- Su are z ▁in ▁Mad agas car . ▁This ▁attack — which ▁occurred ▁at ▁night fall ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁May ▁and ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁dam aging ▁of ▁the ▁batt les hip ▁ ▁and ▁the ▁s inking ▁of ▁the ▁tank er ▁British ▁Lo yal ty — c ame ▁ 2 2 ▁days ▁after ▁the ▁British ▁captured ▁the ▁port ▁from ▁V ich y ▁France ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Mad agas car . ▁ ▁The ▁four ▁potential ▁targets ▁for ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Att ack ▁Group ▁were ▁N ou mé a , ▁Su va , ▁A uck land , ▁and ▁Sydney . ▁Ident ified ▁by ▁reconna issance ▁fl ights ▁conducted ▁by ▁W arr ant ▁F lying ▁Officer ▁Nob uo ▁F uj ita ▁of ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Japanese ▁Navy ▁flying ▁from ▁I - 2 5 ; ▁comm encing ▁ 1 7 ▁February ▁over ▁Sydney ▁Har bour , ▁and ▁the ▁eastern ▁Australian ▁har b ours ▁of ▁Melbourne ▁and ▁Hob art ▁( 1 ▁March ), ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁har b ours ▁of ▁Well ington ▁( 8 ▁March ) ▁and ▁A uck land ▁( 1 3 ▁March ). ▁I - 2 1 ▁and ▁I - 2 9 ▁were ▁sent ▁to ▁select ▁the ▁final ▁target , ▁with ▁I - 2 9 ▁sail ing ▁to ▁Sydney . ▁On ▁the ▁evening ▁of ▁ 1 6 ▁May , ▁I - 2 9 ▁fired ▁on ▁the ▁ ▁Soviet ▁merchant ▁vessel ▁W ellen , ▁ ▁from ▁New castle , ▁New ▁South ▁Wales . ▁Although ▁W ellen ▁escaped ▁with ▁minimal ▁damage , ▁sh