The end of the world as we know it?

[Roger Neilson]

Gentlemen. Today we have hit back in reprisal for the shocking and illegal attacks on merchant shipping that are going about their own business in international waters. A joint allied task force with its flagship the CA Louisville last night intercepted a jap merchant ship, the Kamogawa Maru, off Lunga. Twelve shell hits and a torpedo ensured that this was one less ship to aid the jap's evil encroachment on the free world.

I know you all expected to arrive here this morning to be informed that landings had been made on Midway... I too felt this was the inevtable news we would be greeted by. Nothing, it would appear, could be further from the truth. Catalina flying boats operating from Midway have searched to their limit in all directions and report the sighting of The KB near Wake Island, steaming westwards... there are no sightings of any other task forces. We must assume that the Japs have decided to go and cause mischief elsewhere now.

[Roger Neilson]

Fellow Officers, for those who were not aware I arrived last night to take over command from Gen Pownall. I am your new C in C. I expect the same degree of loyalty and hard work that you gave him, I expect you to explain to me what has been learned so far. We were caught off guard by the Jap, we understimated him, we paid the price. My job is now to learn, to adapt how we do things, and, with the help of our allies, to take advantage of the fact that the Jap probably understimates us now.

Now, to business. ADC - can you give the sitrep please?

The ADC seems momentarily caught off guard, he has not expected this, the previous commander did things himself, this new man seems to want to let others do things? he stands, collects his thoughts, consults his sheets and begins....

A quiet night and day again. Operations continue that can at present only be refererred to by their codes. Time will come when we can explain what has been happening. At present we are seeing a very vigorous effort in Nightwatchman. We also feel that PoorDog is drawing to a close. The Japs seem to be nosing round the base of New Guinea and paid the price when we bagged a submarine last night. We also detected a large TF of Dds near Palembang, one of which was torpedoed by a Dutch sub. The Americans report a successful bombardment of the few troops left on Lunga, they were dropped there in the first days of the war and we have been keeping them busy ever since. There is consternation amongst the Americans that one of their subs last night had the CV Kaga in its sights but failed to hit it with the torpedoes that were fired - this is a missed opportunity indeed.

[Roger Neilson]

Well gentlemen, we meet for the second day. I do wonder whether there is some gypsy blood in me... I could be forgiven for having second sight. As soon as I took command here I forecast where the next envious graspings of the Jap would take him. I was not wrong.

On the 19th a recce plane spotted a couple of Jap merchant ships heading south from Singapore and reported this. Obvioulsy the pilot only spotted part of that detachment as overnight a TF of troopships with Cruiser and Destroyer support arrived off the city of Palembang and began to disembark enemy landing forces. The shipping and landing force were met by heavy fire but managed to establish a beachead and we have reports that elements of the 4th Japanese infantry division are approaching the suburbs of the city.

Up to now we have not had any indication of how well our Dutch allies will cope with the Japs. We can hope that they have spent the month in preparation to give the Jap a warm welcome. We can only speculate how much more aid we coud have been to them had Singapore not fallen with such rapidity.

[Roger Neilson]

Gentlemen, sorry to have been absent for a few days, but I had to tour some important areas in preparation for Operation Walton. In my absence things have been moving along quite peacefully - if you know what I mean. In the last three days we have seen a Jap increase in his lodgement at Palembang, but no attempt to take the city as yet. There has been increased pressure on the valiant defenders on the island of Luzon and yesterday saw massed fleets of Bettys making significant raids on Manila as, we expect, a prelude to an all out assault there.

Yesterday a Dutch sub operating off Singapore managed to send two torpedoes into a large Jap tanker that looked like she would not survive much longer. The sub felt it would not be too healthy to hang around to watch the end result.

Might I remind you that on the 8th the CV Akagi was hit by four 1,000 lb bombs off Pearl Harbour and reported to be badly damaged. Intelligence sources that cannot be disclosed indicate that she managed to reach Wake Island but the damage was too severe and she has sunk there. Although the Americans lost the Lexington in that battle the loss of one of their main carriers must be a blow to their plans and we rejoice in the news.

[Roger Neilson]

Gentlemen, the Commander's apologies, he is elsewhere and has asked me to give a brief update. Little has happened today, the usual bombing of defenceless merchant ships, the continued sustained bombing of our forces in the Philippines.

Doubtless this situation will not remain so for long.

[Roger Neilson]

Gentlemen, from now on my appearance at these briefings will indicate the seriuosness of them. Today we have to report two blows to our position.

Following several days bombardment the Japs attacked the small garrison at Palembang and took the city. This gives them a major oil base, one of the prime reasons for going to war. We expect further developments in this area over the next few weeks, but we also expect him to fortify and defend this vital strategic gain. We are unsure how much oil and fuel stocks were captured and how much was destroyed in the fighting.

In China our allies have given up the city of Kweilen and the Japs have overrun it. Expect a fluid situation in China for the next few days.

[Roger Neilson]

Gentlemen, we have reports of landings at Miri on Borneo, looks like the Jap is making a main effort in the northern DEI now. The rest of our sector remains quiet.

In China a huge battle again took place north of Kaifeng as the Japs attempt to shift the Chinese from a major railway junction. They were unsuccessful in this.

In the seas between the West Coast and Pearl Harbour an increasing number of submarine attacks are being reported. Some of these are hitting our ships badly.

Yesterday the USS Nautilus reported they were making a torpedo attack on the CVE Hosho - there has been no further communications from the submarine.

[Roger Neilson]

Gentlemen, the Commander is otherwise engaged. This is a brief update. Bombing of the forces on Luzon continues at a high level. The landings at Miri were unopposed and therefore the base has fallen to the Japs. Interestingly the landings at miri were made following two severe shore bombardements - ap ointless exercies unless the Japs feel they need the practice. Landings have commenced at Brunei. This looks like a co-ordinated sweep along the coast.

[Roger Neilson]

Gentlemen, the General's apologies, but he has other matters to attend to.

Reports of more troops landing at Brunei but no other action in Borneo yet.

Palembang was hit by a force of over 60 B17s flying from bases in the DEI and significant damage was caused to the oil facilities there. Our planes retired without loss.

Off the coast of Malaya a merchant ship was attacked by a large force of Sallies and sunk.

The Chinese forces dug in across the rail net south of Homan have been attacked and pushed back by a force estimated at 3 Divisions in strength.

[Roger Neilson]

Gentlemen, today another merchantman and a minelayer have succumbed to the airpower of Japan. In both cases very large formations of bombers were sent out from the Malayan bases to sink these small craft.

We are aware of preparatory bombardments at Brunei on the small base garrison and it must only be a matter of time before they are assaulted by the japanese marines who have been seen swarming ashore.

The General sends his best wishes and feels that you should ready yourself fo a major announcement over the next few days.

[Roger Neilson]

Hmmmm.....

[Roger Neilson]

Gentlemen, most inconveniently I have had to cancel the cricket match to brief you on the latest in China. It would appear that, after a very plucky defence of many areas that delayed the Jap's plans significantly the Chinese forces have been significantly worn down and are in wholescale retreat. Today we learn that they evacuated both Wuchow and Hengchow, both of which have been occupied by advance elements of the Japs army. It would appear that the enemy has committed major forces to bring about the situation here and much of it must be down to the poor supply links and lack of industrial capacity of the Chinese. It is to be hoped they can stabilise the situation.

We can however bring you news of another massed air raid on Palembang oil facilities which must be causing significant damage to their output.

[Roger Neilson]

Gentlemen, we have a report of a tanker torpedoed in Pacific vastness.... otherwise nothing...... we must speculate as to what the evil enemy is now up to.

[Roger Neilson]

Gentlemen, another peaceful day, unless you happen to be standing at one of the oil installations of Palembang. Over 40 B17s visited the area again today.

[Roger Neilson]

Gentlemen, a two day briefing, a sensible compromise while things are slow.... but something tells me they won't be slow for too much longer.

At Palembang our bombing raids are almost unopposed and have notched up over 20% destruction of his oil facilitites now, this will be causing him some pain.

In the celebes area we have lost an AK and an AP to air attack from CV/CVL task force that has appeared in this area. It looks to us like he is meaning to hit the lower oil bases of Borneo and this is to cover his invasion force.

The enemy has also begun landing at Bankha and we assume he has the intention of moving up the coast here, seizing the almost undefended bases and resources next.

[Roger Neilson]

Gentlemen, today we have to report initial sightings of a large Battleship heavy TF in the Indian Ocean with a course directly for the Andaman islands has turned back and disappeared back into the Malayan/ Sumatran straits. We can only speculate what this was all about - we did have a couple of merchant ships around the area but even the Jap's bullying tactics would seem a little overdone in this case. The cargo ships managed to evade any contact. We also had sightings of a CV with 3 CVLs in a well supported task force heading down past Balikpapan. Planes from this force managed to seek out and sink several mrchant ships in the South Java Sea. Today the force arrived 120 Nm off Soerabaja and attacked launched air attacks on both the port facilities and the airfield. We did not strike back.

Our American allies report the interception of two of Japan's long range submarines in the waters between Pearl Harbour and San Francisco. These are both likely sources of the spotter floatplanes that have been seen by their convoys in the area. Both submarines were severely depth charged and debris on the surface indicated they had both been hit, presumed sunk.

Landings are continuing at Banka, and we also have reports from our coastwatchers near Jeeselton that enemy forces are landing there today.

These moves are obviously the next phase of a well planned and deliberate move on the oilfields of the Dutch East Indies. It is to be hoped that our Dutch Allies finally take this threat seriously and agree to work closely with us over the next weeks.

[Roger Neilson]

China situation:

[DuckofTindalos]

Very nice map, Roger...

[Roger Neilson]

Malaya situation:

[aztez]

Keep up the good work Roger!