`` Tally-Ho '' was patrolling Patrolling from her base at Trincomalee , Ceylon searching Scrutiny for Japanese vessels and on 9 January , sighted Know the Japanese light cruiser `` Kuma '' off Penang .

She was flanked Defending by destroyers and `` Tally-Ho '' could not get Getting within range .

On the morning of 11 January , `` Tally-Ho '' 's commander , Leslie Bennington , spotted Know a Mitsubishi F1M2 `` Pete '' floatplane flying Motion westwards along the route on which the cruiser that had been sighted Know on 9 January was to be expected .