Location
Lat 6° 55' 55N Long 79° 50' 52E  Colombo is the largest city and national capital of Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Located on the western coast of Western Province in Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Borders Colombo Harbor (Port of Colombo).

Wartime History
On April 4, 1942 at dawn, 125 Japanese Navy carrier aircraft (36 D3A Val dive bombers, 53 B5N Kate attack bombers and 36 A6M2 Zeros) under the command of Commander Mitsuo Fuchida from Akagi attack Colombo targeting the harbor as their principal target. Admiral Nagumo kept the rest of his force, approximately another 180 aircraft, in reserve as a second wave, to be launched once Fuchida had confirmed the location of the Eastern Fleet, his principle target. RAF launched two squadrons of RAF Hurricanes and two Navy Fulmars to intercept. The Eastern Fleet was not in port, but the Japanese sank two cruisers: HMS Dorsetshire and HMS Cornwall, one carrier, and several merchant vessels and destroyer HMS Tenedos. Afterwards, Nagumo's forces withdraws to the Singapore Straits.

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Last Updated
October 23, 2019