ɪnˈɪʃəl ˌɪntɚsˈɛpʃən ˌɑːpɚɹˈeɪʃənz pɹˈuːvd ʌnfɹˈuːtfəl ænd, æz ɐ ɹɪzˈʌlt ʌv hˈɛvi dˈæmɪdʒ tə ðɪ ˈɛɹfiːld, ðə skwˈɑːdɹən wʌz wɪθdɹˈɔːn tʊ ˈaɪpoʊ, fˈɔːlɪŋ bˈæk θɹuː bˈʌɾɚwˌɜːθ, wˌɛɹ ðeɪ skwˈɑːdɹən ɐtʃˈiːvd ɪts fˈɜːst ˈɛɹɾʊˈɛɹ vˈɪktɚɹi, wˌɛn ɐ bˈʌfəlˌoʊ pˈaɪləɾᵻd baɪ flˈaɪɪŋ ˈɑːfɪsɚ hˈæɹəld mˈɔntɪfˌɪɹ ʃˈɑːt dˌaʊn ɐ mˌɪtsuːbˈiːʃi ˌeɪ sˈɪks ˈɛm zˈiəɹoʊ sˈɪŋɡəlˈɛndʒɪnd fˈaɪɾɚ.
Initial interception operations proved unfruitful and, as a result of heavy damage to the airfield, the squadron was withdrawn to Ipoh, falling back through Butterworth, where they squadron achieved its first air-to-air victory, when a Buffalo piloted by Flying Officer Harold Montefiore shot down a Mitsubishi A6M Zero single-engined fighter.