Action of 27 February 1941

Maldive Islands (orthographic projection)

Date	27 February 1941
Location	off Maldives, Indian Ocean
Result	New Zealand victory

Belligerents

New Zealand

Italy

Commanders and leaders

R. H. Bevan

Alfredo Bonezzi

Strength

1 cruiser

1 auxiliary cruiser

Casualties and losses

none

1 auxiliary cruiser sunk
1 killed
113 captured
1 died of wounds

The Action of 27 February 1941 was a single ship action between a New Zealand cruiser and an Italian auxiliary cruiser. It began when HMNZS Leander ordered a flagless freighter to stop for an inspection. Instead of complying, the freighter, the Ramb I, raised the Italian colours and engaged the cruiser, Leander sinking Ramb I shortly after. Most of the Italian crew were rescued and taken to Addu Atoll, then Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Leander returned to patrol southwards, after more reports were received of commerce raiders in the area.

In January 1941, British forces simultaneously advanced from Sudan and Kenya into Eritrea, Abyssinia and Italian Somaliland, as the navy blockaded and bombarded Italian harbours. The port of Kismayu in Italian Somaliland was occupied on 14 February and sixteen Italian and German ships there were sunk or captured, except for one vessel; Merka and Mogadishu were occupied on 25 February and several hundred merchant sailors were liberated. As Allied forces closed on Massawa, the Italian Red Sea Flotilla was ordered to break out and run for friendly ports. A group of Italian vessels consisting of the colonial ship Eritrea and the auxiliary cruisers Ramb I and Ramb II attempted to operate as commerce raiders, while en route to Japan. The Italian squadron managed to evade the British blockade on 20 February and scattered into the Indian Ocean, Ramb I heading for the Dutch East Indies.

HMNZS Leander was the leader of the Leander class of cruisers, armed with eight 6 in (150 mm) guns, ten 4 in (100 mm) guns, twelve .50 in (12.7 mm) Vickers machine guns in quadruple mounts and eight 21 in (530 mm) torpedo tubes. Leander also had armour plating over her turrets, deck and magazines and a top speed of 32.5 kn (60.2 km/h; 37.4 mph).

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