Unlike some earlier operations which had used small forces for harassment and diversion of the Japanese, Operation Crimson was "a full-blooded operation" designed to "make a mess of the air base and harbour installations and wreck any vessels found sheltering there".[2]
The aircraft carriers launched Corsair fighters.[2] In spite of a five minute delay, it was too dark for the planes to accurately strafe the air fields, so instead they attacked large buildings in the vicinity.[6] Japanese anti-air defences shot down a Corsair, whose pilot was rescued.[5]
Naval bombardment
The battleships, aided by aircraft from Illustrious, bombarded Sabang harbour installations and the local barracks from afar. The cruisers and destroyers spotted their own targets; the former attacked a wireless station and responding shore batteries, while the latter focused on a radar station. Following the main bombardment, Tromp, Quality, Quickmatch, and Quilliam under Captain Richard Onslow entered the Sabang harbour, shelling Japanese positions and launching torpedoes. Return fire from coastal artillery lightly damaged all of the ships but the Quickmatch, causing some casualties and killing a war correspondent.[7]
Japanese attack
Map of Sumatra
As the task force withdrew, two Japanese reconnaissance aircraft tried to shadow it but both were intercepted and shot down. Later in the afternoon, 9 to 10 Japanese A6M "Zero" fighters approached the force. They were engaged by 13 Corsairs, which destroyed two Zeros and damaged two more.[7]
The Allies lost two Corsairs during the operation.[2][5] In a report of the raid,
The force arrived at flying off position in the early hours of Tuesday 25 July and at 4am the capital ships were detached to bombard Sambang along with Cumberland, Kenya and Nigeria. At 5.25 a.m. the two carriers launched their aircraft. The raid was a success with a great deal of damage done to the Japanese forces.[1]
British pilots found that the Japanese airmen were not as skilled as they had been in 1942.[7] Operation Crimson was the final event of Admiral Somerville's military command before concerns about his health forced his transfer to diplomatic duty.[8] The British task force did not launch another strike until Operation Banquet in August.[7]