▁British ▁C ey lon ▁to ▁Kil ind ini ▁near ▁M omb asa ▁in ▁Ken ya , ▁as ▁their ▁more ▁forward ▁fleet ▁anchor ages ▁could ▁not ▁be ▁ade qu ately ▁protected ▁from ▁Japanese ▁attack . ▁The ▁fleet ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean ▁was ▁then ▁gradually ▁reduced ▁to ▁little ▁more ▁than ▁a ▁con voy ▁esc ort ▁force ▁as ▁other ▁commit ments ▁called ▁for ▁the ▁more ▁powerful ▁ships . ▁From ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁it ▁was ▁also ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁Mad agas car   — ▁an ▁operation ▁aim ed ▁at ▁th wart ing ▁any ▁attempt ▁by ▁Japan ▁to ▁use ▁bases ▁on ▁the ▁V ich y ▁French ▁controlled ▁territory . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁Mad ras ▁City ▁was ▁attacked ▁by ▁a ▁M its ub ishi ▁R ufe , ▁( the ▁Zero ' s ▁se ap lane ▁version ) ▁operating ▁from ▁the ▁car rier ▁ ▁which ▁dropped ▁a ▁single ▁bomb ▁near ▁the ▁St . ▁George ▁Fort . ▁The ▁physical ▁damage ▁was ▁neg lig ible , ▁though ▁the ▁public ▁response ▁was ▁major ▁and ▁the ▁city ▁was ▁ev acu ated ▁because ▁of ▁fear s ▁of ▁subsequent ▁Japanese ▁bomb ing ▁and ▁invasion . ▁Many ▁rich ▁families ▁from ▁Mad ras ▁moved ▁perman ently ▁to ▁the ▁hill ▁stations ▁in ▁fear . ▁ ▁Also ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁a ▁possible ▁Japanese ▁invasion ▁of ▁India , ▁the ▁British ▁began ▁improvements ▁to ▁the ▁K oda ik anal - M unn ar ▁Road ▁to ▁facil itate ▁its ▁use ▁as ▁an ▁ev acu ation