SOE F

The Battle of Madagascar.

 

It was May 5, 1942, and the Allies were storming the beaches of Madagascar. There would be a few days of hard fighting ahead of them before they defeated the Vichy-controlled French army stationed there.

 

It was imperitive for the Allies to capture the tropical island to prevent ownership to be transferred to the Japanese. If the Japanese gained control of this Island, they would have a naval base of operation on the other side of the India Ocean, allowing them full control of the Indian ocean. And those who control the Indian ocean control trade in the region.

 

Thus the invasion of Madagascar was of great importance in the allied offensive. Invasions such as this take careful planning, and use of informants on the ground to alert the Allies of any enemy troop movements. This is where the SOE F came into use.; long before their key roles in  the preparation of the invasion of Normandy, they saw use in different parts of the world.