Flashman and the Yellow Peril

[Capt. Harlock]

As the enemy rounded the cape with the destroyers in the lead they had been clobbered by well aimed shots from the Perth’s superior guns, both had been crippled, and one had turned over and sunk, while the other had been hit by one of Perth’s torpedoes. With no escorts, two of the transports had been badly damaged, possibly sunk, and another hit also. Perth’s Walrus had reported only two steaming NW the next morning.

Nice shooting! (But lucky, if my opinion is wanted.) Iron Bottom Sound has received its first layer a bit early in this game . . .

[Roger Neilson II]

26th March 1942. Flashy is again sitting with a glass and this time at least he feels a little bit happier. His reasons....

Orders to hop the odd flight and make his way to Townsville and rejoin his unit. Some questions already forming in his mind for one or two of his most 'trusted' subordinates.

HMAS Perth has been at it again, sinking a Jap transport at night off Buin (some place south of Rabaul). Flashy wondered if the skipper would soon start flying a skull and crossbones? The Aussies were pleased, indeed so pleas ed some of them, had even bought him a drink or two.......

[Roger Neilson II]

Finally Flashy was in Townsville, you would have thought an important personage like him would have had a special plane laid on, but no, short hops to Katherine, Daly Waters, Tennant Creek, Cloncurry and finally here he was. Each one on a Dakota that was pretty well empty but had a smell of all sorts of supplies that had been carried on the outward trip. Looked to be quite a supply run going - but it had meant a lot of sitting round in some pretty grim places.

So off he went like the good soldier he was and reported to General Haig's HQ (Army of Malaya dontcha know - perhaps a little relocated?)and found that the MAF had been relocated in his absence and were en route on ships for an as yet undisclosed location...... somewhere north was all he could get out of HQ wallahs at present. 'Come back in a couple of days old chap etc etc......'

North meant...... Cairns, Cooktown, Thursday Island - or , surely not, Darwin?

[Roger Neilson II]

28th April 1942

Flashy sat and stared at the Australian landscape.... It certainly seemd to go on forever. And beautiful it was not. He looked back on the trips in the Dakotas as sheer luxury.... because now, bumping and grinding over the terrain in a truck was far worse. Destination some place called Coen along with a lot more HQ wallahs...... what was going on?

Rumour had it that Mandalay had fallen to the Japs, though little of the oil production there had survived an iniital allied bombing raid. Slowly the Japs were moving to cut off the Chinese overland link. Nearer 'home' Lautern had been occupied, and now he thought Koepang was also gone. The yellow men were creeping closer. He wished he knew what else was up, but stuck in the middle of this endless bushland he had no idea about the grander plans or indeed where his 'mates' from MAF were.

[Capt. Harlock]

And Flashy will probably be old and grey by the time he gets to wherever they're sending him!