An Australian Long Campaign?

[KG Erwin]

On Amazon, I saw an an upcoming Osprey book (due in March 2007) on the Australian Army in WWII. I may pre-order this.

I have the three-volume Osprey USMC PTO series, which was written by Gordon Rottman, and has proven invaluable in my TOE research. BTW, hh lightcap, I liked your description of the USMC as "firepower kings". It fits well. [;)]

[KG Erwin]

Something else I found: pdf files of complete scanned War Diaries for many Australian Infantry Battalions, including the 39th.

See this list : http://www.awm.gov.au/diaries/ww2/diary.asp?diary=148

The amount of historical information the Australian government has digitized and made freely available is pretty amazing.

The last piece of the puzzle is to find documentation on official TOEs, or Field Manuals.

[KG Erwin]

An odd thing about the 39th is the way they numbered their rifle platoons. Company A is 7, 8 and 9. Coy B (10-12), Coy C (13-15), and Coy D (16-18). There's also a HQ Coy, an MG Coy, a Carrier Platoon, and (I think) a Mortar Platoon. So, is this where I find Platoons 1 thru 6?

While the Official Records are great in telling about who, where, and what, they are weak in describing how. So, I wrote the archives bureau to see if I can locate some Official Tables of Organisation & Equipment for AMF units. Did they adhere strictly to the British model, or did they develop their own? I don't know. Hopefully I will get a response.

[wulfir]

ORIGINAL: KG Erwin
So, is this where I find Platoons 1 thru 6?

Probably in the HQ and Support Companies..., though if the 39th was equipped as a regular battalion is questionable. I would guess they had minimal support. IIRC some Australian officer figured mortars could not be used along the Kokoda Track and thus the Australians brought none (unlike the Japs).

HQ Coy
- No. 1 Signals platoon
- No. 2 Administrative Platoon

Support Coy
- No. 3 Mortar platoon (3in)
- No. 4 Bren Carrier Platoon
- No. 5 Assault Pioneer Platoon
- No. 6 Anti-tank platoon

A Coy
- No. 7 platoon
- No. 8 platoon
- No. 9 platoon

B Coy
- No. 10 platoon
- No. 11 platoon
- No. 12 platoon

C Coy
- No. 13 platoon
- No. 14 platoon
- No. 15 platoon

D Coy
- No. 16 platoon
- No. 17 platoon
- No. 18 platoon

[KG Erwin]

Thanks for the info, wulfir. As Flashfyre earlier stated, most of the support units would be designated as "Left Out of Battle" for jungle ops.

In the case of the 39th's MG Coy (Capt Merritt), they apparently were deployed as a reduced-strength infantry coy (Coy E) for the Kokoda campaign.

[omegaall]

AMF org 1940 to Dec 1942 and in some cases early 1943.
Pl numbering starts with Sig Pl as Pl No 1.

On Kokada NO 2" mors till AIF units arrived. Some 3" mors but few due to weight some with MMGs. Also in some cases only Lewis LMG. Many AMF Bns at this point did not have Brens issues. 39th Bn had Brens issued just before they went on the track. Poorly trained in their use and suffered from that. The ATR was used through out teh PNG campaings as well as the PIAT. The ATR was also a good hunting rifle for crocs..
Few 6 pdr AT guns used. Mainly 2 pdrs when they arrived. AT Regts were also issued with the 4.2" mor instead of the AT gun, (2 pdr). Stuarts only used ONCE in PNG or SWP and them not used again. This was at Gona. Grants/Lees not used by Aust till abiout 45 and only once. Never fired an angry shot when deployed. Main tank Matildas, the Gun tank the Cs tank and Flame. CS tanks mainly HE few smoke rounds. Matilds should be used as a min of 2 gun tanks with 1 CS tank as a troop.

[omegaall]

post dec 42 Tropical Bn org AMF and AIF.

[KG Erwin]

To omegaall: thank you. [&o]

[KG Erwin]

On long campaign structure, using the Brit template: unless a customized Aussie campaign is devised, some compromises must be made. For the PTO, you gotta start in January 1942, and your first battle will likely be in some place called Kluang, in Malaysia, as the initial Japanese offensive is in full swing.

I tried starting in June or July 1942, and the purchase screens were all screwed up. Start in September, and your first battle jumps forward to Nov 1943.

So, apart from getting the forces correct, the places will definitely be in an alternate-history timeline. Can't be helped.

[KG Erwin]

So, I edited the ANZAC OOB database to conform with constructing the 39th Battalion in early 1942.

I have an AU Militia Inf Sec in unit slot 139, with .303 SMLE no. 4, the .303 Bren LMG, the .45 cal Thompson SMG, and the No.36 Mills Grenade.

I also created a separate formation (1141) for a single Universal Carrier (to transport a 3-in. mortar).

According to its war diary, the 39th was reconfigured to match AIF TOEs in Sept 1942. The war diaries make NO mention of ATRs for this battalion, and only a passing reference to the AA section/platoon.

[KG Erwin]

I've gotten a lot of help from other gamers, which I appreciate, but to translate this to a long campaign (using the British template) still offers insurmountable problems.

I used my altered OOB to start a long campaign -- it put me in Malacca, on a defend mission. The Japs are deploying light tanks, and I have no defense against them. My attached Vickers MMGs of the MG Company can shred attacking infantry, but my AT capability is minimal. A few Boys ATRs, but that's it. I suppose that's the price I must pay to "go Aussie" in this format.

The cold hard fact is this -- the AMF in the Pacific was basically an infantry force, with little tank support or heavy weapons support of any kind. If the enemy has tanks that you can't destroy by close assault, you're in a bad way.

Now, I admire the Aussies' esprit and guts, but these things don't penetrate armor. You gotta climb aboard that tank, find a ventilating slit or an open hatch, toss in a couple of Mills grenades with very short fuzes, and hope you can jump off the thing before it brews up.

[KG Erwin]

OK, now with Pure Sim 2007's final patch being released, I'm putting "The Aussie Project" on hold for an indefinite time period. I'm moving slightly past WWII, as my baseball universe starts in 1946 (thus the '46 Pirates jersey logo).

Thanks to the guys that helped, both here and behind the scenes. I'm keeping all my notes, but I'm putting SPWaW "on the shelf" for now. I'll be back, but I don't know when.

Have a happy holiday season, guys. See ya later.