Spence vs Dixon - The first year scenario

[spence]

DATELINE CALCUTTA - May 8, 1942

Allied heavy bombers again successfully attacked a Japanese base, this time at Lashio in northern Burma. Over 100 bombers dropped tons of high explosive on Japanese installations there leaving the warehouses there in flames and causing many secondary explosions. Lashio is reported to be the main base supplying Japanese forces driving on Yunan in China. The destruction of the supplies there will undoubtably put a crimp on their offensive designs in that region.

[spence]

DATELINE HONOLULU - May 8, 1942

Naval Headquarters announced that US Navy forces have again located and attacked a Japanese submarine in Hawaiian waters, this time approxiamately 300 miles ENE of Oahu. Reportedly the enemy submarine was repeatedly depth-charged and probably severely damaged.

[spence]

DATELINE HONOLULU - 9 May 1942

A Japanese submarine was reported sunk approxiamately 250 miles NE of Oahu today by US Navy forces. The submarine, believed to be the same one which attempted to attack a convoy the previous day, was tracked to its doom by antisubmarine vessels in the escort. A large quantity of wooden and cork debris with Japanese characters inscribed on it was recovered by friendly ships participating in the attack but no survivors were recovered. The submarine was tentatively identified as the I-6 from the debris.





DEATH OF THE I-6, 8 MAY, 1942

[Mike Dixon]

Imperial General Headquarters (Daihonei)

Update 6th to 9th May 1942

Nanning, China

China Expeditionary Hq report a succesful preliminary attack on Nanning on the 6th May. This probe has shown the Chinese forces to be in some disarray and a full scale attack is expected to mop up resistance in several days.

Burma

Several locations have been hit by enemy heavy bombers. Residential areas were heavily hit - this indiscrimate terror campaign justifies the defensive operations carried out in the liberation of East Asia.


Darwin

The air operations in Darwin took a new twist on the 9th May. In response to continued allied build up in this city, a further air strike from Lautem was launched to neutralise the nest of vipers. Nearly fifty enemy aircraft were destroyed in the air and on the ground. Hower subsequent reconaissance missions have shown a new intermediate enemy bomber to be present at the base. Wreckage of the A-20B Boston type aircraft was identified near the runways. Intelligence sources suggest that the 'Boston' is to be used as both a terror bomber and an anti ship weapon.


A-20 Boston photographed prior to its destruction by an Zero ace

[spence]

DATELINE DARWIN - 8 May 1942
 
For the second day in a row a large force of Japanese bombers with fighter escort attacked the city.  Several enemy aircraft were brought down by our fighters and antiaircraft batteries and numerous others were damaged.  Minor damage was done to the airfield and a number of our aircraft were shot down.  3 of the pilots were rescued. 

[spence]

part of RN DARWIN broadcast at 1500 local, 10 May 1942

.....And now for the news of local interest.

A twin-engine Japanese bomber crashed into the garden of Mrs Lucinda Poste killing her cat and flattening her locally renowned bed of roses. Mrs Poste was not hurt and the house was undamaged but the garden was completely destroyed by the crash. Local Police removed 5 dead Japanese airmen from the plane however they left Mrs Poste unclear as to when they would return for the plane. "I do hope they get at it straight away" she said. "It'll take some time to clear out this lot I suppose and I want to be ready for the big show come next summer. Pity about the cat even if she wasn't very friendly"

[spence]

DATELINE DARWIN - 12 May 1942

A large force of upwards of 60 Japanese bombers was intercepted and handled rather roughly by our fighters today as it approached the city. Nearly half the force was shot down and many others were damaged. Many of the Japanese planes simply jettisioned their bombs over the sea and turned for home in the direction of Timor. A handful of Japanese bombers did bomb the city however, inflicting negligible damage on any militarily important targets. Antiaircraft fire was seen to bring down 2 bombers over the city. In a freak of coincidence, one of these slammed into the front porch of the residence of Mrs Lucinda Poste at 215 Wallaby Lane on the outskirts of the town. Mrs Poste was not injured but only 2 days ago another Japanese bomber crashed into her backyard destroying her rose garden and killing her cat. Mrs Poste commented "I suppose I should think of it as a matched set now but I do hope those Bloody Japs would find someplace else to muck about. Pity about the cat too."

Day Air attack on Darwin , at 36,84

Japanese aircraft
C5M Babs x 4
Ki-21 Sally x 59

Allied aircraft
Hurricane II x 6
Kittyhawk I x 13
P-40E Warhawk x 17

Japanese aircraft losses
C5M Babs: 1 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 26 destroyed, 7 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane II: 2 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 4 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 5 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 8000 feet
5 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 8000 feet






Mrs Lucinda Poste and cat Binky in happier times

[Mike Dixon]

Imperial General Headquarters (Daihonei)

Updates 10th and 11th May 1942


Another small raid was made on Darwin on the 10th. A number of enemy planes were destroyed.


China Hq reports the fall of Nanning on the 11th May. After a short early dawn bombardment, several elite divisions stormed the city by 10.23am. A number of large Chinese formations surrendered with minimal fight. Nearly one hundred thousand prisoners were collected. This blow for Chinese liberation will rock the evil dictatorship of Chiang Kai-shek. The road to Yunan is now laid bare. Further offensives are being planned.


Type 97 TeKe 'Te-Ke' tank moving into Nanning:-

[Mike Dixon]

Advancing into Nanning under the cover of a Type 94 tank

[Mike Dixon]

Sitrep 12th-14th May 1942

A further successful raid on Darwin was made on the 12th. However several Sally's 'self-exploded' on their way back to Lautem. A number of other Sally's were diverted to different airfields because of bad weather.

China Hq reports further successes near Yunan. An armoured regiment, only 100 miles or so south of the city, defeated a large Chinese force on the 14th. The net is closing on this important commercial and manufacturing city. Loss of the area will deprive the puppet Chiang Kai-shek government of valuable war materials. Army sources indicate that other areas of the Chinese front have been severely depleted by the Chinese warlords, new offensives are planned in these regions.

Type 89 Chi-Ro rolling towards Yunan:-

[spence]

DATELINE BRISBANE - 15 May, 1942
 
Allied Navy Headquarters here announced that a Japanese submarine was attacked and seriously damaged, perhaps sunk, just off the coast near Brisbane yesterday.  A large oil slick was observed following the attacks by several destroyers.
 
DATELINE DARWIN - 15 May, 1942
 
A large force of Japanese bombers was intercepted over the sea today North of the city.  At least a dozen enemy planes were shot down and seen to crash into the sea by our fighters.  No friendly fighters were lost but perhaps 10 enemy aircraft succeeded in bombing the airfield and one damaged Allied bomber was destroyed on the ground.   

[spence]

DATELINE COLOMBO - 16 May 1942

A Japanese submarine was sighted and attacked Southwest of Ceylon by units of the Royal Navy yesterday. It is believed the enemy submarine sustained significant damage.

DATELINE CHUNGKING - 16 May 1942

The Japanese have begun a number of simultaneous offensives across the breadth of the front.

A Japanese column with heavy armor support is advancing on Yunan from the Southeast.
Under heavy pressure our forces have withdrawn northward toward the city in good order.

A second enemy drive is reportedly aimed at Kweiyang. To date the enemy has been unable to make significant advances.

The seige of Changsha continues with heavy Japanese bombardments of the city causing massive civilian casualties. In spite of the hardships of the seige the defense continues to repel all Japanese assaults.

[spence]

DATELINE HONOLULU - 16 May 1942

Naval Headquarters here reported that a US Navy task force bombarded the enemy held Baker Is approx 1500 miles SW of Honolulu today. An enemy minelayer, identified as the Hirashima by crewman rescued by our ships, was sunk in a brief surface gunfight.
The bombardment is believed to have seriously damaged numerous enemy installations on the island. One ship of the bombardment force sustained minor damage after hitting an uncharted coral head.

[spence]

DATELINE CALCUTTA - 17 May, 1942

Allied Headquarters announced that more than 100 heavy bombers dropped tons of bombs on Japanese aerodromes in the vicinity of Rangoon in daring night raids last night. The raids, which lasted until about dawn, left the fields in flames and strewn with scores of destroyed aircraft. Enemy air opposition was negligible and only one bomber was lost on landing after returning safely to base.

SMASHED JAPANESE AIRFIELD PHOTOGRAPHED FROM THE ONE OF THE PLANES IN THE LAST WAVE.

[Mike Dixon]

Imperial General Headquarters (Daihonei)

Combat update 15th - 17th May 1942


China

Good progress is being made in the latest offensive to rid China of the evil dictactorship of Chiang Kai-shek. On the 17th May, a useful beachhead was established over the Xun Jaing river, against light opposition. Wuchow is now in the process of being encirciled and invested.


4th Fleet

Also on the 17th, a large American invasion fleet was beaten off at Baker Island. A combination of minefields and ground fire crippled several Yank destroyers and heavy cruisers. The enemy TF was last reported fleeing to Palmyra.


Photo of enemy DD Helm, severely damage in the aborted invasion of Baker Island

[Mike Dixon]

Imperial General Headquarters (Daihonei)

Combat update 18th - 20th May 1942

China

An enemy assault on the beachhead 60 miles to the North of Wuchow was beaten off by midday on the 18th May. Thousands of dead Chinese soldiers lay in front of friendly positions. Army sources indicate that the various militias of Chiang Kai-shek are suffering from a lack of supplies and modern arms. Several new offensives are under planning, as the enemy withdraws units from 'quiet' fronts.

Rangoon

A terror raid was made by over 100 enemy 'Liberators' during the night of the 18th May. These attrocities have increased the priority of Operation 'IN', which has been under planning for several months. This operation involves the neutralisation and destruction of enemy airpower in India. Airfields in Rangoon, Lashio and Mandalay have been steadily improved over the last few months in order to accomodate heavy bombers, such as the 'Sally' and 'Helen' type bombers.


Darwin

During the night of the 19th, the CA's Haguro and Ashigara made a successful bombardment of Darwin. Nearly twenty enemy planes were destroyed on the ground, including the latest torpedo bomber, the Beaufort V-IX type plane.


Suva

An enemy surface raid on Suva on the 20th May was beaten off with heavy enemy losses. A combination of minefields and a surface TF based on CA's Furutaka and Kako, initially damaged the enemy cruisers, particularly the CA Pensacola. Early morning cloud protected the heavily damaged cruiser as it attempted to flee to Australia but as the clouds parted by 2pm, a squadron of Betty's attacked and sunk the said vessel within half an hour. This latest enemy rebuff is believed to have weakened the American pro war lobby, headed by Roosevelt and General Spencer.

Betty attacking the Pensacola, viewed from a recon plane:-

[Mike Dixon]

DO NOT LEAVE AUSTRALIA FOR FOREIGN LANDS!

DEATH AWAITS AT THE JAPANESE OUTER DEFENCE PERIMETER!

[Mike Dixon]

Imperial General Headquarters (Daihonei) - Tokyo


Update 21st-22nd May 1942


Burma/India

In response to several further indiscriminate nighttime raids on Rangoon by hundreds of 'Liberators', which caused extensive civilian casualties, operation 'IN' began on the 22nd May. Airstrikes involving Zero's/Oscars/Sally's and Nell's were made on Dacca from Rangoon, Lashio and Mandalay. Despite heavy enemy fighter combat patrols, extensive damage to Dacca airdrome was achieved and many enemy planes were destroyed both in the air and on the ground. The arch criminal Churchill has been struck a severe blow! Unfortunately a number of friendly planes did not return to base, 'self explosions' are believed to have occured.


China

After a siege of several months, Changsha in central China fell on the 21st to a probing attack, lead by several infantry divisions. The enemy town, which had been declared a 'fortified' point by enemy propaganda, yielded nearly 100,000 prisoners with only minimal friendly casualties. Work has begun on upgrading the airfield - this location is a key stepping stone on the capture of Chungking and the elimination of the Chiang Kai-shek junta.



Photo of fleeing Chinese troops near the Tianxing Pavilion, in the southeast corner of Changsha pocket:-

[Mike Dixon]

Imperial General Headquarters (Daihonei) - Tokyo


Update 23rd to 25th May


India/Rangoon

Operation 'IN' continues successfully, hundreds of enemy aircraft have been destroyed. Nightly 'Liberator' terror attacks are decreasing in intensity. On the 25th May, Calcutta was attacked for the first time. A large horde of enemy 'Hurricane' type fighters were destroyed to no friendly loss near the airfield. Air intelligence officers believe that many of the 'Battle of Britian' fighter aces are now killed, and the enemy is now scraping the bottom of the barrel for fighter pilots. The arch criminal imperialist Churchill will be rocking from these justified blows.


Phillipines

On the 23rd May the last bastion of American imperialism in the Phillipines fell. Iloilo joined the Greater East Asian co-prosperity sphere after large U.S. and Filipino forces threw in the towel after minor resistance.


Akyab, Burma

On the 25th May, Akyab was liberated. An infantry division quickly cleared the town in an early morning assault. Fleeing enemy troops were seen heading towards Dacca. Army intelligence have identified several other large enemy formations near Akyab, these units were too late in their attempt to impose British colonialism on their Burmese subjects.

[spence]

DATELINE CALCUTTA - SOUTHEAST ASIA COMMAND HQ - 22 May, 1942

In what can only be the opening of a major enemy offensive hordes of bombers escorted by hundreds of Japanese Zero type fighters have initiated large scale attacks on Southeastern India. Over the past few days massive air battles have raged over Calcutta, Dacca, Chandpur and other cities. Although heavily outnumbered by enemy fighter RAF Hurricanes have succeeded in bringing down scores of enemy planes. Light damage is reported to several Allied aerodromes but the principle focus of the enemy attacks seems to have been the civilian quarters of the cities where heavy fires have been started and casualties have been quite severe.

Concurrent with the enemy's air offensive a large enemy ground force has pushed Northwest along the Burmese coast with heavy naval and air support. Light covering forces have withdrawn successfully to prepared defenses outside of Akyab.






JAPANESE BOMBER PLUNGES TO IT DOOM