Eastern Fleet

E155715

The Eastern Fleet was a major British Royal Navy formation in the Indian Ocean during World War II, tasked with defending Allied interests and countering Japanese naval forces in the region.

All labels observed (5)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Royal Navy fleet
military formation
activeFrom 1941
activePeriod World War II
activeUntil 1944
alliance Allies of World War II
areaOfOperations Arabian Sea
Bay of Bengal
Indian Ocean sea lanes
waters off Ceylon
composition aircraft carriers
auxiliary vessels
battleships
cruisers
destroyers
submarines
conflict World War II
surface form: Second World War
country United Kingdom
engagedIn anti-submarine warfare in the Indian Ocean
carrier-based air operations against Japanese positions
headquartersLocation Colombo
Mombasa
surface form: Kilindini, Mombasa
notableCommander Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser
Admiral Sir Geoffrey Layton
Admiral James Somerville
surface form: Admiral Sir James Somerville
notableOperation Indian Ocean raid
surface form: Indian Ocean raid response (1942)

Operation Tiderace
surface form: Operation Ironclad

convoy escort operations in the Indian Ocean
operatedBy Royal Navy
opponent Axis powers
Imperial Japanese Navy
partOf Allied naval forces in the Indian Ocean
British Home Fleet
surface form: Royal Navy Home Fleet and overseas fleets system
predecessor East Indies station
surface form: East Indies Station
primaryMission deterrence of Japanese incursions into the Indian Ocean
escort of convoys
protection of sea lines of communication
role countering Japanese naval forces
defence of Allied interests in the Indian Ocean
status disbanded
strategicImportance defence of Ceylon
protection of routes between Britain, the Middle East, and India
security of shipping around the Cape of Good Hope
successor British Pacific Fleet
East Indies Fleet
supported Allied air operations in the Indian Ocean region
British Army operations in the Indian Ocean region
theatre Indian Ocean

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (10)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Indian Ocean raid opponent Eastern Fleet
South East Asia Command subordinateFormation Eastern Fleet
this entity surface form: Allied Naval Forces Eastern Fleet
Easter Sunday Raid defender Eastern Fleet
this entity surface form: British Eastern Fleet
HMS Dorsetshire partOf Eastern Fleet
this entity surface form: British Eastern Fleet
HMAS Vampire commandStructure Eastern Fleet
Force Z partOf Eastern Fleet
this entity surface form: Eastern Fleet (early phase)
James Somerville partOf Eastern Fleet
Admiral James Somerville notableCommand Eastern Fleet
subject surface form: James Somerville
Admiral James Somerville notableCommand Eastern Fleet
subject surface form: James Somerville
this entity surface form: Indian Ocean naval forces