Operation Marmalade

'Marmalade' was the British naval operation to capture or destroy the Iranian warships, including the sloop Babr, 'Azerbaijan' class motor launches, and 'Charogh' class motor patrol boats, based at Khorramshahr at the northern end of the Persian Gulf coast of Iran as part of 'Demon' (ii) and 'Countenance' (25 August 1941).

In overall terms 'Marmalade' was planned and implemented for the destruction or capture of the Iranian warships lying in or near the entrance to the Karun river and the simultaneous landing of troops to occupy and hold the naval barracks situated on the left bank of the Karun river. The vessels involved were the British sloop Falmouth, Australian sloop Yarra, Kenyan launch Baleeka and armed river tug Souriya. Yarra captured the 331-ton Iranian gunboats Charogh and Simorgh, depot ship Ivy and tug Neyrou, and the Iranian naval commander-in-chief, Rear Admiral Gholamali Bayandor, was killed ashore while defending the base.