Letters from a Prime Minister

[1275psi]

kaga sinks a fleeing AS ship near Diego Garcia

That, I would hope, is the last, very last of "the easy kills"

I have told John...."Now the real war begins"

[1275psi]

Jan 17th

The Japanese army enters the hills, mountains and jungles near Bayombong, central Luzon

If 21st division was not broken before, it truly is now.
1 to 2, 1300 caso's to 45

3 Minekaze destroyers try again at Umnak.
They sink AM Oriole, but miss the convoy, the invasion.

The first wave is ashore, disrupted to hell.
It will take a big effort, it is hoped, to remove them.

[1275psi]

"General Blamey?"
"Yes?"
"Peter Smith, Daily Mirror......sir, a moment?"

Blamey stares at the young man. How in the hell did he get here, to Port Moresby?
This will need investigation.....
"A minute, I am busy"
"Sir, our readers want to know, Australia wants to know, what is the Allied strategy
for the war?'

A poor question, but answered easily enough
"why, to engage him wherever we can, to trade blow for blow, to never let him
think he has the initiative, to hound him, to harass him, to drive him back, and to
utterly, utterly destroy him..........."

[1275psi]

January 18th

Kiribilli house.
Possibly one of the most beautiful residencies in the world, nestled within the shadow of
Sydney harbour bridge, on the Northern shore, overlooking the harbour.
Long the favourite of Prime Ministers, especially during the long hot summer, where the sea breeze
from the harbour sends wonderful relief.
A grand stone residence, manicured gardens, a staff.

And a bored wife.

Mary Ford remains married only for one reason.
The prestige of being a Prime Ministers wife, which brings.......well, everything a divorced life
would not.
And a Divorce would definitely end all this.......
And the same could be said if there was a discovery of her lovers.......

It is too hot out today, nearly 100 degrees, and the afternoon breeze has not begun.
When it does, their will be Tim, sailing, Champaign, and a little less boredom.
So she lies on a couch, young, shapely, trying to read the papers, vaguely aware that
the news is not, somehow, good.

"Excuse me Madam.....a phone call"
"I thought I said no calls James"

"A newspaper man, insists that what he has to say is , he says, absolutely vital to you"

"Oh, buggar, give me the phone"

"hello...look, this had better be important"

There is a momentary silence on the end of the line, then not the voice she expects
"Hello....Umm, my name is Margaret......"

[1275psi]

From
The Prime Ministers office
to
General Blamey


I was distressed to hear of the loss of our brigades in Malaya
The 8th Division must be reformed, no matter how long it takes,
even if it is just to honour the men lost.

I wish for weekly updates on the progress of this matter.

We have received several fighter squadrons, modern types, in Brisbane
Has any thoughts been given to their deployment, training, and support?

Please update me this Friday.

PM

[1275psi]

Jan 18th

SS Argonaut carefully raises her scope, sweeps once, and quickly retracts it.
Her skipper has seen enough.

Midway island lies 10 miles away, freshly stocked with his little eggs.
Hopefully, one of those barsteds might find them.

"Record in the log. Large convoy , at least 8 ships, 4 escorts preparing to enter
Midways lagoon. One tanker, 4 APs amongst them".
"we going to attack them skipper?"

Gods, so tempting. No, orders are orders. Argonaut is NOT, repeat , NOT, to risk herself.
"I am afraid not, we remain eternally a chicken, laying our little eggs..........set depth 60 feet,
course for home, I want to get clear before we send this"

[1275psi]

The Japs come back, again, to Umnak

The horrible weather defeats them, every one.

Kitakami and her chicks exchange wild shots against Gilmore, brooks, then the Shaw

Lots of gunners half drown and freeze to death in the wild seas.
No one hits anything.



In China, the AVG reaches 50 kills............

[1275psi]

Buttenzong java

The 33rd division atatcks the dutch nestled in the hills

The 33rd division, (yet another one), is broken to 50% effective

The Dutch have concentrated every man they have here at Buttenzong, or at Batavia, or in the hills just
South of Buttenzong.
The Japanese, for now, are attacking with two single, unsupported divisions, one on the east
coast, the other the west.

That's not going to work in a hurry.

[1275psi]

Auckland

Westralia rests at anchor again, waiting to come alongside and begin loading
whatever is next.

There is no leave.
Again
Not that that will make a difference to Jeffery , he has three days left in cells to serve

[1275psi]

January 19th


C in C Pacific looks hard at the man handing him the report
"You sure?"

"Yes sir"

Its a simple line, but full of implications
6/144 regiment on tanker, destination Umnak

So, the 144th, wrecked taking Wake, Midway, (surely not 100% yet), is being called
elsewhere....


"Pass to Kodiac, and to Warspite, I want a meeting of staff in 15 minutes"

This is exactly what I want. A battle of attrition, a long, long way from Japan, and its
repair yards.
A place I can fight one on one...and hopefully with out needing , or encountering bloody
carriers....

[1275psi]

Jan 20th
From
Malaya Army HQ

Have retired to Alor Star for final stand
Some forces still active in middle of country, but effective resistance ending
I wish to thank troops for sterling effort, and believe no more, considering
Mersing gambit, could have been done.



From ABDA
to
Winston

Stand at Buttenzong, Batavia continues
Hope to take resistance to mid February, but may well fall before then.

Have lost contact with 18th Division, however Djambi oil field remains firmly in our hands

Dutch airforce dissolved, hoping to preserve for brighter days.

Intend to remain with troops until end

Brooke Popham

[1275psi]

From
Centre of naval intelligence
Pearl harbour
to
C in C Pacific Fleet

Appreciation Number 1
As directed by you a signals intelligence unit reporting directly to you has been established

Our first task has been to establish location of all 11, potentially 12
divisions available to Southern Army, with ultimate aim to deduce early deployment and
thrust of Japanese Phase 2 operations.

We have located all 11 divisions

Phillipines: 21, 38, 48th
Malaya: Imperial guards, 5th
Java:18th, 56th, 33rd
Burma: 55th
Sumutra: 2nd

A new formation , the 4th(C) has been located at Clarke, as has the 65th brigade
by the recon in force launched this week from Bataan.


This leaves NG units, and the 144th regiment (at sea enroute Umnak)

2 tank regiments have been destroyed completely in the Phillipines,
and 1 in Burma

3 mixed regiments are located

Japanese plans:

Potentially, Japan can go anywhere she likes at this stage.
1 CV is operating Indian ocean, another near Milne Bay, the bulk believed in Gilberts
We cannot, at this time, give you any intell on potential enemy action (other than Umnak,
Rabual actions as already known)

The enemy willin all likely hood, attempt to:
a/ take Burma on the cheap
b/ take Umnak ,and possibly attempt to outflank Dutch harbour
c/ Continue to secure Solomons

Further reports to be made as enemy movements become clearer

[1275psi]

The combat replay showed Adelaide, crawling home from Milne bay, caught by a carrier near
Rockhampton.
13 bombs

But when I go to plot, she is undamaged..........

FOW, I hope
I don't think we have a synch issue, as everything else was fine

[british exil]

Looks like another interesting journey.

Waiting for my daily fixes.

Mat

[BBfanboy]

1275psi: 2 tank regiments have been destroyed completely in the Philippines, and 1 in Burma

Now that is something I have not seen in an AAR in 1942 before! We AFBs are usually whining about the omnipotence of Japanese armour early on. You said it best, Allied units are being trashed, but Japan is bleeding too.

Congratulations on your forward defence.! [&o]

[Mike McCreery]

I think John might have been caught off guard by this A-typical response to a game with him.

Very interesting ;]

[1275psi]

Jan 21
Our first confirmed SS kill near Suva

landings at Lae
Bataan forces retreat back to the peninisula
We hold easily at Batavia, central Malaya, and Bayombong. Large numbers of
Naval bombers are being employed against ground troops

There is a single carrier operating near Milne Bay, I see its aircraft, but not the ship
Another is still in the Indian Ocean

I suspect, the four last carriers are in the Gilberts, the one near Milne Bay a decoy,
the four Gilbert ones headed back to the North pacific

Umnak, he has 25ind engineers, and 7th base force, myself a very disrupted regiment
I have just unloaded a regiment and engineers Dutch harbour.

BB Warspite is in the area........lurking for convoys, not surface combatents

And the final gem , the 144th regiment, destination Umnak, is now detected diverted to Adak

I need help, AKE's replenish what?
AE's-for BB replenishment?
AG's--??
AD's-are destroyer reloads???

All of these vessels in theatre, or approaching now.

[1275psi]

From
Prime Minister Australia
to
POTUS

Greetings.

Firstly, a thankyou for the supply of the two modern fighter units,, and the light bomber units.
Arrangements for their support are in place, and a heavy training scheme is underway.
Some of the bombers are going to Port Moresby immediately, where General Blamey
wishes to give them some "hands on training" bombing the Japs at lae, where (for themoment)
no enemy fighters are available

Was delighted to provide the support for the Carriers in Melbourne.
So many of your young men left quite an impression on the people their, and I hope
they have left with good impressions .

The business at hand.:
The Enemy carrier in the coral sea is more a nuisance than threat at this time.
We are getting troops out today from Samalaua back to Horn island, as recommended
by you

The French remain stubborn.
Thus Suva has become the focus, ANZAC forces are growing there.
My parliamentary opponents insist I bring back the first Aussie Corp to here,
but my gut feeling (and promise to Wilson) is that India will need them more.
Your Plan 1, although painful to me, is still the best option, I just hope that
all those planes and men can arrive in time.

As always, we remain committed to fight the Jap wherever we can, as forward as we can.

Yours
Frank

[1275psi]

Jan 22nd
From
Naval intel
to
Commander eastern fleet

We have radio intercepts that indicate an Invasion Diego Garcia is at sea, departing Singapore, today.
end

From
Commander eastern fleet
to
Commander SS force, Colombo

well, old Chap, there it is.
Considering I have nothing at all to face hime with just yet, do you think
you could look into this?
It will give you a nice focussed hunting ground.

I think we are going to lose the place, but its a nice warning about which way the wind may
soon be blowing
Anyway, a hot football, can you handle it?



from
Commander SS force Colombo
to
Commander eastern fleet

have ordered 11 ss into area.
Unless this is a first step in something bigger, cannot see how Nips will support this place.
A good opportunity to create another Umnak?

[1275psi]

The Japanese caome again for Umnak
2 Furataka class, 2 tenryu class, 6 minekaze class DDs
Destroyers Smith and Preston attempt to intercept


In the wild weather, they merely gain a fleeting glimpse , before the enemy power into the dark..
later, 4 helpless YP patrol craft are sunk near the island.

Preston, Smith spend fruitless hours searching in the snow and sleet, general horribleness
of these arctic waters.

There is a lot of misery, already, for what all (in their hearts) think is just a worthless
rock.