At the second Quebec conference in September , the United States President Franklin D Roosevelt accepted Churchill's suggestion that a British fleet be used in the main theatre of operations against Japan.
As the island hopping Pacific war moved through the Philippines inexorably toward Japan, the British fleet was to operate from a main base to be established in Sydney, with an intermediate base at Manus in the Admiralty Islands.
This included substantial changes to British carrier and Fleet Air Arm doctrine, as the air operations in the restricted waters of the European theatre were replaced by large numbers of aircraft operating with a single purpose from several carriers simultaneously, as well as the introduction of superior American aircraft. In spite of a worldwide shortage of afloat support ships and the difficulties inherent in creating a large supply organisation some 12, miles away from home, the RN was able to assemble about 60 ships for the Fleet Train; a mixed group including many nationalities and vessels from the RN , the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, as well as numerous merchant ships from Britain and the European Allies.
Unfortunately the BPF Train was short on fast tankers capable of refuelling ships at sea, and this subsequently became a serious handicap for the fighting ships. While on their way to Australia, aircraft from the BPF successfully attacked two oil refineries at Palembang in eastern Sumatra inflicting heavy losses on the defending Japanese aircraft.
When the fleet arrived at their main base in Sydney on 11 and 12 February , its ranks were full of confidence for the future. Three hundred young Australian women attended dances each night as hostesses, while some 12, homes in New South Wales offered hospitality to British sailors.
