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A number of people may have heard about Operations Jaywick & Rimau raids by the special raiding unit, ‘Z’ Force, an Anglo-Australian unit on Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour, Jaywick in Sep 43, and Rimau, in Sep 44. Given what people have learnt about WW2, it has been assumed by many that these were the only allied naval raids on Singapore & the region during the war. However, the Royal Navy was also active in region, with their most notable action being Operation Struggle, the successful midget submarine attack on the Japanese Heavy Cruiser, Takao at the Singapore Naval Base on 31 Jul 45.
Operation Struggle began on 30 Jul 45, when 2 midget submarines known as X-craft, the XE-1 & the XE-3 with crews of 4 each left their towing submarines and began making their way to the Johor Straits. While the XE-1 was delayed by some problems, the XE-3, commanded by LT. Fraser made its way slowly but steadily, passing the Horsburgh Lighthouse at 2300hrs on 30 Jul 45. Manoeuvring slowly through the shallow calm waters of the Johor Straits, the XE-3 reached the Singapore Naval Base anchorage at 1030hrs on 31 Jul 45, passing through the protective boom and using their sounding equipment more than their periscope to make their way. This was because, whenever the periscope broke the surface, it would leave a wake behind it in the calm waters, making detection of the submerged vessel possible. They managed to find their target, the Takao at around 1250hrs on 31 Jul 45.
Why was the Takao and the other vessels at the Singapore Naval Base an important target at this late stage of the war? It may have been that the Takao and her counterparts represented a significant threat to Operation Zipper, the Allied plan to land in Malaya. Given the Allies’ experiences at Guadacanal in the Solomon Islands in Aug 42 & Leyte Gulf in the Philippines in Oct 44, where they had been caught off guard by Japanese surface forces which had cost them losses, especially at Guadacanal. The Japanese would have also endangered the invasion fleets on both occasions, had they not backed off suddenly on each occasion.
After spotting his target, LT. Fraser manoeuvred his submarine carefully through the shallow waters. When he reached the Takao, instead of lining up the XE-3 against the hull, he slowly brought it under the angled keel of the ship, despite the danger of getting stuck in between his target and the bottom of the anchorage. He did so to allow his diver, Leading Seaman Magennis to place his Limpet Mines – explosive charges that are attached magnetically to the hull of a ship - where they could cause the most damage. After Seaman Magennis had placed his charges, which took a long time, as there were a number of barnacles on the hull that he had to painstakingly scrape off in order to attach his charges. Once he returned to the sub, the crew of the XE-3 then released their main side charges from their carriers, one of which did not detach completely. Despite his weariness from laying the earlier charges ands the danger of discovery, Seaman Magennis volunteered to go out and detach the jammed charge, despite the dangers of detonation and discovery by the enemy. Luckily he was successful and the XE-3 managed to leave the anchorage and rendezvous with its mother ship without further incident. The other midget sub, XE-1 later reached the harbour and placed its charges on the Takao as well after missing its original target, another heavy cruiser.
When the charges exploded, the Takao was so badly damaged that it sank, thus eliminating the threat she had presented. Later, when the British returned, they raised the wreck and scuttled it in the Malacca Straits in 1946. For their part in Operation Struggle, the crews of the midget subs were decorated with LT. Fraser and Leading Seaman Magennis receiving the Victoria Cross, Britain highest military honour and the last awarded to the Royal Navy during the war.
In addition to Operation, Struggle, the Royal Navy was also involved in aircraft carrier raids on oilfields on the island of Sumatra, sinking another Japanese heavy Cruiser in the last destroyer attack using torpedoes and their submarines and small craft were also quite active in the region.
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