operations eventually came to be regarded somewhat as a back-water, this video will also show that some RN personnel did, on occasions, come face to face with the enemy, unlike their , counterparts in the BPF other than aircrews of course.
Initially I believed just two programmes suffice regarding the East Indies and British Pacific Fleets, but as I started to build a succession of film edits from the archive footage to hand, I began to realise that i f I was to give this subject matter the most video exposure possible, I would need to expand beyond a second phase episode, plus bearing in mind if this project was not thoroughly pursued now it is highly unlikely to ever be so in the future. And that would be tragedy, for much archive film would then remain unseen just locked in the dark timeless vaults of eternity. With such thoughts in mind it prompted me to extend my search to the American National Archives in the hope of finding further related film, and this was reasonably successful for, amongst other things, I found some rare coloured film which allows us to see for the first time full broadside views of some of our warships. And this, along with other items, is included in this episode. But regardless, it is still shattering to think that most of the material contained in this video has remained unseen for now over fifty years, and when one considers that many veterans have since crossed the bar during this period without ever having the opportunity to see again those epic times in which they themselves played such a large part, it is all very sad. Even more so when one considers those times did relate to some of the most important events of their lives and, as one grows older, the awareness of nostalgia becomes more prevalent. Finally to those veterans who will get to see this video, I assure you I have included every warship found in the archive films related to this second phase period.
Roland R. Smith

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Real history here.