Letters from a Prime Minister

[1275psi]

And we have finally caught up with the game

[1275psi]

January 11th

Parliament house, Canberra

"The speaker of the house calls upon the honourable leader of the Opposition"
Tony stands, comfortably, looks carefully at the Government benches
'I address my question to the Prime Minister......I have reliable reports that
in this time of national crises, Australia does not possess one single modern
fighter squadron. As the Prime Minister was until recently the Minister responsible
for this reprehensible state of affairs, can he please enlighten the house on, A, how this
terrible state of affairs came about, and what he now intends to do about it?"

he sits, growls emitting from his party behind him "Shame, shame!", and glares of hate across from him

The Prime Minister stands

(you barsted, you absolute barsted, you were actively in support of the empire flying scheme, of
everything we did last year, and now you ask this?)

'The Government thanks you for question. On the subject of fighter strength, we reserve
the right to answer this in the house on operational security, although...." he pauses as the
cat calls rise like a wave, subside....." I can tell the house that significant numbers ( they sent 36 bombers,
just 36 elderly crates, the stingy barsteds) of new planes of all types are now arriving in country"

He sits, letting the waves of abuse sweep over him. he can feel the twinge of
panic in the house, after all, the news in the DEI's, in Malaya has not been good. But
if only, if only, they had a little faith. Britain will never let us down........never.

A note passes to him

Discreetly he reads it

"From blamey

Only partial unloading at Milne bay achieved overnight, enemy shipping sighted near
rabual, have suspended landings. Will try again tomorrow"

Carefully he folds the note.....and tries to hide the anxiety in him
Australia's largest, no only, armoured unit so bloody exposed.........

[1275psi]

Lt Jackson weaves down Bourke street.

Aussie beer is stronger than you think.

An arm suddenly reaches out from beside him, grabs his shoulder, hauls him sideways.

50 tons of Melbourne tram rumbles past where he was just standing
Strong beer, even more dangerous roads.

But, it seems, that's all Melbourne can offer the crew of Enterprise.
Strong beer, dangerous confusing trams (and bloody hell, everyone drives on the wrong side of the road!)

But the girls are pretty...

[1275psi]

The Japanese try to evict the allies from pattani, northern malay, and fail

They bombard the army trapped at Bayombong, central Phillipines. This, it is obvious now,
is going to become a siege.
Tying up at least 3 Japanese divisions...

The allies recapture Djambi, north of Palembang
The allies bomb, rather successfully, the oil fields.

And Kaga continues to seek to spread terror, bombing (an empty) Colombo harbour.

No less than 7 allied ss are hot on her tail..........


In China, the Japanese move the army that tried to take Changsha out of the city, it
appears to be marching West.
That's OK, we still have the rails.
We can move our Army far faster.

[1275psi]

Cells
Under the poop deck, Westralia

Jeffery awakens with a start.
The Coxswain opens the door, a scowl upon his face, changing to disgust at the smell.
It is nearly 100 degrees in this tiny room, and Jeffery has not bathed for two days

He jerks his thumb over his shoulder
"Out, get to your gun, we are sailing in a few minutes. Skipper thinks there are subs about"

As Jeffery passes him, the Coxswains strong hand holds him up
" Think your self lucky lad, if I had my way, and we got hit, a man might be tempted to
forget about little shits like you'

[zuluhour]

ahhhhh the sweet scent of a women.............................

[1275psi]

Jan 13th

0200 hrs

from
HMAS Adelaide
Flash

Am in engagement with 4 Japanese destroyers, my position 30 miles north east Milne bay entrance


0230 hrs
from HMAS Adelaide
Flash

In Company USS Marblehead, DD Triomphant, have engaged 4 destroyers.
Engagement inconclusive

Am moving to cover convoy



0450 hrs
From HMAS Adelaide
Routine
Convoy has arrived safely in Milne Bay, unloading re commenced


0500 hrs
From HMAS Adelaide
Priority

3 enemy aircraft spotted, possibly TBDs


0615
From HMAS Adelaide
FLASH< FLASH< FLASH


Am under heavy carrier borne aircraft attack, 150 plus
Am attempting to get un................




And then, silence, and silence, and silence

[1275psi]

From
General Blamey
to
9th group

There has been some sort of Japanese attack against our landings at Milne Bay
Please send recon immediately, and re establish contact

I suspect failure of Radio services
Cannot be sure

Vital state of 2nd cav, 3rd brigade, 108th Tank be determined immediately

[1275psi]

From 9th group

to

Air forces PM

Powerful airstrikes expected against you shortly.
Remove all exposed air assets immediately.

newly arrived fighters enroute to Townsville, but doubt will be available
in time

Preservation of assets vital at this time

If enemy task force comes south towards Brisbane (as expected based on Admirals aggression
levels, we may, repeat, may, have a small surprise for him

In short, get your head down whilst this storm passes.

[1275psi]

Port Phillip bay is large
Very large
Large enough for a carrier to reach flying off speed, to launch her wings.

Enterprise, Saratoga do exactly that.

With a roar that wakes up sleepy Melbourne, they wing their way over the harbour, and disappear
North

Pacific Fleet does not dare face the might of KB carrier on carrier, not yet

But, you cannot sink an airfield.
Let the gamble begin

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Canberra
late evening

Parliament has broken for the evening meal.
Tonight, the debate on measures "for the assessment, gathering, and convoy of
livestock in the case of National emergency"

In plain English, can the government forcibly remove a Farmers stock, and take it south if the Japanese do come?

A jarring Bill to debate indeed, seeing how the Prime Minister insists this can never happen


Then, tonight, question time.
And, undoubtedly, more on the state of Australia's air defences


Dusk is almost done when the bombers sweep over parliament house, great radials rumbling.
30 plus American Dive bombers, circling, settling at the local field, to jostle
for space with the 18 wirriways there.

For the Prime Minister, a mighty cudgel to wield in question time.
See, see.....he can say......the planes are coming. They are here..........

[1275psi]

At that same field, in the fine brick building that is the mess, Jack Ford, tired from another
day of "general training" is able to meet the pilots of these very same Army Bombers.

They are young, very young, and green, Oh so green.

What are they doing here then, in Canberra?
A shrug, the usual, "who bloody knows look"

"Some flap up North, we are to get clear of it, apparently"

[1275psi]

Jan 14th

From
C in C
Pacific
to
Chiefs of staff

Japanese attempting to reinforce Umnak island
Forces identified as 25th Independent Engineers

We have successfully engaged enemy task force and damaged CL Kitakami
Own damage, 2 four stackers retiring.

Own landings due to take place 2 to 3 days time, weather dependent

Remain hopeful that island will be re taken shortly

BB Warspite and troops originally due Kodiac, diverted to Umnak, arrival 5 days.

Remain confident that Japanese eastward movement will be stopped here.

[1275psi]

Karachi

"Been here before John?"
The captain of the Napier leans relaxed against the starboard wind deflector, taking
in the view.
Sweat shines on his brow, and his nose wrinkles at the, well, unpleasant smells, that waft
across from the bedlam of the wharf below

John joins him, his equally tall and bronzed frame almost matches his Captains.
Karachi harbour, a navigators nightmare.

"No, I haven't.........but I don't think it will be the last.......what are the plans
skipper?"
"Hobart needs a day work, a day to unload the tanks, day after, back to Aden, pick up the 6th, or
the 7th, which ever our masters order"

"Shore leave?"
The Captain smiles...'Are you kidding, there's a million Bangkok bellies just here on the
wharf....Gods, have you ever smelt such a stink?"

[1275psi]

From
Winston
to
The Prime Minister Australia
Frank
Although our forces in Malaya are collapsing, it has given us time to prepare
our defences further North in Burma
The Army there has been ordered to retire to India, as we feel nothing can
be gained in fighting there.

At this moment, all 11 Japanese divisions have been located, where they will go after
the DEI's battles, is any guess.

As Promised, I am sending powerful units of the Fleet to theatre
The first, Battleship Royal Sovereign, will be sent to where ever appropriate, the first
of many significant vessels..........

[1275psi]

Admirals Headquarters
Colombo

Admiral Cunningham sighs

As if he did not have enough to deal with already

Japanese carriers knocking holes in the furniture, roaming at will

And now this.......

An R class battleship?

How in the hell is he going to keep that floating coffin out of the muck???

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Jan 15th

Kaga, and her little ladies visit Diego Garcia, sink a small AK,
continue to spread the terror.....

In Sumutra, the first surrenders begin of the shattered 18th division
And in Malaya , the army there, too, begins the dissolution.
Overwhelmed, lost, abandoned.

Victims of years of politicians unwilling to see the dangers, unwilling to do anything
even if they did.
Paying the price, for the fable of fortress Singapore

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Lt Jackson hands the Admiral the signal
"Intel report sir"
"Good, let me have it"

Enterprise prances across the bass straight swells, course due West.

Ahead, the great Australian bight, and its famous bad weather, mighty swells.
But for now, the seas are calm, and Enterprise rides easily.

"The Japanese carriers have vanished.......our groups are in Brisbane....and
the Aussies are going bat crap crazy"

"And that's in the report Jackson?"
"Well not the last bit sir"
"But they are going Bat shit crazy", the Admiral grins.....

[1275psi]

Jan 16th

There is, always will be, something special about a destroyer at speed.
Six in line ahead, 200 yards spacing, racing through the dark.

Star shells ripple ahead, night becoming day.

Other destroyers, revealed by those spiralling white falling spluttering stars.
Five, Minekaze class.
Struggling in the swells


'little boys to Port, engage!

The allied line swings hard, healing, shuddering, line ahead!

Both lines bark, tracer flies...white columns of water, guns struggling to find targets....


The Japanese turn, vanish into the pitch dark

'Little boys line ahead!..

On, on at speed, towards Adak island


Again starshells split the sky, orange, red, Japanese...

5 More sinister shapes, one particularly long, low, lethal
CL Kiakami, 4 more small DDs

Manoeuvre, fire, fish, starshell, tracer, manoeuvre, the thud of shells, the screams of dying men.

Again, the Japanese fade away into the night..


Adak island

DDs's Cummings, Case, Conygham, Reid, Tucker, Downes........

Here we are japan. One on one. Not out numbered. Not pounded , hounded from the air.
As good as you, as good as you will ever be.
And we are here to fight.

Adak island, dark, cold, bare, a shadow in the dark

Other shadows, trying to hide
A convoy

The defending destroyer is shredded, 4 transports left burning.

Turn for home

But Kitakami will have the last say. Out of the dark, unseen, a salvo, .
DD Case will go down.



We are here. We fight. We provide cover for even bigger things.

[1275psi]

From
BB Colorado
to
C in C Pacific

Landings under cover of my guns proceeding Umnak island
regiment 70% ashore.

Very badly disorganised, but japanese forces estimated to be insufficient to dislodge landing.
BB Warspite has been diverted to here, with its regiment, as a standby.

Will complete unloading, then retire. Surface actions to my West have in my opinion
a/ expended all torpedoes.
b/ engaged all available Japanese surface forces

However, I will assume nothing, am urging as rapid unloading as I can

End