herbiesan vs Cantona!!!

[1275psi]

Tanaka too flees
Yamamoto has him crashed drafted to command a fat AO - it sails with barely time to spare
Tanaka's fighting skills are just too valuable to him to see wasted.



And driftwood


The speech, delivered by special broadcast by herbiesan - is like a lightning bolt to the nation

..............but for the swift action of the naval guard unit, this small group of American commandos would have taken the Emperor!

.........understand this -our enemies attacked the Son of heaven himself!...................... we must understand, they meabn to destroy every inch of Japan, and the emperor himself..........................
I call on you to join with me............................ never, ever surrender.............30 million lives for the emperor, for japan!

Iwaya wished to end the war.
All he has done, is make it all but impossible too.......................

[1275psi]

From
Herbiesan
To
Commander, Imperial Army


A list
I want a list of every single man suspected of treason.
And I don't care how long it is............

[1275psi]

1/4/44

26 liberators attack Moulmien today -from 31000 feet - a futile effort for the attackers -even more so for the defenders.

47th sentai are not involved, again circling a given piece of sky -and again, waiting for an enemy occupied elswhere.
Nakamura loses another plane, another man -collapsing undercart.

There is little time to think about this as the wreckage is dragged clear of the strip - The British CV's are back -operating off Port Blair -and they are busy indeed, shredding everything thrown at them today.

If they come closer tomorrow -
Only Juni is pleased -drowning sailors is right up his alley -regardless of the uniforms nationality.

[1275psi]

2/4/44

If there is anything to boost confidence - its strength in numbers.

Ultimately, you, the fighter pilot, are alone.
You will fight alone. You will kill alone. You may die, badly, or well -alone.

Once the canopy closes, and the earth falls away, and your world becomes filled with the roar of the engine, the never ending vibration, you are alone.
The radio may crackle, you may even converse -but you move the stick, you decide to turn left -and live, or turn right, and maybe die.
You have your wingman, yes, but he cannot do it for you.
But , again, there is comfort in numbers.

You look around you taday -and its a sight you have not seen for a long, long time. Stacked , literally stacked in rows across the sky, Japan sweeps north.
Below you, 120 plus zekes and zeros - and below them, just 30 bombers. With you -16 others of 47th - bouncing gently in the turbulent air.

Target, Meiktila - attacked almost daily by these bombers you escort -Nakamura beleives the Allies might try to do something about that today.

The stick rests easy, throttle to hand. Sky blue, jungle a mat of green so far below. Mask, cool, dry.
The world arcs so far away below -and your world vibrates, whistles and roars.

Nakamura has guessed right -ahead -the first flashes of aluminium -climbing, climbing -brave men.
And others coming in from ahead and above
below, the zekes peel away, and down -nakamura's wings rock -and you follow him, up, stick to the right, a little rudder, back into your thigh with it, enemy down the righty flank, sliding under your wing, and you are wing vertical now, world sliding up and above you as now you peel in, down, and after the P-51's
he's turning up and inside your right wing now, stick hard, hard back into your thigh, head up, up and back, straining to keep him in sight, the loop now almost vertical, and you so carefully , delicately add a little flap -and your beast stabilises just enough, the circle closing , closing, the the world now dead ahead, diving, diving -and close enough - the cannons crash, so loud, the stink, and you right kick hard, pulling out, engine screaming,.



Maintain energy, maintain energy, and the bombers are still there-below -and the enemy? -gone -the smoking trails marking so many lives gone.

stick hard in again, flaps off, throttle hard, and the Ki-84 leaps upwards, and you scan around -yes, the days work is done.

Oh yes, there is something to be said about numbers.


Operations report
47th sentai

Offensive sweep/escort mission against Meiktila
120 zekes/17 frank, 30 Lilly

Encountered 6 spitfires, 9 T bolts, 12 P 51
12 Zekes reported lost
26 kills claimed

47th sentai 4 confirmed kills -P-51's
total now 116

One A/c missing

[1275psi]

3/4/44

Nakamura guesses wrong again today - no action for the 47th.

[1275psi]

47th relax at the evening meal
The sun, at last, is just settling into the tropical haze, the sweaty, stinking heat of the day is dying away. All around the field the sounds of birds returning to roost competes with the murmur of throttled back engines as the last CAP flights of the day bounce and settle too roost for the night.

Its that small period of time where figures at the end of the field become indistinct, blurry, but your dinner is still agreeably (or if the weavels are thick) disagreeably visible.

Spirits are good –ratio of kills to losses are good –(for Juni and Nakamura, the rate the kills are coming is astonishing compared to the early days) and today has been, well almost pleasant to fly.

Most of the men are in the cooling outdoors this evening, around the cooking pots, sitting in crossed legged groups, banter flows.

Juni and Miyazuki lean back to back comfortably, using each other as support, bowls balanced , and somebody has produced a bottle –it won’t last long today.
Its been a long day –another day indistinguishable to so many that have gone before.
Neither will give another thought to today –nor much to the one that will follow –life once again has reduced to the cycle of sleep, fly, fight, eat, sleep.

If one can bathe occasionally, eat often, and not get shot down –then there is nothing else really required –as long as 47th survive.

Yes, its been another day with out action, but another sinew in the cords that bind 47th’s men together has been knitted .
The enemy may one day break 47th sentai apart –but these cords that bind them together, these fighter pilots, the men, will last forever.




On the Yamato, Yamamoto considers the short paper his air commander, Genda has written for him.

His question to the little airman has been simple –but Oh so complex –how to win the next carrier engagement –how to finally finish this war.

Genda has not answered the question –but in the typical Japanese way –given him options.



………. All things considered, the forthcoming battle will likely be simply massed fleet vs massed fleet.

Options

Decisive Japanese defeat- Allied crushing victory
We lose the war –defenceless against roving carrier fleets

Mutual destruction –both fleets devastated
Allies will lose the war –unable to carry invasions forward any faster than step by painful step – public opinion will not support a war into mid 45!

Crushing Japanese Victory –decisive allied defeat
Carrier less –we will hold the empire forever

Yamamoto considers this – if I lose the carriers –but sink his regardless………….


Tactical considerations

Enemy may go for massive CAP trap:
Advantages –will chew our air up , his CV’s will live
Disadvantages –our CV’s live – but our BB’s may be able to gain the beachhead

We go for massive CAP trap
Advantages –little – we still will lose many planes –and possibly carriers too
Disadvantages –many –his CV’s will remain

Max strike by him, low CAP by him
Advantages for him – he will get through –and kill us –but so will we –and kill him –we win

Max strike by us –
Adavantages – we must get through –and win
He will sink us in return –but we still will win

Conclusion
We must maintain a CAP as small as needed to deter search A/C gaining strikes, and go for all out attack.
If at all possible, reserve A/c should be available to fly in from nearby land bases - it is doubtful the enemy will have this luxury………..


Yamamoto considers the paper. He remains unsure. The thought of losing carriers…… and what of current fleet doctrine “the carriers will “carry” the Battleships to the beachfront, escorting them into range utilising heavy CAP”
This had worked every time. Why change it now?

He considers the sparkling sea below, as the great bow crawls steadily south. Above, the great director is exercising, and the Aft Turret is tracking imaginary battleships.
It whines steadily, subdued power in the hydraulics.
And something tells him, rightly or wrongly, that those great rifles are not redundant yet.





Extract from Shattering the Sword
A cantona production

……………….and the debate over Japanese fleet carrier doctrine continued to rage –even as the fleet positioned itself where it hoped the final decision would be fought.
Unknown to them –and Genda especially –the allies were bringing new cards to the table- the CVE replenishment carrier –endless CAP. And long threatened, but now very close, the new big bomber –the B-29…….








Kurito is half the manager of Iwaya –throw him into the job with out a hand over, with out a clue of “what the hell was he doing?’ and he’s only a fifth of a manager that Iwaya was.

Today has been a nightmare for him –what with the secret police searching the office, tearing it apart – how many vital files went with them today!???? –too the endless stream of office staff dragged away for questioning –how many more crying office girl typists would he see return from them?
Nightmare!
At least all of them had been returned – for now- what with end of month reports and briefs required yesterday …………..Nightmare!

But now this!
His first missive from Herbiesan

“New enemy bomber B-29.
Capabilities?
Range?
Expected date of entry into war –numbers?

AND WHAT ARE OUR PLANS TO COMBAT IT_IS THERE A NEW FIGHTER?

Nightmare!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yet again he sticks his head out the door –looking for help – “You, Setsuko? –he chucks the missive at her- what do you know of this?”

Poor girl – one of the first to be dragged away –and returned – why in the hell do they think mere secretaries know anything of traitors plans?

But amazingly, she seems pretty composed
“Oh, that might be the KI-94, or the KI-96, or 87 –or even the Navy J7w –Shinden –which one would you like to know about sir?”

A miracle!
‘All of them! –everything – everything!”
A miracle!

[1275psi]

4/4/44

The Burma, Thailand border is being its usual barsted –scattered clouds , low mist –and a sky threatening to break into the usual great white, black based monsters in the afternoon.
Veterans of the front here know the score –take off today, you better have alternatives lined up a plenty –home may well be clouded in, or worse when, if you return.

It’s the weather that dominates today – no mass combats – just a series of rolling brawls all around Moulmien, stretching over Rangoon, to Rahaeng to the south.

The allied plan becomes obvious from the beginning –sweep the sky clear using P-38’s –pound with the following bombers.

The weather disrupts everything – the 38’s arrive, so do some mozzies –the Japanese throw just about everything into the sky over this busy, busy morning

Before the weather closes everyone down for the afternoon – there has been over a dozen different scraps -some the allies win, some Japan wins.

12 P-38’s are killed, but 6 Franks go in, as do half a dozen zekes.
47th lose another man -3 days, 3 men –the maths is frightening.


47th’s kills reach 117 –and Juni has a rival, Chuzaburo climbs from his machine grinning – 2 fingers today –now he too has seven.



5/4/44

The rain sheets across the field –and with it, great gusts of wind. In his cockpit, Juni frets, feeling his beast shake and quiver in the gale. He feels like a fish, deep in the sea –water streaming over the glass.

“Damn the rain, damn the rain”
But its OK, it won’t last –not this quick squall. Its actually a good moment this, the pause before the day, time to be alone for a moment, to gather himself.

His poor crew shelter under the wings, its not cold, this rain is simply unpleasant.
Then, as if a switch operates –the squall passes, and the sun, already hot, breaks out.

Cockpit canopy back -and quickly –its simply suicide to sit on the ground in a closed cockpit in this sun.
Steaming, the world is steaming, and bright, and fresh. Except for the mud of course.
Faintly, Juni can hear water being pushed of the roof of a tent, the splash, some laughter. Life continuing, as they wait.

Below, the smell of cigarettes, some murmured laughter, his crew too waits.
A dozen or so strong, Juni and the reserve CAP wait.

Juni has a new item, and its earning its keep today –a pretty parasol –light, silk, Geisha girls as a pattern . It does a marvellous job against the sun.

They wait
Does he need a piss? –should he go through the hassle of unstrapping, getting out, finding it under the flying gear ?
A green flare, a radio crackle makes the decision for him

“Section 2 -12 bandits reported. Juni cover please”

Only 12?
A probe?
Never mind – they will find out.
A young boy takes the umbrella –carefully –anothergives the screen a final wipe, others wait at the wings – and the chief stands ahead –fist upwards and clenched.
Engine start
And we go again

No more conscious thought into this than taking a dump, actions are automatic, the crew a ballet around him.
Clear!
Throttle on, the usual hassle of getting clear, and the turning climb –his section following, following
Canopy banged forward –and the world, again, is him

Now, where is Chuzaburo? – ahh, there. Good
Sky is a mess –clouded, bumpy, and worse –a terrible haze. Visibility 2-maybe 3 miles at most.
Never mind

Climbing
Still climbing
Oxygen on
And still climbing, and the air is now cool, cold, and non life supporting –as they continue to climb still –Juni determined to clear above this mess of a sky………..

And there- BELOW – half a dozen P-38’s

There is no hesitation, a quick point of the finger –and 47th peel over and down –and attack

The 38’s spot them –spot them early –and they leap away – turning a little –climbing too, dependent on greater power, and speed and energy –and they don’t have it -today -the frank is as fast, and Juni is gaining on his Bird, easy, easy, he twists, twists, and DAMN –Chuzaburo gets the split turn so much better –and takes him down right in front of his eyes.

They exchange grins – it was well done, and turn together seeking another prey –and another does present itself cutting across them, Juni swings hard, down, fires –and the tracer intercepts time, space, and contacts plane, fuel and flesh.
This 38 staggers, folds, a and falls, brocken

And Juni, as always , feels cold, and nothing ---------no –wait –that’s eight to eight now –you grinning little snit…………





From the Diary of Col Nakamura


…………a really good day – kills again, lots of them to tally today –and no losses either for us in 47th
Vic point got hit today –Port Blair is operational I see for the enemy!
Still –reinforcements keep coming. If we can hold this patch of sky above here –deny the bombers –I can’t see how the enemy hope to cross the river…………..



Captain Hara consults his wing commander
“How many submarines today?”
“6 sightings sir, 3 attacks by our planes, no hits though”

Hara raises his eyebrows in his XO’s direction
“If the allies aren’t aware of a carrier operating near Ulithi by now –I will be the tail on the donkey………..”


Setsuko reads the paper –real news is hard to find, and now , with Iwaya gone, REAL news even tougher to get.
But this, this she knew, had a grain of truth –her Husband had talked of this ,,,,,
Tokyo Times

………..and denied that the Allies would soon deploy a new big bomber –the B-29 in any base capable of reaching the homeland. In fact, stated the Great Leader – he doubted that such a plane could operate from anywhere outside of the Empires “still mighty boundries” and threaten Japan proper. Such a bomber remains……..

Setsuko of course, knows a great very much about this plane –and surprisingly, it does not fill her with any fear –just admiration.

[1275psi]

Come on you barsted, come on!, climb!

She literally hangs on the end of her propeller, nose straining into the sky, and Miyazuki strains every muscle, willing her that extra few feet into the sky….

She stalls –viscously, and his last glimpse of the liberators is one of the tail gunners -is that a finger? –the barsted! As the nose wretches round and the spin begins.
He chops the throttle –lets her go, counting them, 4, 5, 6, opposite rudder, stick forward gently, pull out of the dive.

Damn, damn, damn them!

The 84 is good – but not everything.

The Liberators simply march across the sky, immune to the flaying gnats below –and from 31000 feet, drop the black eggs into the nether regions.

It’s a real stand off – too high to really hurt , too high to be hurt.

As Miyazuki descends into the more hospital reaches of the atmosphere, he wonders if any one will ever come up with a true answer to the bomber.
For some reason, he keeps thinking of his child hood rockets………….





The Transport arrives at the field un announced –but this is not comment worthy –moulmien receives many planes like this, nearly every day –special deliveries, lost pilots, emergency evacuations on very,, very rare occasions.

This one though, acts differently, it lands, and pulls of the field, well down the strip –and there it remains.

A vehicle is dispatched – maybe the pilot is wounded, or there is a problem.
It returns, and there is a problem

For Nakamura, a very, very big problem.

“ The pilot says he needs to speak to you, and you only”
“What does he look like?” a uneasy feeling in his stomach…….
“Like a gorilla to be frank”

The plane sits quietly – and Nakamura, even in this dying light, can see that this plane has seen a lot of hard work –a lot.
The Port engine, in particular, is sprouting nasty oil streaks.

It is, of course, Hosho, who pokes his head out of the cockpit roof hatch
“ Ahhhhh –Hosho – still playing private airline I see?”
The big man tries to grin –but the face is too tired, too stressed. “ and business is bad sir,”
“bad?”
“very, very bad. I have some one inside who wants to see you”


The inside is a surprise, no bare seating, no cargo hold –but a luxury suit –first class all the way.
The passenger, however, does not look first class
“Iwaya?’

He has lost weight already, and the new beard -a terrible new beard, has not had time to grow far yet.. But it is the terrible, Heavens, its broken face –that stuns Nakamura.
Iwaya –that great man –is now , suddenly a old, old man

He rises unsteadily. “hello old friend –would you like a seat in my flying,” a grin, a secret joke –“ palace”

The most wanted man in the Empire guides him to a seat.

“I don’t have long Nakamura – they saw me depart Hanoi –any moment now I expect you will be informed to arrest me. I hope you won’t”
There is a pause. Arresting Iwaya may be the only thing that saves Nakamura. The rumours have been frightful.

Iwaya is direct. As always. ‘ I tried to save Japan. I failed. But, I will try again, inn a different way.’ He takes a scotch, pours them both a very, very stiff one
He swallows it, all, and its like water in its effect – “I intend to defect –tonight. My trained Gorrilla is going to dump me over Mandalaby –and I intend to talk. I am going to try to bring a peace settlement, some how, I don’t know how –but I am going to try”

Nakamura remains silent
Iwaya continues “ Fuel my plane, and I offer this. I hope you take the offer as a friend, and patriot. If not, take it as a bribe –bribes work you know –remember my son?
Here is a key. It’s a key to a safe deposit box – small bank in Parishimo –safe from the bombing I hope. Enough in it to set you, and yours up after this cursed war forever. If you fuel my plane”

The sun continues to drop –the air grows dim
Does he believe Japan can win?
Where, and what, are his true loyalties now?

Enough, for them after the war?
But he is a traitor…………
Is he?

Outside , the last fighters are coming in –his men, the men he leads every day –giving everything for Japan –the men who die for the Empire, for victory.
Is this betrayal?

Iwaya gives one last appeal
“For our friendship – for what my son gave”






Hosho holds her steady in the dark –below, some where below the enemy field
Iwaya has said goodbye, been shown how the chute works –now, some where behind him, his Co pilot waits to push him out the door

Flashes in the sky - FLAK.
Hosho pushes the button for the green light –senses his passenger leaving the beast.
Shortly later, his co pilot returns, wearily takes his seat “ Flying with you is the most mixed up crud I could ever have dreamed –take me home will you?”
“Ok, I promise…”


The Cannon shells from the Mozzie are lethal –three shredding the port engine. In the dark of the night, the great flames are too bright to look at.
Hosho fights to hold her steady “ Get out!”
His companion of so many years merely laughs ‘How many bloody times have I been shot down with you now –and you want me to risk a chute?’

“Your funeral” grunts Hosho
The glare blanks all night vision, and it grows, and he can feel her falling away to the right, falling into a fateful dive.
And Hosho’s last thoughts are stupid, but typical of this good man. “All that wasted Scotch in the back………..”




The Kempati arrive 30 minutes after he is gone. The news of a transport seen going down in flames over 33rd division arrives in 33 minutes.

The Hunt for Iwaya –the traitor, ends 3 hours later.
The killing of his relatives, his co conspirators, many others, is barely beginning.



They come for Setsuko at midnight – crashing through the door., charging into the small home.

Below, in Yashimoto’s shop she listens. How glad she has been to take the old man s advice tonight.
Would they search this room ?
Would the old man betray her under pressure?
She hoped not.
Prayed not.

How she missed her husband. How she hated this herbiesan.
How she wonders now –will she get out of Tokyo? –and where should she go?

They destroy the apartment upstairs – and its many hours before they leave.
She cries
“Never mind child . Stay here. Hide here. There is food enough. The wise thing, will be to wait. Something will come up”
And so, Setsuko loses a job, a life, and moves from upstairs, to downstairs………

[cantona2]

The prisoner was brought to the squad leader, a brusk sergeant from York. He then, realising what he had in his hands put him under the escort of four veterans and had him sent to the platoon leader. The eton bred lieutenant was polite, offered him tea, remarked at his prisoners English accent then had him put in jeep to Divisional HQ where a major then took him to Major General Glover, c/o 2nd Infantry Divsion. The stunned general could at first not believe that the production and economic genius fuelling the Japanese war machine was sat opposite him in his field tent offering to defect. He asked his ward to once again explain the situation and once again he was stunned. He offered his prisoner a stiff scotch and placed him under 24 hour guard while he conferred with Calcutta. The call did not take long to come through. A Dakota was being sent to Akyab to pick up the precious package and from there fly it to Ceylon. From there he would be transferred to Cairo where a joint commision of Britsh and American brass would interrogate and cross examine Mr Iwaya. The intell he could provide could be of incalculable value to the war effort. For the grunt on the ground however, it was still mud, blood and bullets. The capture of what was assumed to be a downed enemy pilot passed by unnoticed as another daily foible of this business called war.

[cantona2]

Captain Saxby accompanied Mr Iwaya on his journey from Akyab to Ceylon. He was tightlipped at first but as the Japanese minister began to get more comfortable he also was willing to talk more and more. He remarked about the initial unexpected success of the Japanese attack across the Pacific and how easily, well that was the perception in Japan, the allies had melted ahead of them. He talked about how close they had come to losing to carriers in the Port Moresby invasion and how victory disease had spread after the sinking of the US carriers at Majuro. Then came the counter in the Solomons and New Guinea and the heroic defence at Port Blair. The final straw for him was the Commonwealth attack in Burma and the fall of Rangoon. Despite the comitting of the weight of the Combined Fleet the allies kept coming. Peace was the only choice. At this Saxby raised an eyebrow. He must be deluded, he thought, if he thinks the Yanks will ask for terms after Majuro! He made a mental note to pass on to his superiors in Intel. Deluded about peace but very willing to talk.

[1275psi]

1275psi must interupt the story here

cantona and I are playing the dream game -fun, fair, realistic -and enjoying it a lot (well I am)
I have proposed a bold gambit to add to the flavour

Iwaya is going to give real, hard intell - I have invited cantona to send me ten -ten only questions - and 'Iwaya " is going to answer them truthfully -no misguided lies, bluffs, half truths -just a real view of what he knows of japan war machine as it is!

I want to flavour AAr, and give any followers of it -a picture of the war as well -and to give cantona things to think about.
It should be fun!
Thanks for following the tale -I hope people are still enjoying it.

1275psi

More to come soon cantona mate!

[1275psi]

They come again -the great silver eagles -and again 47th struggle to reach them.

But the eagles do attack eleswhere -rahaeng, Vic point , and other places down south
At Vic point, its 21 T bolts, vs 21 franks, and 3 to 4 are the losses

47th is locked into a fight to the death.

[1275psi]

8/4/44

"how in the hell do they do it?'
Nakamura is pissed off frankly -yet again another patrol over troops daily bombed -except for the day 47th fly over them

A handful of Liberators have attacked home while they are away - driven of by other sentais.

Its now a true balancing act -I watch you, you watch out for me -we both watch out for them............. and if the weather intervenes, some one gets wacked.
And further bad news -despite the hammering, the effort being expended trying to keep Miektila closed -enemy A/c spotted on its fields.
And, then, to add even further to the blows -Rangoon is lost
Things are going backwards fast...............

[1275psi]

TOP SECRET

To
Pacific Command
From
British Command

Immediate

package scotch responding well
SAXBY reports following

Combined fleet departed Japan 30 march
Destination as follows

Mobile fleet one (Ozawa)
CV Akagi, Kaga, Hiryu, Soryu, Shokaku, Zuikaku, Taiho

Mobile fleet two (Abe)
CV Unryu, Amagi, Katsaguri, kasagi,Aso, Ikoma

Mobile fleet 3( Yamada)
CVL Ryujo, Shoho, zuiho, Ryuho, Chitose, Chiyoda

All to ULITHI -new fleet base in pacific

Bat divs 1 -2 BB, including "superbattleships", bat div 2 -3 battle cruisers to ULITHI

Remaining battleships -3, and 5 CVE to DAVAO

SCOTCH remains unaware of CV Junyo position -believes it is "raiding"

Further information
Japanese home moral strong
Army remains fanatical
Navy seeks "final battle"
Airforces are of "poor moral -much dissent"

Emperor is still alive. Dictator still firmly in political control, ruling by terror.
SCOTCH currently sleeping -further updates as available"

[1275psi]

9/4/44

47th finally meet some bombers to the east of moulmien..........

But 85th get in first -and the B-26 flee before any can be engaged by them.
Other B-24's again loiter well above 30000 feet -and scatter bombs all over thailand -the term pin point bombing cannot be applied to those guys.

Burma command issues orders that Moulmien will be held to the death. Another useless command -the Army, almost to a man, intends too..........

[1275psi]

From
Burma command
to
Pacific command

For info

Top secret, Immediate

SCOTCH continues to divulge
SAXBY reports following

Empire places second highest piority to Thailand/Malaya defence
SCOTCH reveals following forces. He appears certain of main divisional units, vague on minor units

Moulmien
21st, guard,26th, 31st,61st Divs, plus 3 regiments
23rd Army - approx 150000 men, another 30000 ( 0ne div?) to east

At 32/33 - 53rd, 39th,38th div, elements 55th div - 15th army -70000 men

Bangkok - reserves -2 ARm regiments, 2 reg regiments, 40000 men

Laungrabang - 28th army - 2 reg

Malaya coast fortified -

Tavoy - 25th Army -4th div, 2 reg, 56000 men

Vic point - 20000 men

george town - 2 reg -30000 men

Airforces include 14 fighter squadronns, 10 bombers

Principle intelligence is 130000 men- 47th, 16th, 69th div, plus indian regiments (SCOTCH describes as unreliable) plus two regiments at Singapore

Naval presence is confined to DD's - and light craft -SCOTCH believes 2 old CL there as well.
Principle plan involves an immediate counter attack by all forces on any Malaya coast invasion -otherwise SCOTCH believes principle plan is to hold Moulmien line.

More to come as revealed
Note
SAXBY reports that SCOTCH is being considered as a war criminal - a charge SCOTCH has recieved with great distress. This is placing intelligence flow at risk -please restrict such threats.

[1275psi]

Captain Hara listens to his torpedo bomber pilots

"Like ants to honey" one of them exclaims -' "There are more SS lurking out there than you can poke a stick at"
Hara grins "well, as long as they stay out there, and not in here"

here -is of course, the great lagoon the fleet rests in -safe, secure -but not secret -too many submarine sightings show that. "The thing is men -now we know where they are -and you can kill them"
"sure", one mumbles" but what about when we have to leave here..............."

[1275psi]

10/4/44

For Setsuko, life has become a nightmare

Mr Yashimoto, the quiet old shopkeeper of the ready smile, the extra greeting in the morning, is secretly a tyrant, a bully, and plainly, plainly evil.
And he considers Setsuko a heaven sent opportunity to have a maid, a house keeper, and a free worker all in one.
Her days have become unstinting labour, and fear, fear of betrayal, fear of the back of her hand, and fear for the future.

Yashimoto can be summed up in just one chilling sentence " Work for me young lady, work or starve, or worse..........."

But she cannot escape - everyday, and every night, the black saloon sits near the AA gun and its young boys, and shadow men watch, and watch............

[1275psi]

How long does the news take to spread?

A day?
An hour?

Forever, every man and women, and even child will remember where they were on this day when the news came.

American bombs have fallen on sacred Japan

[1275psi]

extract from Shattering the sword -a cantona production


The first B-29 raid takes Japan's defences almost surprise - Sappro port struck by a mere 15 of the mighty bombers.
14 zekes intercept the bombers -and barely scratch them.
japan has been preparing for such an assualt -but its interceptors are at the other end f the nation. Now her command must decide -is this a decoy -or the beginning of something worse?