"Fearing that Japan's strong fleet would make a move on Madagaskar, thereby posing a threat to the transports to the Middle East, the troop transports to India, the southern shipping routes to Australia, and the oil supplies from The Persian Gulf, the Allies decided to attack the Vichy French controlled air base at Diego Suarez in the north of Madagaskar (Operation Ironclad). In the course of Apr.-1942 war ships, troop transports and supply ships arrived Durban, which was to be the base for the operation. Thalatta was one of these supply ships ([...] she had arrived Durban from Capetown on Apr. 23). She took on board equipment for an infantry brigade; landing barges and 120 Commando soldiers, and the convoy arrived Diego Suarez on May 5-1942. [...] Thalatta headed back to Durban on May 30."
Ekstra informasjon fra Lardex: "Thalatta var det eneste norske skipet som var med under invasjonen av Madagaskar. [...] Skipet var lastet med 4-5.000 tonn ammunisjon, 350 tonn høyeksplosiv TNT, samt fullt av bensinkanner fordelt på for og akterdekk. I tillegg var det 120 engelske soldater om bord".
