On this day 1945 the @RoyalNavy Pacific Fleet under V/Adm Sir Bernad Rawlings, with its @Australian_Navy & @NZNavy elements launched an air strike on Japan, alongside the vast @USNavy 3rd Fleet under Adm Bill Halsey #WW2 #VJDay

Though considerably smaller than its @USPacificFleet counterpart, by 1945 with two modern battleships & four modern fleet carriers the @RoyalNavy Pacific Fleet was in many ways the largest, most powerful fleet Britain ever operated outside of home waters & the #WW1 Grand Fleet

By 15/08/1945, however, this had been reuced to V/Adm Rawlings' flagship, the battleship HMS King George V, the aricraft carrier HMS Indefatigable, cruisers HMNZS Gambia & HMS Newfoundland & ten destroyers from the @RoyalNavy & @Australian_Navy

Both the British Pacific Fleet & its US counterpart at this point were in increasing need to rest, refit & resupply, however, amid indications Japan may be about to surrender @USPacificFleet CinC Flt/Adm Chester Nimitz ordered Adm Halsey to remain off Japan to maintain pressure

The @RoyalNavy Pacific Fleet CinC Adm Sir Bruce Fraser concurred, but was aware that unlike Flt/Adm Nimitz, his own Fleet Train of supply ships could not maintain a significant force off Japan any longer & so he was forced to order V/Adm Rawlings to withdraw most of his force.

This, V/Adm Rawlings did, sending most of his fleet back to Manus, & obtaining @USNavy assistance for his reduced force to remain on station, his own flagship HMS King George V refuelling from the US oiler Sabine simultaneously with Adm Halseys flagship @USSMissouri on the 13th.

HMS King George V did not just take on US fuel that morning, she also - briefly - took on a @USNavy admiral, for, in his own words, Adm Halsey "went across to 'the Cagey Five' as we called her, on an aerial trolley, just to drink a toast with Vice Admiral Rawlings".

After a pause on the 14th the Allied fleet was ready again & HMS Indefatigable was assigend to carry out strikes against kamikazes on Kisarazu airfield, 30 miles south of Tokyo, launching six Grumman Avenger torpedo bombers of @820NAS & four Fairey Firefly fighters of 1772 NAS..

Escorted by seven Supermarine Seafires of 887 NAS & 894 NAS, launching at dawn alongside their @USNavy brethren, flying their Avengers, Corsairs, Hellcats & Helldivers

At 0545 however, the @RoyalNavy air strike was intercepted by fourteen Japanese Mitsubishi A6M & JM2 fighters from the 302nd Kokutai. In the ensuing dogfight the Seafires claimed seven aircraft shot down, S/Lt Gerry Murphy of 887 NAS firing the last shots, while claiming his 2nd.

Fellow Seafire pilot S/Lt Fred Hockley of 894 NAS was not so fortunate, however. Caught in the Japanese fighters' first pass, S/Lt Hockley was forced to bail out, landing near Chonan where he was captured & executed that night becoming the last British casualty of #WW2.

Meanwhile, news of Japan's surrender reached the Allied fleet, Adm Halsey famously signalling 'It now gives me great pleasure to order all units of Magnolia [the 3rd Fleet] to cease fire. However, fire on all enemy planes, not vindictively, but in a friendly sort of way.'

A 2nd wave of air strikes was recalled while in the air & at 1120 V/Adm Rawlings added a signal of his own: 'End Hostilities & splice the Mainbrace', but at that moment a Japanese Yokosuka D4Y bomber appeared out of the cloud, heading straight for HMS Indefatigable.

The Japanese bomber was engaged by @NZNavy cruiser HMNZS Gambia & a @USNavy Corsair fighter & shot down between cruiser & carrier, HMNZS Gambia's anti-aircraft guns probably firing the last shots of #WW2 https://twitter.com/NZNavyMuseum/status/1294408623536381952?s=20

For anyone wanting to know a bit more about the last air strike of #WW2 & @RoyalNavy S/Lt Fred Hockley , Britain's last casualty, do check out this @theTiser article by @ArmouredCarrier https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/special-features/in-depth/the-final-dogfight-of-world-war-ii/news-story/42d8f3ad3f8c42674721eb3c14f43617

While S/Lt Hockley's old school, Soham Grammar, which he attended until 1934-1940, maintains a page on their website, including photos http://www.sohamgrammar.org.uk/fred_hockley_inmem.htm

The book "The Kamikaze Hunters" by @WIredale has some great material & interviews from a number of pilots flying from @RoyalNavy aircraft carriers in the last months of #WW2 #VJDay https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kamikaze-Hunters-Fighting-Pacific-1945/dp/0230768199

While anyone after a substantial read on the early part of the British Empire's naval war in the Far East will find a lot of interest in @ajcboyd's "The Royal Navy in Eastern Waters" https://www.amazon.co.uk/Royal-Navy-Eastern-Waters-1935-1942/dp/1473892481

And David Hobbs' "The British Pacific Fleet is also a worthwhile read #WW2 #VJDay https://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Pacific-Fleet-Royal-Powerful/dp/1848320485