m ese ▁coast ▁using ▁this ▁type ▁of ▁war fare . ▁British ▁sub mar ines ▁based ▁in ▁British ▁C ey lon ▁operated ▁against ▁Japanese ▁sh ipping . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁only ▁after ▁the ▁war ▁in ▁Europe ▁was ▁clearly ▁coming ▁to ▁an ▁end ▁that ▁large ▁British ▁forces ▁were ▁dispatch ed ▁to ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean ▁again . ▁Following ▁the ▁neutral isation ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁fleet ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁and ▁early ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁forces ▁from ▁the ▁Home ▁Fle et ▁were ▁released , ▁and ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁Operation ▁Over l ord ▁in ▁June ▁meant ▁even ▁more ▁craft ▁could ▁be ▁sent , ▁including ▁pre cious ▁am ph ib ious ▁assault ▁sh ipping . ▁ ▁During ▁late ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁as ▁more ▁British ▁aircraft ▁carri ers ▁came ▁into ▁the ▁area ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁strik es ▁were ▁flow n ▁against ▁oil ▁targets ▁in ▁Sum atra , ▁such ▁as ▁Operation ▁Mer id ian . ▁ ▁was ▁l ent ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁attack ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁oil ▁install ations ▁were ▁heavily ▁dam aged ▁by ▁the ▁attacks , ▁ag gra v ating ▁the ▁Japanese ▁fuel ▁short ages ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁American ▁block ade . ▁The ▁final ▁attack ▁was ▁flow n ▁as ▁the ▁carri ers ▁were ▁heading ▁for ▁Sydney ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁British ▁Pacific ▁Fle et . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁departure ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁battle ▁forces ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean ▁was ▁left ▁with ▁esc ort ▁carri ers ▁and ▁older ▁batt les hips ▁as ▁the ▁main st ay ▁of ▁its ▁naval ▁forces .