From
The Prime Minister
to
General Blamey
re:
Defences of Port Moresby
Please supply the following as soon as possible
Current man power Port Moresby
State of defences
main commanders there
The state of the troops
Are plans being made for support of the base, reinforcement of the place
if, as planned, the initial Japanese landings (should they come at all) are rebuffed?
I wish to give Winston the 1st Australian Division as well as the 6th, 7th.
What is its state?
How are plans for formation of our other divisions proceeding?
I know you are busy, if you require further staff, please take them.
(On a personal note.........I have almost had confirmation from the President
that SW Pacific command will fall to you...Mac has made a botch of the Phillipines,
and nobody, it seems , wants our area, "a poisoned chalice" I believe was the quote.
I understand Porter is your point man at Port Moresby. I know him. SUPPORT HIM,
I know you and him did not get on in Crete, but PLEASE, PLEASE do not allow
personal feeling into this.
I have enough on my plate with out personal squabbles
Frank Ford
Letters from a Prime Minister
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
Townsville
A large pub
Converted, at the moment, to HQ eastern Army
Blamey turns to his staff officer.
"So, really, just what available reserves do we have here, now that our last battalion
has sailed?"
'None sir"
"That's what I thought..........look, rustle up a reply to this damn letter
from the PM, something along the lines....adequate numbers, good morale, you know.
Heaven help us when Politicians actually get involved"
"yes sir.ah, sir, in reality, what DO we do if the Japs besiege Port Moresby?"
"What everyone is doing, I suppose, call the Americans for Help"
A large pub
Converted, at the moment, to HQ eastern Army
Blamey turns to his staff officer.
"So, really, just what available reserves do we have here, now that our last battalion
has sailed?"
'None sir"
"That's what I thought..........look, rustle up a reply to this damn letter
from the PM, something along the lines....adequate numbers, good morale, you know.
Heaven help us when Politicians actually get involved"
"yes sir.ah, sir, in reality, what DO we do if the Japs besiege Port Moresby?"
"What everyone is doing, I suppose, call the Americans for Help"
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
Dec 19th
from
ABDA Command
to
All Commands
Intelligence reports indicate that Invasion force for Palembang is in Kuching area
and approaching.
Force is supported by CV Kaga, 2, possibly 3 CVL, possibly 2 CVE, 2 battleships,
multiple cruisers and destroyers.
We have commenced landing substantial reinforcements Oosthaven
Nothing, repeat, Nothing must allow these landings to be disrupted.
The enemy are over confident. It is time to teach him a lesson, to break his will and moral
Now is the time for all to exert all in battle
ABDA
from
ABDA Command
to
All Commands
Intelligence reports indicate that Invasion force for Palembang is in Kuching area
and approaching.
Force is supported by CV Kaga, 2, possibly 3 CVL, possibly 2 CVE, 2 battleships,
multiple cruisers and destroyers.
We have commenced landing substantial reinforcements Oosthaven
Nothing, repeat, Nothing must allow these landings to be disrupted.
The enemy are over confident. It is time to teach him a lesson, to break his will and moral
Now is the time for all to exert all in battle
ABDA
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
The Japanese land a SNLF and considerable numbers of support troops at Singawang
The garrison at Kuching, considerably reinforced, and at least 3 times as large as that single SNLF
is put on standby. Let them come, smash them, then chase them all the way back to Singawang......
The real battle though, the battle for Palembang, begins.........
The garrison at Kuching, considerably reinforced, and at least 3 times as large as that single SNLF
is put on standby. Let them come, smash them, then chase them all the way back to Singawang......
The real battle though, the battle for Palembang, begins.........
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
SS sturgeon barely has to manoeuvre to effect the attack
The sound of the screws is picked up and tracked early......multiple ships, big ones at that
They will pass 1000 yards to the North.
Her Skipper risks only one quick peek up the scope "battleship"....and makes a good attack
4 fish are fired (2 more fail to leave the tubes). 1 simply sinks , another goes God knows where.
Another clangs quite distinctly against steel
The lucky last, however, goes of with a satisfactory bang
Battleship Haranua earns the unwanted distinction of the first successful American SS attack of
the war.
A small beginning
But a beginning none the less
The sound of the screws is picked up and tracked early......multiple ships, big ones at that
They will pass 1000 yards to the North.
Her Skipper risks only one quick peek up the scope "battleship"....and makes a good attack
4 fish are fired (2 more fail to leave the tubes). 1 simply sinks , another goes God knows where.
Another clangs quite distinctly against steel
The lucky last, however, goes of with a satisfactory bang
Battleship Haranua earns the unwanted distinction of the first successful American SS attack of
the war.
A small beginning
But a beginning none the less
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
Dec 19th
dawn
It brings a savage response from the Japanese
A small battalion of Dutchmen begins to unload at Kuching.
They are loaded on 4 old slow transports.
Defence, a few machine guns.
CV Kaga and her consorts are but 80 miles away, and send a strike far heavier than needed.
Few, very few Dutchmen will make the beach alive.
War is brutal.
Allied response, almost chilling in its coldness
"Confirm immediately the estimated number of Torpedoes expended in the attack"
dawn
It brings a savage response from the Japanese
A small battalion of Dutchmen begins to unload at Kuching.
They are loaded on 4 old slow transports.
Defence, a few machine guns.
CV Kaga and her consorts are but 80 miles away, and send a strike far heavier than needed.
Few, very few Dutchmen will make the beach alive.
War is brutal.
Allied response, almost chilling in its coldness
"Confirm immediately the estimated number of Torpedoes expended in the attack"
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
Bridge
Battleship Prince of Wales
"Tom, Tom thumb" to his friends views the ships joining him with satisfaction
CA Boise, barrels still black, 4 of those little 4 stackers......useful additions for
a task force desperately short of escorts.
They cleave the Indian ocean swell, fighting fit, it seems......
'Signal from the Boise sir"
"Yes, lets have it"
'We are fully ammunitioned, fully fuelled.........." the signal man pauses........"are we going to
piss about, or are we going to fight"
"Americans, love em....."
"Send a reply please......Follow me,...I assure you the party will be lively enough"
"Navigator......course for Oostenhaven please, I want to be there by dawn"
Battleship Prince of Wales
"Tom, Tom thumb" to his friends views the ships joining him with satisfaction
CA Boise, barrels still black, 4 of those little 4 stackers......useful additions for
a task force desperately short of escorts.
They cleave the Indian ocean swell, fighting fit, it seems......
'Signal from the Boise sir"
"Yes, lets have it"
'We are fully ammunitioned, fully fuelled.........." the signal man pauses........"are we going to
piss about, or are we going to fight"
"Americans, love em....."
"Send a reply please......Follow me,...I assure you the party will be lively enough"
"Navigator......course for Oostenhaven please, I want to be there by dawn"
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
20th December
The Indians are coming.
At Oostenhaven, desperate risks are being taken
The docks simply are not large enough, yet they must be made so.
Two deep, three deep, the transports rub against each other, against the wharf.
The Chaos is intensified by the rain.
A large depression is moving across southern Sumutra towards Singapore
It is not a typhoon.......yet.
But the rain tumbling from it may as well come from one.
From the transports lines of miserable men are hustled across the wharves, and directly onto
flat bed rail cars.
This first train, quite possibly, is the most important train of the decade
It must, simply must, get the Indians to Palembang, before the damn nips arrive
There is no protection for the transports.
Not a single warship.
Not one
Admiral Doorman is not going to wait for the hammer to fall
If its Dutch, if it floats, if it carries a weapon no matter how small, its charging North.......
The Indians are coming.
At Oostenhaven, desperate risks are being taken
The docks simply are not large enough, yet they must be made so.
Two deep, three deep, the transports rub against each other, against the wharf.
The Chaos is intensified by the rain.
A large depression is moving across southern Sumutra towards Singapore
It is not a typhoon.......yet.
But the rain tumbling from it may as well come from one.
From the transports lines of miserable men are hustled across the wharves, and directly onto
flat bed rail cars.
This first train, quite possibly, is the most important train of the decade
It must, simply must, get the Indians to Palembang, before the damn nips arrive
There is no protection for the transports.
Not a single warship.
Not one
Admiral Doorman is not going to wait for the hammer to fall
If its Dutch, if it floats, if it carries a weapon no matter how small, its charging North.......
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
Jack Ford(Bluey) disembarks from his train.
Flinders street station is cold, wind swept, miserable
But isn't Melbourne always like that?
Its 12 hours before the next train to Sydney
Young and Jacksons with her world famous (if you're an Aussie) nude painting of Chloe will do for the day....
Jason Ford, Brigade Commander in the 7th Division, sweats.
The small cabin is an oven, the red sea is like a warm bath.
Before him, requisition forms.
The 7th is fitted with desert khaki. And a fat lot of good that would be in the Jungles of Burma.......
Jason Ford also battles requisition forms
Destroyer Napier also is due to head East. It will be a long trip
Gibraltar is stores heaven.
So, if there is even the remotest chance Napier might need it, he's going to try and get it.
Jeffery Ford views Cairns with distaste.
Distaste because its the only way to respond to being refused shore leave.
Better to think you have missed Nothing.
Westralia, apparently, has new orders....
In Sydney, 16 year old Margaret faces reality. A second period missed.
What in the world will she do?
She knows so little about this Jeffery ford........maybe she should do something about that first of all.
After a long Empire flight, Blamey occupies a guest house in Port Moresby, and considers with some Justification,
that the defences here are now becoming more than a mere speed bump.
Staff officer Jackson frets on the Enterprise, for days now they have marked time, waiting
for the Saratoga, and now, even worse, for the tankers
The middle of no where, and fuel becoming critical.
And its HIS job
The war is exploding, yet the Australian Government does what only her
politicians could think of doing
They disperse across the country for Christmas holidays.........
Flinders street station is cold, wind swept, miserable
But isn't Melbourne always like that?
Its 12 hours before the next train to Sydney
Young and Jacksons with her world famous (if you're an Aussie) nude painting of Chloe will do for the day....
Jason Ford, Brigade Commander in the 7th Division, sweats.
The small cabin is an oven, the red sea is like a warm bath.
Before him, requisition forms.
The 7th is fitted with desert khaki. And a fat lot of good that would be in the Jungles of Burma.......
Jason Ford also battles requisition forms
Destroyer Napier also is due to head East. It will be a long trip
Gibraltar is stores heaven.
So, if there is even the remotest chance Napier might need it, he's going to try and get it.
Jeffery Ford views Cairns with distaste.
Distaste because its the only way to respond to being refused shore leave.
Better to think you have missed Nothing.
Westralia, apparently, has new orders....
In Sydney, 16 year old Margaret faces reality. A second period missed.
What in the world will she do?
She knows so little about this Jeffery ford........maybe she should do something about that first of all.
After a long Empire flight, Blamey occupies a guest house in Port Moresby, and considers with some Justification,
that the defences here are now becoming more than a mere speed bump.
Staff officer Jackson frets on the Enterprise, for days now they have marked time, waiting
for the Saratoga, and now, even worse, for the tankers
The middle of no where, and fuel becoming critical.
And its HIS job
The war is exploding, yet the Australian Government does what only her
politicians could think of doing
They disperse across the country for Christmas holidays.........
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
-
LargeSlowTarget
- Posts: 4971
- Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2000 8:00 am
- Location: Hessen, Germany - now living in France
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
So, Sturgeon no longer virgin - and neither is Margaret. Riveting AAR - subscribed.
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
Admiral Doorman charges North.
Blindly.
The rain is simply incredible......the sheeting monsoonal dumping that
only a tropical depression can deliver.
CL De Ryuter, 5 dutch DDs, line ahead, the blind leading the blind, groping north.
The three Mogami class, the CL, the 12 destroyers that share this wet world are not sighted until the range
is 1000 yards , or even less.
Doorman dies on his bridge
3 long lances, a storm of shells.
The Japanese vanish, the three remaining dutch destroyers stumble on
Lesson one, the japs are good, quick and good.............
They also have torpedo reloads
16 minutes later, the second dutch task force blunders into the killing field
Do they see the fish?
Who knows?, there will be none to tell the tell
CL Java, 2 Destroyers, long lanced in turn
And Tromp will steam on, lost in this grey blanket of death........
A blanket settling rapidly over the allied cause.
Blindly.
The rain is simply incredible......the sheeting monsoonal dumping that
only a tropical depression can deliver.
CL De Ryuter, 5 dutch DDs, line ahead, the blind leading the blind, groping north.
The three Mogami class, the CL, the 12 destroyers that share this wet world are not sighted until the range
is 1000 yards , or even less.
Doorman dies on his bridge
3 long lances, a storm of shells.
The Japanese vanish, the three remaining dutch destroyers stumble on
Lesson one, the japs are good, quick and good.............
They also have torpedo reloads
16 minutes later, the second dutch task force blunders into the killing field
Do they see the fish?
Who knows?, there will be none to tell the tell
CL Java, 2 Destroyers, long lanced in turn
And Tromp will steam on, lost in this grey blanket of death........
A blanket settling rapidly over the allied cause.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
I am really enjoying your Leadership in this game.[&o][&o]
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
ORIGINAL: Lowpe
I am really enjoying your Leadership in this game.[&o][&o]
Aye, I really enjoy your AAR's [;)]
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
+3quote:
ORIGINAL: Lowpe
I am really enjoying your Leadership in this game.
Aye, I really enjoy your AAR's
Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.
Sun Tzu
Sun Tzu
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
I've had better luck with the Dutch than RN, I hope they got some licks in.
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
They have already served as torpedo magnets - it will be up to Tom Thumb's squadron to show those Japanese CAs that the British and Americans can fight night actions too.ORIGINAL: zuluhour
I've had better luck with the Dutch than RN, I hope they got some licks in.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
The Prime Ministers Office
Parliament house
Canberra
10 PM
Frank Ford is clearing the last of his paperwork from his desk, when the door rings
with a solid knock
"Busy?"
A tall, sunburnt thin man, head shining bald peers around the corner, a bright smile on his
face
"Ah, Tony!. Come on in"
The Leader of the Opposition rambles in. This is no random description. Tony never seems to
move fast, here in the parliament, or down South near Warrnambool on his farm, but that
uncoordinated walk covers ground surprisingly quickly
"Drink?"
""Drier than a Sao my friend, got any of that Scotch?"
He takes the proffered drink
'Plans for Christmas Frank?"
The Prime Minister hesitates. he would like to head for the coast with Susan, but.........
But did he really want to spend a week alone with her...really?
If only Janet was still with them.
"I am not sure.....all four sons are away......"
'Oh....even Jeffery?"
"Even Jeffery?"
A heavy silence descends, both men in this office know all about Jeffery.
Tony moves to a safer topic, the two sons from Franks first marriage, the older boys,
born in happy times to that happy woman (rest her soul) so many years ago.
'Jason is enroute to Burma with the 7th, and Johns on the Napier.......when
I will ever see them I have no idea"
'So you are sending the 7th to Burma?"
The glass near Franks lips pauses
"Please Tony, politics now?......its Christmas, and I have promised Winston'
Tony merely shakes his head.
No, this is not the time. later, but not now
Frank see's the shake
"relax mate, I am told the 18th div is enroute...that's a full corp , I think
we can even recover the Malaya set back.........you wait and see'
Tony does not answer, this conversation troubles him too much already
he finishes his drink
'Have a good one Frank........."
Parliament house
Canberra
10 PM
Frank Ford is clearing the last of his paperwork from his desk, when the door rings
with a solid knock
"Busy?"
A tall, sunburnt thin man, head shining bald peers around the corner, a bright smile on his
face
"Ah, Tony!. Come on in"
The Leader of the Opposition rambles in. This is no random description. Tony never seems to
move fast, here in the parliament, or down South near Warrnambool on his farm, but that
uncoordinated walk covers ground surprisingly quickly
"Drink?"
""Drier than a Sao my friend, got any of that Scotch?"
He takes the proffered drink
'Plans for Christmas Frank?"
The Prime Minister hesitates. he would like to head for the coast with Susan, but.........
But did he really want to spend a week alone with her...really?
If only Janet was still with them.
"I am not sure.....all four sons are away......"
'Oh....even Jeffery?"
"Even Jeffery?"
A heavy silence descends, both men in this office know all about Jeffery.
Tony moves to a safer topic, the two sons from Franks first marriage, the older boys,
born in happy times to that happy woman (rest her soul) so many years ago.
'Jason is enroute to Burma with the 7th, and Johns on the Napier.......when
I will ever see them I have no idea"
'So you are sending the 7th to Burma?"
The glass near Franks lips pauses
"Please Tony, politics now?......its Christmas, and I have promised Winston'
Tony merely shakes his head.
No, this is not the time. later, but not now
Frank see's the shake
"relax mate, I am told the 18th div is enroute...that's a full corp , I think
we can even recover the Malaya set back.........you wait and see'
Tony does not answer, this conversation troubles him too much already
he finishes his drink
'Have a good one Frank........."
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
21/12/41
HMAS Canberra
HMAS Australia
Captain Getting in Command
A fine man
Fine ships
An enemy invasion convoy near Lae, PNG
A brutal action
1100 Japanese drowned, 8 ships sunk.
A fine action indeed
The two cruisers retire for Sydney.
HMAS Canberra
HMAS Australia
Captain Getting in Command
A fine man
Fine ships
An enemy invasion convoy near Lae, PNG
A brutal action
1100 Japanese drowned, 8 ships sunk.
A fine action indeed
The two cruisers retire for Sydney.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
The First Japanese invasion convoy for Palembang is attacked by a Dutch SS
5 destroyers, 5 AK, escorts.
There is another smaller one coming too
They must be stopped, the Indians are still packing.......
The allies commit all.
A rolling series of Naval actions, the battle of the north java sea, begins.
5 destroyers, 5 AK, escorts.
There is another smaller one coming too
They must be stopped, the Indians are still packing.......
The allies commit all.
A rolling series of Naval actions, the battle of the north java sea, begins.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: Letters from a Prime Minister
It is still raining
Still raining hard
From Batavia to almost Kuching, the weather is effectively socked in
But to the North of Palembang, the area south of Singapore, clear, the front , moving Northwest,
has yet to reach there.
The rain is heaviest in the channel between Sumutra and the island of Bangka.
120 miles of narrow deadly waters between Muntok in the north, Toboali in the south.
Deadly waters, reefs, madness to navigate
In this weather, all but suicidal
The allies, many of them, will try.
Even as the Japanese attempt to approach Palembang, the shortcut is forced.
CL Dragon tries
3 Japanese destroyers lie in wait
Long lances..you know the rest....................
Prince of wales, the Boise force the passage south of Oosthaven, head due east.
They will spend much of the day blindly searching in Visibility that never barely exceeds
2000 yards.
Maybe, considering, this becomes a good thing
Kaga, and her chicks, are just 90 miles away
Totally socked in too
But, but.......allied Dutch Bombers have her position pinned to a metre.
Still raining hard
From Batavia to almost Kuching, the weather is effectively socked in
But to the North of Palembang, the area south of Singapore, clear, the front , moving Northwest,
has yet to reach there.
The rain is heaviest in the channel between Sumutra and the island of Bangka.
120 miles of narrow deadly waters between Muntok in the north, Toboali in the south.
Deadly waters, reefs, madness to navigate
In this weather, all but suicidal
The allies, many of them, will try.
Even as the Japanese attempt to approach Palembang, the shortcut is forced.
CL Dragon tries
3 Japanese destroyers lie in wait
Long lances..you know the rest....................
Prince of wales, the Boise force the passage south of Oosthaven, head due east.
They will spend much of the day blindly searching in Visibility that never barely exceeds
2000 yards.
Maybe, considering, this becomes a good thing
Kaga, and her chicks, are just 90 miles away
Totally socked in too
But, but.......allied Dutch Bombers have her position pinned to a metre.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt