Raids into the Indian Ocean
(March 31 - April 9, 1942)
Having effectively put an end to Allied naval strength in the South Pacific with the annihilation of the ABDA forces around Java, Kido Butai (the Japanese carrier striking force) raided westward into the Indian Ocean so as to destroy the remnants of British naval power there. By attacking the main British fleet bases at Colombo and Trincomalee on Ceylon and driving the Royal Navy from the area, the westward flank of the Japanese defensive perimeter would be secure, and operations in Burma could continue unmolested. Starting on March 31, 1942, five Japanes carriers (Kaga had returned to Japan for engine work on March 2) began shooting up practically everything that moved in the Bay of Bengal. On April 5th, Nagumo hit Colombo and sank a number of ships. That afternoon the Japanese also caught two British heavy cruisers offshore and quickly sank them. On April 9th they attacked Trincomalee, and in the process discovered and sank the British light carrier Hermes, a destroyer, and some auxiliaries. Nagumo turned for home upon the conclusion of this raid.
During this entire episode, the bulk of the British Eastern Fleet had either kept out of the way, or had tried rather feebly to track and attack Kido Butai. Given that the British fast striking force had only two full-sized carriers (Indomitable and Formidable) and a single fast battleship (Warspite) to Japan's five and four, respectively, it is probably just as well that they never made contact. All other factors being equal, their only likely fate would have been to be whomped on.
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